Which Primer Should I Use?
Surface preparation is very important in having a successful paint project. Today, there are a lot of different primer and it can be very confusing. First, you need understand what you trying to accomplish with priming. The main purpose of priming a wall before painting a wall is to create a surface the finish layer of paint will adhere to. The secondary reason to prime is to seal in odors or stains. Each of these objectives do require a different type of primer.
A properly primed wall will look more uniform, block stains, and will last longer.
Which type of primer you choose depends on the type of surface you are painting. Here are some different surfaces paired with the recommended primer type:
- New unstained wood - The choice is yours. Any high quality latex or oil based primer will work. Most prefer latex, because of it low odor and easy clean-up.
- New Cedar - Use either a latex or oil based primer that contains a stain blocker.
- Aluminum - If the metal is new your can use a good latex paint without problems. It is older and rusty scrape the surface clean and you a primer with a stain and corrosion inhibitor.
- Galvanized Steel - This one is a little tricky. New galvanized steel has a oil coating on it that needs to be removed before painting. A water based degreaser can work well. There are also etching products and galvanized primer designed to increase surface adhesion.
- Unpainted Drywall - Use a latex primer for latex paint. It will make the finished surface look uniform.
- Stains and Odors - Use an oil based primer to seal it it. Proper ventilation is important when using any oil based product.
- Top Coat in Red - Painting a wall with a rich red color can be very irritating with out using a tintable primer. Most tintable primer for red top coats are gray in color. This color primer “pushes” the true red color out. Using a gray primer in this case will save you from having to make many coats.
Selecting the right product for the job is very important. The right primer can make the finished product look better and last longer.