High Demand Paint Coatings for Each and Every Job
The right type of coating is crucial. If you select the incorrect paint, it won't matter how much effort and money you may spend on your project. Too many perfectly great paint projects deteriorate quickly because poor quality primer and paint were used.
A dependable rule of thumb is to match the existing finish. If you're painting or staining over a latex paint, recoat with latex. You might have a variety of choices if the material is uncoated, nevertheless, you still need to consider local climate, maintenance, and sturdiness to find the best covering for the work.
How We Improved Our Painting With Primers
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It establishes how well the top surface is protected and how long the paint can last. Knowing when to use primers messes up painters almost just as much as which primers to use. Basically, you need to use a primer if you are coating a fresh or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more even. About really the only time you don't need to prime is when you're recoating with the same paint and finish over a sound paint, for example, a flat latex paint over another flat latex paint.
To ensure compatibility, choose something that's part of a paint system. By paint system I am saying a primer and top coating made by the same company. Labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coats for various materials and conditions. If you don't want to deal with reading the small print, ask to read the spec, or data sheet, on a particular primer. In case a spec sheet isn't available, ask to see what's known as a “specifier’s guide,” although these guides probably have more information than you may ever need and you might need help translating some of the terms and specifications.
Primers form a good foundation for the top coats by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all or any types of bare areas. Without first priming a new or reconditioned surface, you will discover that the top coatings ends up flaking off much earlier than you'll expect. While you can use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the error of convinced that primers are optional, or can be made out of diluted paint.
Usually in a single coat most primers smooth out surfaces and places which have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will require a second coat of primer to ensure a smooth undercoat, but often one is enough. The home pictured below serves as an exemplory case of a project where two coatings of primer were used. The bare wood siding was primed with an oil-based primer for extra adhesion. Then, a latex primer was applied over all the siding to provide it an even base for the finish coats. Some climates almost demand another coating of primer. I've heard about one contractor in Florida who always double primes to guarantee that his work last. If you live near to ocean water, I recommend that you consider doing the same.
Primers highlight surface conditions by pointing out imperfections such as loose fibers in drywall and raised wood grain in trim. You might feel that a primer would smooth a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed portion of wood trim it always feels harsh. That's because primer causes out loose grain as it penetrates. After a dried primer has been lightly sanded, the smoothed surface is ready for coats. (Here is a tip: If you tint your primer the color of the top coat, it is possible to speed up the painting process by minimizing the number of top coats needed. Tinting is mostly used for color changes, although it is also handy for surfaces like bare drywall.)
Take The Headache Out of Primers For Interior Surfaces and Ceilings
I recommend using latex primers wherever possible. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior problem areas, including the laundry room and bath, that need a good sealant and a water resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter parts of the house, although there are excellent latex primers that seal equally well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the bedrooms, living room, and closets. I spray a latex primer on new construction because new properties have satisfactory vapor barriers. Also, I could paint an oil-based top coating over latex primer.
Older houses call for room-by-room decisions on what primer to work with. If the home doesn't have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the wall space and keeps water from getting between your surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers can be the response to priming wet rooms inside your home. These quick drying primers help condition surfaces with water, cigarette smoke, and tannin stains, and they can be recoated very quickly, sometimes within the hour. Pittsburgh's Seal Grip is a superb latex stain blocker with few VOCs and all the advantages of an oil-based stain blocker. Quick drying alkyd primers such as Kilz have pigmented shellac (with high VOCs) that also serves as a stain killer and sealer, but I don't recommend these for latex top coats, the shellac might show through the latex. If your latex has what's known as “good hold" or hiding properties, it will maintain an even sheen over primer. You can guarantee compatibility by utilizing a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
When it comes to walls, remember that plaster and drywall are different. Plaster is highly alkaline, in particular when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it is not properly sealed. There are various primers you may use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top layer and finish you've planned.
Drywall is much less alkaline than plaster. I prime drywall with a latex primer, unless the top coatings will be an oil-based paint, in which case I'll use an alkyd primer. (I understand that we now have perfectly good latex primers for any type of top coating, but old patterns are hard to let go of.) When painting new drywall, I'll sometimes add joint compound to the primer for just a little texture. Blended with primer, joint compound also helps even out over any sanding marks or roughness.
Primers For Interior Wood – Safely
When selecting primer, you should think about the nature and condition of the surface, the kind of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the finish coats, and the type of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Frequently I prime interior wood trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost dampness in older wood. There are also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, such as the high moisture common in restrooms and kitchens, may call for a breathable latex primer if you can't prime all around the wood. If you can completely apply primer the wood before it goes up, an alkyd primer will protect the majority of the trim from moisture. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a specialist if your project has many different variables
Primers For the Exterior
Even though I prefer latex paint for the outside, I still choose to use alkyd primers on exterior wood. They simply do an improved job of priming bare wood. I'll use an alkyd primer if I know that the house does not have any major internal vapor problems and that the wood is in good condition (which often means that it's new), particularly if I had access to the siding and wood trim before it goes on. It's always best to seal all around the wood (however, not the ends) to provide each piece its vapor barrier.
