Paint Coatings for Each and Every Job
The right type of coating is vital. If you select the wrong paint, it won't matter how much time and money you may spend on your job. Too many flawlessly great paint projects deteriorate too soon because the wrong primer and paint were used.
A dependable guideline is to complement the existing finish. If you're painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You may have all kinds of choices if the material is uncoated, but you still need to consider environment, maintenance, and sturdiness to determine the best covering for for the project.
No-Fuss Painting Using Primers
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It determines how well the finish is protected and exactly how long the paint will last. Knowing when to use primers trips up painters about as much as which primers to utilize. Basically, you will 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 the only time you don't need 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 am saying a primer and top coating produced by the same company. The labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coatings for various materials and conditions. If you don't want to deal with reading the fine print, ask to read the spec, or data sheet, on a particular primer. If a spec sheet isn't available, ask to see what's known as a “specifier’s guide,” although these guides probably have significantly 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 coatings by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all types of bare surfaces. Without first priming a fresh or reconditioned surface, you will discover that the top coats end up flaking off much sooner than you'll expect. While you may use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the mistake of convinced that primers are optional, or can be made out of diluted paint.
Usually in one coat most primers even out surfaces and places which have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will need a second layer of primer to ensure a level undercoat, but often one will do. The house pictured below serves as an example 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 a smooth base for the top layers. Some climates almost demand a second layer of primer. I've heard about one contractor in Florida who always double primes to guarantee that his work last. In the event that you live near 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 even out a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed portion of wood trim it always feels abrasive. That's because primer makes out loose grain as it penetrates. After a dried primer has been lightly sanded, the smoothed surface is ready for layer. (Here's a tip: If you tint your primer the color of the top coat, it is possible to quicken the painting process by minimizing the amount of top coats needed. Tinting is mostly used for color changes, although it is also handy for areas like bare drywall.)
Primers For Interior Surfaces 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 shower, that require a good sealant and a water-resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter parts of the home, although there are excellent latex primers that seal similarly as 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 structures have sufficient vapor barriers. Also, I can paint an oil-based top layer over latex primer.
Older houses call for room-by-room decisions on what primer to use. If the residence does not have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will need a primer that seals the surfaces and keeps dampness from getting between your surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers would be the answer to priming damp rooms inside your home. These quick drying primers help condition surfaces with water, cigarette smoke, and tannin staining, 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 features of an oil-based stain blocker. Quick drying alkyd primers such as Kilz have pigmented shellac (with high VOCs) that also functions 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 will maintain a consistant sheen over primer. You are able to guarantee compatibility by utilizing a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
When it comes to walls, remember that plaster and drywall will vary. Plaster is highly alkaline, especially when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it is not properly sealed. There are numerous primers you can use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top coat 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 particular case I'll use an alkyd primer. (I know that there are perfectly good latex primers for any type of top coating, but old habits are hard to let go of.) When painting new drywall, I will 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.
Priming Solution For Interior Wood
When choosing primer, you should consider the type and condition of the surface, the kind of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the top coats, and the kind of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Most often I prime interior trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost dampness in older wood. There's also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, like the high moisture common in bath rooms and kitchens, may call for a breathable latex primer if you can't prime all over the wood. If you can completely apply primer the wood before it goes up, an alkyd primer will protect the majority of the wood trim from water. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a professional if your project has many different variables
Primers For the Exterior
Even though I favor latex paint for the exterior, 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 has no major internal vapor problems and that the wood is in good shape (which usually means that it is new), particularly if I have access to the siding and trim before it goes on. It's always better to seal all over the wood (but not the ends) to give each piece its own 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 hardwood has air-dried for a few months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a moderate detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are quite porous, so you might need to wait a day or two to let them dry. There are 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 top layers. Any staining that happens 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 case 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 formulated hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When blended with a top layer, Emulsabond makes a great hardboard primer. These and other top quality sealers also work very well on aluminum 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 surface. Most metal areas can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes come from the factory with a stabilizer that can be tough to remove, and could need more than just thinner. Consult with your paint store if you would like to be certain a primer will work on new galvanized metal surfaces.
You can find primers for each kind of metal. Ferrous metals, manufactured from iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is almost impossible to completely remove if you don't sandblast it, and even then small pockets of rust can remain that will grow back under an unsealed surface or the wrong primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the surface from contact with air. Some companies make reference 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 experienced good luck using.
Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be layered with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a specific primer for new galvanized steel. Older galvanized material can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned previously.
Much like any top coat, the more time the primer is able to flow and contact the surface, the better the adhesion. Quick setting primers don't flow much at all and stay right where they're applied, for better or for worse. A clean surface is especially important when using an instant drying primer. Note that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while other companies advise against using any type of solvent cleaner. Read the directions carefully.
An old technique that still is effective for cleaning new or old metals is washing the outer layer with a one-to-one mix of vinegar and water. Vinegar is 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 convenient for new rain gutters or uncoated aluminum siding. However, it should not be used to completely clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will harm the galvanizing.
Method For Priming Masonry
Whether it's inside or out, masonry usually requires a primer or sealer that will resist moisture and alkalis. Alkalis are salts that leach out as time passes, leaving a chalky stain called efflorescence. The cause of the efflorescence, usually water, must be fixed for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry has to cure for 3 months before you can apply primer and paint it, especially if it's highly alkaline, like stucco.
Sherwin Williams has a masonry primer called Loxon that withstands alkalinity up to pH 13; it could be painted on masonry that is a week old. Stucco, which is basically colored mortar and packed with lime, is an excellent 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 coat, but it's 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 many masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only method to speed up the curing time of cement. You may still etch if you are so inclined, although if I never see another box of muriatic acid, that could be just fine. (If it etches cement, imagine how well it etches skin!) Etching takes a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, remember a respirator, especially when you mix the acid with water. Important: Add the acid to water, not the other way around. If you add normal water to acid it will splash and burn off anything it contacts. And mix it in the proper ratio, usually 1 to 3. 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 maintained and recoat them regularly, before they need to be completely redone. Cement flooring in really poor condition should be sandblasted, or you can use a fresh system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry a bit easier (it's still no picnic). If the floor is in good shape, prep the area 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 silicon is a wax that eventually will wash off. Concrete stain penetrates and seals without requiring scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading much better than a top finish like latex.
Older, pre-painted cement floors need to be repainted with an identical top coat, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top coating is best applied over a typical concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also is effective. An oil-based top coat requires an oil-based enamel or epoxy concrete conditioner. I'd add Penetrol to the primer for an extended lasting bond.
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