Take The Headache Out of Finding Paint Coatings for Each Job
The right kind of coating is vital. If you select the wrong paint, it won't matter how much effort and money you spend on your project. Too many perfectly great paint jobs deteriorate too soon because poor quality primer and paint were used.
A dependable rule of thumb is to match the existing covering. If you're painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You might have a variety of choices if the material is uncoated, nevertheless, you still need to consider environment, maintenance, and sturdiness to determine the best paint for for the project.
Amazing Way to Use Primers
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It determines how well the surface is protected and exactly how long the paint can last. Knowing when to use primers trips up painters almost as much as which primers to work with. Basically, you need to use a primer if you are covering a new or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more even. About really the only time you don't have to prime is if you are recoating with the same paint and finish over a sound paint, for example, a flat latex paint over another flat latex paint.
To make sure of compatibility, choose a product that's part of your paint system. By paint system I mean a primer and top coating produced 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 cope with reading the fine print, ask to view 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 may want help translating some of the terms and specifications.
Primers form an even foundation for the top coats by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all or any types of bare surfaces. Without first priming a new or reconditioned surface, you will discover that the top coats ends up flaking off much earlier than you would expect. Even though 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 one coat most primers smooth out surfaces and places that have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will need a second coating of primer to ensure a level undercoat, but often one is enough. The home pictured below is an exemplory case of a project where two layers 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 give it an uniform base for the top layers. Some climates almost demand another coat of primer. I've heard about one contractor in Florida who always double primes to ensure that his jobs last. If you live near salt 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 piece of wood trim it always feels harsh. That's because primer forces 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: In the event that you tint your primer the color of the top coat, you can actually quicken the painting process by lowering the amount of top layers needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it's also handy for areas like bare drywall.)
Improve Your Priming For Interior Walls and Ceilings
I recommend using latex primers whenever we can. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior trouble spots, such as the laundry room and bathroom, that need a good sealant and a water-resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter areas of the home, although there are great latex primers that seal similarly as well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the bed rooms, living room, and closets. I spray a latex primer on new construction because new properties have sufficient vapor barriers. Also, I could paint an oil-based top coat over latex primer.
Older houses require room-by-room decisions on what primer to utilize. If the home doesn't have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the wall space and keeps wetness from getting between your surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers might be the response to priming damp 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 benefits of an oil-based stain blocker. Quick drying alkyd primers such as Kilz have pigmented shellac (with high VOCs) that also works as a stain killer and sealer, but I don't recommend these for latex top coats, the shellac might show through the latex. In case your latex has what's known as “good hold" or hiding properties, it'll maintain an even sheen over primer. You are able to assure 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 plenty of primers you may use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top coat and finish that 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 know that there are perfectly good latex primers for just about any type of top layer, but old practices are hard to break.) When painting new drywall, I'll sometimes add joint compound to the primer for a little texture. Blended with primer, joint compound also helps smooth over any sanding markings or roughness.
Improved Primers For Interior Wood
When selecting primer, you should consider the type and condition of the surface, the sort of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the finish coats, and the kind 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, including the high moisture common in restrooms and kitchens, may call for a breathable latex primer if you can't prime all around the wood. When 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 professional if your project has many different variables
Amazing Primers For Exteriors
Even though I prefer latex paint for the exterior, I still want 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 shape (which often means that it is new), especially if I have access to the siding and trim before it is attached to the building. It's always better to seal all over the wood (but not the ends) to give 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 lumber has air-dried for months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a moderate detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are pretty 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 lumber cleaners.
Hardboard siding, new or already coated, presents a particular challenge. The lack of grain or anything resembling a porous surface makes hardboards such as Masonite difficult to bond to. In the event 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 produced hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When mixed with a top layer, Emulsabond makes a great hardboard primer. These and other high quality sealers also work very well on metal or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.
Primers For Metals Applications
Every metal should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, so the primer gets thorough attachment with the area. Most metal areas can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes arrive from the factory with a stabilizer that may be tough to remove, and could need more than just thinner. Check with your paint store if you need to be certain a primer will work on new galvanized metallic surfaces.
You will find primers for each and every type of metal. Ferrous metals, made of iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is nearly impossible to totally remove unless you sandblast it, and even then small pockets of rust can stay that will grow back under an unsealed surface or the wrong primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the surface from contact with air. Some companies refer to these primers as direct-to-rust or direct-to-metal (DTM) primers. Smaller jobs like handrails can be primed with aerosol rust inhibitors such as Pratt & Lambert's Effecto Spray Enamel, which I've had success using.
Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be covered with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a specific primer for new galvanized material. Older galvanized metal 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 you use 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 kind of solvent cleaner. Scan the directions carefully.
An old 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 is an all-purpose, inexpensive cleaner that will also etch a steel material if combined at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It gives the surface "teeth" for better adhesion. That same ratio is useful for new rain gutters or uncoated aluminum siding. However, it should not be utilized to clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will harm the galvanizing.
Method For Priming Masonry
Whether it's inside or out, masonry usually needs 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 cause of the efflorescence, usually moisture, must be fixed for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry must cure for 90 days before you can prime 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 painted on masonry that is seven days old. Stucco, which is basically tinted mortar and packed with lime, is a great 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 designed for oil-based paint. Additionally you can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top overcoat, but it is important that you use latex only on low alkaline masonry. In these circumstances I've had good luck adding Emulsabond to the latex for extra adhesion. I would recommend it for many masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only procedure to speed up the curing time of concrete. You are able to still etch if you are so willing, although if I never see another container of muriatic acid, that would be just fine. (If it etches concrete, imagine how well it etches epidermis!) Etching requires a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, don't forget a respirator, specially when you mix the acid with the water. Important: Add the acid to water, not the other way around. In the event that you add drinking water to acid it'll splash and burn off anything it contacts. And mix it in the correct ratio, usually one to three. Make 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 concrete floors can be a chore. It's best to keep them well preserved and recoat them regularly, before they need to be completely redone. Cement floors in really poor shape should be sandblasted, or you can use a fresh system called Peel-Away that makes prepping masonry a bit easier (it's still no picnic). If the surface is in good condition, prep the area and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new cement floors, I recommend a concrete stain created by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My inclination is the water based stain, since silicone is a wax that eventually will wash off. Cement stain penetrates and seals without needing scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading much better than a top coating like latex.
Older, pre-painted concrete floors need to be repainted with a similar top overcoat, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top coat is best applied over a standard concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also is effective. An oil-based top overcoat 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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