Home Repairs Rx

By Anrinal Gazelle

 It isn't uncommon for a homeowner to figuratively hit the wall in frustration when they discover that all the paint they bought still isn't enough and two coats just doesn't cut it. Sometimes those old problems, colors or patterns might need a bit more to cover them over. Even expensive high quality paints can have trouble with walls that weren't prepared properly. Even multiple coats can be inadequate when primer isn't used.

Paint and primer may resemble one another in the bucket or in the tray but they're quite different. Primer is specifically formulated to seal surfaces (finished and unfinished) and help paint adhere. If you skip the primer to just throw on a top coat then you can expect a lot of peeling and bleed through among other things. There are several reasons why primer is essential when painting:

1. Good primer is a good sealant and this allows for a more uniform surface for the finishing coat. Primer is as its name implies, is a substance to prime or prepare the surface for the best results the paint can deliver. With primer you get a better coat with even coloring. This is because the primer has sealed the surface preventing the paint from over absorption and also preventing the existing substances on the wall from blending into and discoloring the paint coating.

2. Primer is especially important when changing colors because it maximizes the paints ability to hide the existing coloring of the wall. If you want to switch from sapphire blue to sunshine yellow without the frog snout green primer is about the only thing that will make it possible.

3. Primer with an extra stain blocker is ever more potent at holding back stains and other interesting features of the old wall coating. Things like crayon, grease, marker, smoke residues and other things can show through the paint and some things like stains with chemical bases can slowly leech through to show themselves after a short time even after you thought you were safe.

4. Primers sealing and adhesion properties are of great importance as most surfaces in a home are either to porous or to slick to hold two coats of paint properly. Porous surfaces like rough wood or concrete will absorb the paint unevenly and leave an unattractive oddly hued surface and a previously painted surface will allow the paint bubble, crack and flake off. When you use primer it ensures a good solid lasting finish.

5. Primer will always give you that long lasting finish if you follow proper technique, and that means that once you've chosen the paint sheen (flat, satin, semi-gloss, high gloss) you need to put down a solid coat of primer. Every surface being painted right down to the window frames and trim molding needs to be coated with primer.

6. Primer will seal the surface area, even if there has been some kind of water damage or mold growth. Primer can seal these stains so they don't bleed through to the new layers of paint. A premium primer like Kilz Premium uses a mildewcide to retard mold and milder growth on the surface of the primer before you paint.

You can find primer in a variety of types from oil base to water-based formulas depending on what you need and what is required for your home (interior or exterior painting). If the task of painting your home gets to be too much, remember that there are professional painters and carpenters that can help you with your home remodeling and renovation.

Don't let your remodel stall at the design phase, you deserve much better. Hire the carpenter and painter that can help turn your dream designs into something much more.