Finally, Paint Coatings for Every Job
The right kind of coating is essential. If you pick the incorrect paint, it will not matter how much time and money you may spend on your job. Too many flawlessly great paint jobs deteriorate too early because the wrong primer and paint were used.
A dependable guideline is to match the existing finish. If you are painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You could have all kinds of choices if the surface is uncoated, but you still need to consider environment, maintenance, and durability to find the best paint for for the project.
Primers Are an Exciting Paint Product
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It determines how well the surface is protected and exactly how long the paint will last. Knowing when to use primers trips up painters about nearly as much as which primers to employ. Basically, you will need to use a primer if you are coating a fresh or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more uniform. About the sole 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 a paint system. By paint system I mean a primer and top coating distributed by the same company. Labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coatings for various materials and conditions. Unless you want to deal with reading the small print, ask to view 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 will ever need and you might need help translating a few of the terms and specifications.
Primers form an even base for the top coatings by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all types of bare areas. Without first priming a fresh or reconditioned surface, you will discover that the top coatings end up flaking off much sooner than you would expect. While you can use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the mistake of thinking that primers are optional, or can be made out of diluted paint.
Usually in one coat most primers even out surfaces and places which may have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will require a second layer of primer to ensure a level undercoat, but often one will do. The home pictured below is an exemplory case of a project where two coats 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 uniform base for the finish 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 jobs last. In the event that you live close to salt water, I would 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 rough. 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 layer. (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 layers needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it's also handy for surfaces like bare drywall.)
Take The Headache Out of Primers For Interior Wall Space and Ceilings
I would recommend using latex primers whenever we can. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior trouble spots, including the laundry room and bathroom, that require a good sealant and a water-resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter parts of the house, although there are great latex primers that seal equally well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the sleeping rooms, living room, and closets. I spray a latex primer on new construction because new buildings have sufficient 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 make use of. If the house doesn't have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will need a primer that seals the wall space and keeps water from getting between the surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers would be the answer to priming wet rooms in the house. These quick drying primers help condition areas with water, smoke, and tannin stains, plus they can be recoated very quickly, sometimes within the hour. Pittsburgh's Seal Grip is a great 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 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 a consistant sheen over primer. You are able to make sure compatibility by utilizing a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
With regards to walls, understand that plaster and drywall are different. Plaster is highly alkaline, especially when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it is not properly sealed. There are many primers you can use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top layer and finish you've planned.
Drywall is a lot less alkaline than plaster. I usually prime drywall with a latex primer, unless the top coats will be an oil-based paint, in which particular case I'll use an alkyd primer. (I understand that there are perfectly good latex primers for any kind of top coat, but old behaviors are hard to break.) 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 marks or roughness.
Improved Primers For Interior Wood
When selecting primer, you should consider the nature and condition of the surface, the kind of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the top coats, and the sort 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 wetness in older wood. There are also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, such as the high moisture common in bathrooms and kitchens, may call for a breathable latex primer if you can't prime all around the wood. If you can completely prime the wood before it is attached in place, an alkyd primer will protect almost all of the trim from dampness. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a specialist if your job has many different variables
Primers For the Exterior
Even though I favor latex paint for the outside, I still would prefer to use alkyd primers on exterior wood. They simply do a much better 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 usually means that it is new), particularly if I have access to the siding and trim before it is attached to the building. It's always better to seal all around 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 timber 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 may need to hold back a day or two to let them dry out. There are a good chance that more tannin resin will seep to the outside, so avoid priming with latex because the resin will bleed through. Instead, use two coats of any alkyd primer/sealer, and use high quality latex for the top 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. If the wood is new then pressure wash and rinse it. If water still beads up, wash it again to eliminate all the wax. Seal new hardboard with a specially created hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When mixed with a top coating, 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 metallic 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 surfaces can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes come from the factory with a stabilizer that can be tough to eliminate, and could need more than just thinner. Consult with your paint store if you want to be sure a primer will continue to work on new galvanized metal surfaces.
You can find primers for every kind of metal. Ferrous metals, manufactured from iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is almost impossible to completely remove unless you sandblast it, and even then small pockets of rust can stay that will grow back again under an unsealed surface or the wrong 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 had success using.
Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be layered 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 above.
As with any finish, the additional time the primer has to flow and contact the surface, the better the adhesion. Quick setting primers don't flow much whatsoever and stay right where they're applied, for good or for bad. A clean surface is particularly important when using an instant drying primer. Remember that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while others suggest against using almost any 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 metallic material if combined at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It gives the surface "teeth" for better adhesion. That same ratio is handy 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.
Primers For Masonry Applications
Be it inside or out, masonry usually needs a primer or sealer that will resist water and alkalis. Alkalis are salts that leach out as time passes, 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 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 could be applied on masonry that is seven days old. Stucco, which is basically tinted mortar and packed with lime, is an ideal surface for Loxon, as is new plaster or poured concrete. Pittsburgh Paints also offers 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 coating, but it is important that you use latex only on low alkaline masonry. In these situations 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 procedure to speed up the drying time of concrete. You can 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 requires a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, don't forget a respirator, specially when you blend the acid with the water. Important: Add the acid to water, not the other way around. If you add drinking water to acid it will splash and burn anything it contacts. And blend it in the correct ratio, usually 1:3. 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 concrete floors can be a chore. You need to keep them well looked after and recoat them regularly, before they need to be completely redone. Concrete floor surfaces in really sad condition should be sandblasted, or you may use a fresh system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry somewhat easier (it's still no picnic). If the surface is in good condition, prep the surface and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new concrete floors, I would recommend a concrete stain made by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My preference is water based stain, since silicone is a wax that eventually will wash off. Concrete stain penetrates and seals without needing scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading much better than a top covering like latex.
Older, pre-painted concrete floors need to be repainted with an identical top coating, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top overcoat is best applied over a typical concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also works well. An oil-based top coat requires an oil-based enamel or epoxy concrete conditioner. I would add Penetrol to the primer for an extended lasting bond.
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