Problem Solved - Finally, Paint Coatings for Each and Every Job
The right type of coating is crucial. If you select the incorrect paint, it will not matter how much effort and money you spend on your job. Too many flawlessly great paint jobs deteriorate too soon because the wrong primer and paint were used.
A dependable rule of thumb is to complement the existing finish. If you are painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You may have all sorts of choices if the surface is uncoated, nevertheless, you still need to consider weather, maintenance, and sturdiness to find the best coating 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 how long the paint will last. Knowing when to use primers trips up painters almost nearly as much as which primers to work with. Basically, you need to use a primer if you are covering a fresh or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more even. About the sole time you don't need to prime is when you're recoating with the same paint and finish over a solid paint, for example, a flat latex paint over another flat latex paint.
To ensure compatibility, choose a product that's part of your paint system. By paint system I mean a primer and top coat produced 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 specific 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 will ever need and you may want help translating some of the terms and specifications.
Primers form an even 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 coatings end up flaking off much sooner than you would expect. Even though you can use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the error 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 an even undercoat, but often one is enough. The house pictured below serves as an example of a project where two applications 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 another layer of primer. I've heard of one contractor in Florida who always double primes to ensure that his work last. In the event that you live near ocean water, I recommend that you take into account doing the same.
Primers highlight surface conditions by pointing out imperfections such as loose fibers in drywall and raised wood grain in trimming. You might think that a primer would smooth a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed piece of trim it always feels rough. 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 the top. (Here is a tip: If you tint your primer the color of the finish coat, it is possible to quicken the painting process by minimizing the amount of top layers needed. Tinting is mostly used for color changes, although it's also handy for areas like bare drywall.)
Take The Headache Out of Primers For Interior Walls and Ceilings
I would recommend using latex primers wherever possible. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior trouble spots, including the laundry room and shower, 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 about as 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 properties have satisfactory vapor barriers. Also, I can paint an oil-based top coating over latex primer.
Older houses demand room-by-room decisions on what primer to work with. If the home does not have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the surfaces and keeps wetness from getting between the surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers will be the answer to priming damp rooms in your residence. These quick drying primers help condition areas with water, cigarette smoke, and tannin spots, and they can be recoated rapidly, 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. If your latex has what's known as “good hold" or hiding properties, it will maintain an even sheen over primer. You may warrant compatibility by using a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
With regards to walls, understand that plaster and drywall will vary. Plaster is highly alkaline, specially 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 layer and finish you've planned.
Drywall is a lot less alkaline than plaster. I 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 type of top coating, but old behaviors are hard to let go of.) When painting new drywall, I'll sometimes add joint compound to the primer for a little texture. Mixed with primer, joint compound also helps smooth over any sanding markings or roughness.
Improved Primers 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 sort of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Frequently I prime interior trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost moisture in older wood. There are also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, like the high moisture common in restrooms and kitchens, may require 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 most of the wood trim from wetness. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a specialist if your job has many different variables
Method For Priming Exteriors
Even though I prefer latex paint for the exterior, I still choose to use alkyd primers on exterior wood. They simply do a better job of priming bare wood. I'll use an alkyd primer if I know that the residence has no major internal vapor problems and that the wood is in good shape (which usually means that it's new), especially if I had access to the siding and wood trim before it is attached to the building. It's always better 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 lumber 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 fairly porous, so you may need to wait a day or two to let them dry. There's 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 an alkyd primer/sealer, and use high quality latex for the final layers. Any staining that happens after that can usually be washed off with special wood cleaners.
Hardboard siding, new or already coated, presents a special challenge. Having less 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 eliminate all the wax. Seal new hardboard with a specially produced hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When blended with a top coating, Emulsabond makes a great hardboard primer. These and other top quality sealers also work very well on metal or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.
Primers For Metals Applications
Every metallic should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, so the primer gets thorough contact 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 eliminate, and could need more than simply thinner. Check with your paint store if you need to be sure a primer will continue to work on new galvanized metal surfaces.
You can 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 remain that will grow again 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 projects like handrails can be primed with aerosol rust inhibitors such as Pratt & Lambert's Effecto Spray Enamel, which I've had 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 material. Older galvanized steel can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned previously.
As with any top coating, the more 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 better or for worse. 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 advise against using any type of solvent cleaner. Scan 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 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 utilized to completely clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will damage the galvanizing.
Improved Masonry Primers
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 over time, 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 must cure for 3 months before you 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 painted on masonry that is a week old. Stucco, which is actually coloured mortar and filled with lime, is a great 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. Additionally you can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top overcoat, but it's 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 recommend it for nearly all masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only procedure to speed up the drying time of concrete. You could 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 cement, imagine how well it etches epidermis!) Etching takes a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, remember a respirator, specially when you combine the acid with the water. Important: Add the acid to water, not the other way around. If you add water to acid it'll splash and burn off anything it contacts. And combine 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 considered a chore. You need to keep them well preserved and recoat them regularly, before they need to be completely redone. Cement floors in really bad condition should be sandblasted, or you can use a new system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry a lttle bit easier (it's still no picnic). If the floor 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 manufactured 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 coating like latex.
Older, pre-painted concrete floors need to be repainted with a similar top overcoat, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top layer is best applied over a typical concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also works well. 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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