PRIME AND PAINT OR…USE PAINT/PRIMER COMBO’S?

You have got to get your walls painted up on the wall and you’ll hear all kinds of suggestions on what you should do as far as using a primer, or no primer at all, or a paint with a primer already mixed in? Hey, wait a minute this sounds like the best of both worlds, paint and primer in one.

 

Why would anyone ever choose something else if they can save themselves a step and avoid priming the walls and then going back and painting? Well, here are the benefits and the disadvantages to using paint alone, priming first then painting, or using a paint and primer that’s already mixed.

NO PRIMER

If you aren’t actually changing the color of the room and are just touching up the existing color, then you don’t need to prime first. This is because the color from the old paint isn’t going to tint the new paint color. So when you are doing an exact match paint, you can skip the primer entirely and everything will look just fine.

PRIME FIRST?

The real debate comes in when you are deciding between using a paint with a primer already in it or purchasing a primer and then doing a top coat. You will always want to use one of these types of methods though if you are going with a complete color change. Especially if it’s drastic like going from a dark color to a light color or vice versa.

So what would make someone actually take the time to prime first and then paint a room? Generally speaking the benefit of a stand-alone primer is less coats of paint on a wall with a major color change or if covering over stains.

 

PAINT & PRIMER COMBO’S?

When the paint and primer are mixed together you don’t have to worry about getting the wrong tint to the primer because it just goes straight in with the paint. For amateur painters there is a cost savings and certainly a time savings as well.

If you think all of this painting work…sounds like a lot of effort, it is.

 

If you live in Sedona, Cottonwood or the Verde Valley and have better things to do with your time give SCPC Paint Company a call at 928-634-1177 or visit our website. For over 20 years we have been a licensed and bonded contractor expertly painting and preserving homes for discriminating home owners like you.

 

YOUR PAINT JOB IS ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR PREPARATION

Whether indoors or outdoors thoroughly preparing the surface is the foundation to a quality paint job. Here are some prep steps to a successful project.

COVER EVERYTHING

Covering all of the furnishings that cannot be removed from the area is important. Far too many people have assumed that they will be extra careful and ended up ruining something. Be sure to cover electrical outlets with masking tape. If painting an interior room mask the door handles and most people forget about the hinges which can be a real pain to scrape the paint off of later.

No matter what you use to paint (brushes, rollers, or sprayers) there’s bound to be drips on the floor. No matter how careful you are. So it’s important that you cover the floor. Put some painters tape on the baseboards all around the room. Then lay a cloth drop cloth on the floor overlapping the tape. If the floor is carpeted then make sure you push half an inch of tape behind the carpet with a scraper to keep the entire carpet protected.

WASH SURAFCES WITH NON-RESIDUE CLEANER

You must be sure the surface you are paintings is clean and dust free. There’s nothing worse than a splotchy paint job because of dust and debris left on the work surface. So clean the walls with a damp cloth. If the area has oil residue like your kitchen then you will need to use a degreasing cleaner. For outdoor surfaces use a pressure washer to prepare the surface. Be careful not to get too close to the surface or you may end up with a stucco repair.

REPAIR ANY CRACKS OR HOLES

You should also putty up any holes in the wall. If there are larger holes be sure you repair those properly as needed with wall compound and tape. Speak with your local hardware store to find out the best way to repair walls before you begin painting, especially if large repairs are needed.

For paint that is peeling you will want to scrape and sand prior to painting. Painting over paint that’s chipping is just going to be a waste of your time!

USE QUALITY PRIMER

This isn’t always a necessary step, but for surfaces that haven’t been painted before, or if you are going from a dark color to a light color the surface will accept the paint better if they have been primed first. You will need less coats of paint to get the desired color and coverage.

Making sure that you have properly prepared to paint is of the utmost importance. Once you have covered, masked, repaired, cleaned, and primed all surfaces you will be so happy you took that extra time to do that extra work. The results will be far better and ultimately you’ll find will last longer if done correctly.

If you think all of this prep work…sounds like a lot of work, it is.

 

If you live in Sedona, Cottonwood or the Verde Valley and have better things to do with your time give SCPC Paint Company a call at 928-634-1177 or visit our website.

 

For over 20 years we have been a licensed and bonded contractor expertly painting and preserving homes for discriminating home owners like you.