New redwood and cedar siding, as well as hardboard siding, needs special attention. Redwood and cedar will bleed tannins for a long time, even if the timber has air-dried for months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a mild detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are rather porous, so you might need to hold back a day or two to let them dry. There's a good chance that more tannin resin will seep to the surface, so avoid priming with latex because the resin will bleed through. Instead, use two coats of an alkyd primer/sealer, and use high quality latex for the final coats. Any staining that occurs after that can usually be washed off with special hardwood cleaners.
Hardboard siding, new or already coated, presents a special challenge. The lack of grain or anything resembling a porous surface makes hardboards such as Masonite difficult to bond to. When the wood is new then pressure wash and rinse it. If water still beads up, wash it again to remove all the wax. Seal new hardboard with a specially developed hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When mixed with a top coat, Emulsabond makes a great hardboard primer. These and other high quality sealers also work well on metal or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.
No-Fuss Priming For Metals
Every steel should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, therefore the primer gets thorough attachment with the area. Most metal areas can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes come from the factory with a stabilizer that may be tough to remove, and could need more than simply thinner. Check with your paint store if you need to be certain a primer will continue to work on new galvanized metallic surfaces.
You will discover primers for every type of metal. Ferrous metals, made of iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is nearly impossible to completely remove if you don't sandblast it, and even then small pockets of rust can stay that will grow back again under an unsealed surface or the incorrect primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the surface from exposure to air. Some companies refer to these primers as direct-to-rust or direct-to-metal (DTM) primers. Smaller projects like handrails can be primed with aerosol rust inhibitors such as Pratt & Lambert's Effecto Spray Enamel, which I've experienced good luck using.
Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be coated with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a particular primer for new galvanized metal. Older galvanized material can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned previously.
Much like any coating, the additional time the primer has to flow and contact the surface, the better the adhesion. Quick setting primers don't flow much by any means and stay right where they're applied, for good or for bad. A clean surface is especially important when using a quick drying primer. Remember that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while other companies recommend against using any sort of solvent cleaner. Read the directions carefully.
A vintage technique that still is effective for cleaning new or old metals is washing the surface with a one-to-one mix of vinegar and water. Vinegar can be an all-purpose, inexpensive cleaner that will also etch a metal material if mixed at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It gives the surface "teeth" for better adhesion. That same ratio is helpful for new rain gutters or uncoated aluminum siding. However, it should not be used to clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will damage the galvanizing.
Method For Priming Masonry
Be it inside or out, masonry usually requires a primer or sealer that will resist water and alkalis. Alkalis are salts that leach out over time, leaving a chalky stain called efflorescence. The source of the efflorescence, usually water, must be fixed for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry must cure for 90 days before you apply primer and paint it, especially if it is highly alkaline, like stucco.
Sherwin Williams has a masonry primer called Loxon that withstands alkalinity up to pH 13; it can be coated on masonry that is a week old. Stucco, which is basically tinted mortar and full of lime, is a perfect surface for Loxon, as is new plaster or poured concrete. Pittsburgh Paints can provide a primer for new, high-alkaline masonry, called Speedhide Alkali Resistant Primer; it's provided for oil-based paint. You also can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top overcoat, but it is important that you utilize latex only on low alkaline masonry. In these circumstances I've had success adding Emulsabond to the latex for extra adhesion. I would recommend it for most masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only way to speed up the drying time of cement. You are able to still etch if you are so inclined, although if I never see another container of muriatic acid, that could be just fine. (If it etches concrete, imagine how well it etches skin!) Etching requires a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, remember a respirator, specially when you mix the acid with water. Important: Add the acid to water, not the other way around. If you add drinking water to acid it'll splash and burn anything it contacts. And mix it in the correct ratio, usually one to three. Be sure you have brushes, sponges, towels, and least one 5 gallon bucket of clean water for emergencies, and another 5 gallon bucket for rinsing.
Reconditioning older, peeling cement floors can be a chore. You need to keep them well preserved and recoat them regularly, before they have to be completely redone. Cement floor surfaces in really bad shape should be sandblasted, or you may use a new system called Peel-Away that makes prepping masonry a bit easier (it's still no picnic). If the floor is in good condition, prep the floor and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new concrete floors, I would recommend a cement stain made by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My choice is the water based stain, since silicone is a wax that eventually will wash off. Concrete stain penetrates and seals without requiring scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading better than a top coating like latex.
Older, pre-painted cement floors have to be repainted with an identical top overcoat, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top coat is best applied over a typical concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also is effective. An oil-based top layer requires an oil-based enamel or epoxy concrete conditioner. I'd add Penetrol to the primer for a longer lasting bond.
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