Interior Primer House Paint Facts
Painting is a great way to spruce up your home. With a few hours and some paint, you can transform a room into your own private getaway. Using a primer before you paint will ensure that you do a quality job. Does this Spark an idea?
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When to Prime
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In almost all cases, you need to prime your walls before you paint them. However, priming before painting is especially important in some circumstances. You always should apply a coat of primer when you are painting a lighter paint color over a darker one. It would be disheartening to have to start over because the dark red paint that was on your walls shows through your lovely yellow paint. Additionally, you will need to use a primer when using latex or acrylic paint over an oil-based paint.
Benefits of Primer
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Priming your walls before painting them has a lot of advantages. Most notably, priming will prepare the surface for painting. Paint will stick much better to primed walls than it will to unprimed ones. Additionally, priming will help your paint color stay true.
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Types of Primer
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When you go to the paint or hardware store to find primer for your next paint job, you will see many types. The most common varieties are tinted shellac, acrylic-latex and alkyd-oil-based.
Tinted shellac primer works well when you are trying to cover water stains or smoke damage. Acrylic-latex primers tend to dry very quickly, resist cracking and peeling, and are easy to use. Alkyd-oil-based primers do well when you are painting a variety of surfaces and are compatible with many types of paint.
Some companies also offer a primer and paint combination. These paints cost more than typical paints but can save you money because you do not have to purchase primer separately.
Average Cost
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Cost Helper.com estimates that a 12x12 room will cost between $10 and $50 for primer, paintbrushes and rollers. A good rule of thumb is to expect your primer to cost 25 percent to 50 percent of what you will pay for your paint.
Preparing Your Space
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Before you prime your walls, there are a few things you need to do. Tape off any areas where you do not want paint to be. Additionally, purchase drop cloths from your local hardware store and use them to protect your furniture and flooring. If there is dirt or cobwebs on your walls, you need to wash them. Make sure your walls are completely dry before priming.
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References
- Photo Credit Dora Pete: http://www.sxc.hu/
