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Paint Coatings for Every Job

Take The Headache Out of Finding Paint Coatings for Every Job

The right type of coating is vital. If you select the wrong paint, it won't matter how much time and money you spend on your job. Too many flawlessly great paint jobs deteriorate too early because the incorrect primer and paint were used.

A dependable guideline is to complement the existing finish. If you're painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You might have all kinds of choices if the surface is uncoated, but you still need to consider local climate, maintenance, and strength to determine the best coating for the work.

Amazing Way to Use Primers

Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It determines how well the top surface is protected and how long the paint can last. Knowing when to use primers trips up painters about as much as which primers to make use of. Basically, you will need to use a primer when you are coating a fresh or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more uniform. About the only real time you don't need to prime is when you're 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 something that's part of your paint system. By paint system I am saying a primer and top coating distributed by the same company. The labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coats for various materials and conditions. If you don't 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 more information than you will ever need and you may want help translating some of the terms and specifications.

Primers form a good base for the top coatings by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all or any types of bare surfaces. Without first priming a fresh or reconditioned surface, you will discover that the top coats ends up flaking off much sooner than you would expect. Even though you may 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 a single coat most primers smooth out surfaces and places that have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will require a second coat of primer to ensure a smooth undercoat, but often one is enough. The house pictured below serves as an exemplory case of a project where two layers 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 a smooth base for the finish coats. Some climates almost demand a second layer of primer. I've heard of one contractor in Florida who always double primes to ensure that his jobs last. In the event that you live near ocean water, I would 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 feel 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 coats. (Here's a tip: In the event that you tint your primer the colour of the top coat, it is possible to quicken the painting process by reducing the number of top coats needed. Tinting is mostly used for color changes, although it's also handy for surfaces like bare drywall.)

Improve Your Priming For Interior Wall Surfaces and Ceilings

I recommend using latex primers wherever possible. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior trouble spots, such as 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 home, although there are excellent latex primers that seal about as well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the bedrooms, living room, and closets. I usually spray a latex primer on new construction because new structures have satisfactory vapor barriers. Also, I could paint an oil-based top layer over latex primer.

Older houses require room-by-room decisions on what primer to utilize. If the home does not have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will need a primer that seals the wall surfaces and keeps moisture from getting between your surface and the paint.

Latex stain blockers and sealers may be the answer to priming wet rooms in the house. These quick drying primers help condition areas with water, smoke, and tannin staining, and they can be recoated very quickly, sometimes within the hour. Pittsburgh's Seal Grip is a superb latex stain blocker with few VOCs and all the advantages of an oil-based stain blocker. Quick drying alkyd primers such as Kilz have pigmented shellac (with high VOCs) that also functions 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'll maintain an even sheen over primer. You could make sure compatibility by utilizing a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.

With regards to walls, remember that plaster and drywall are different. Plaster is highly alkaline, particularly when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it is not properly sealed. There are various primers you may use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top coat 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 case I'll use an alkyd primer. (I understand that we now have perfectly good latex primers for just about any kind of top layer, but old practices are hard to let go of.) When painting new drywall, I will sometimes add joint compound to the primer for just a little texture. Mixed with primer, joint compound also helps even out over any sanding marks or roughness.

No-Fuss Priming For Interior Wood

When selecting primer, you should consider the nature and condition of the surface, the sort of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the finish coats, and the type of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).

Frequently I prime interior trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost dampness in older wood. There are also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, such as the high moisture common in bathing rooms and kitchens, may require a breathable latex primer if you cannot prime all around the wood. If you can completely prime the wood before it goes up, an alkyd primer will protect most 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 Exterior Applications

Even though I prefer latex paint for the outside, I still prefer 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 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 had access to the siding and wood trim before it is attached to the building. It's always better to seal all over 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 period, even if the lumber has air-dried for a few months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a mild detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are rather porous, so you may need to wait a day or two to let them dry. 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 coatings of an 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 particular challenge. Having less grain or anything resembling a porous surface makes hardboards such as Masonite difficult to adhere to. If the wood is new then pressure wash and rinse it. If water still beads up, wash it again to remove all the wax. Seal new hardboard with a specially developed hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When blended with a top layer, Emulsabond makes a great hardboard primer. These and other top quality sealers also work well on aluminum or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.

Primers For Metals

Every metallic should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, therefore the primer gets thorough attachment with the surface. 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 may need more than simply thinner. Check with your paint store if you wish to be sure a primer will continue to work on new galvanized metallic surfaces.

You will discover primers for each type of metal. Ferrous metals, made of iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is nearly impossible to completely remove unless you sandblast it, and even then small pockets of rust can stay that will grow again under an unsealed surface or the incorrect primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the outer layer from contact with air. Some companies refer to these primers as direct-to-rust or direct-to-metal (DTM) primers. Smaller jobs like handrails can be primed with aerosol rust inhibitors such as Pratt & Lambert's Effecto Spray Enamel, which I've got good luck using.

Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be covered with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a specific primer for new galvanized material. Older galvanized metal can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned above.

Much like 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 in any way and stay right where they're applied, for better or for worse. A clean surface is particularly important when you use an instant drying primer. Remember that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while others recommend against using any kind of solvent cleaner. Scan the directions carefully.

A vintage technique that still works well for cleaning new or old metals is washing the outer layer with a one-to-one mix of vinegar and water. Vinegar is an all-purpose, inexpensive cleaner that will also etch a steel material if blended at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It gives the surface "teeth" for better adhesion. That same ratio is helpful 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.

Amazing Primers For Masonry

Whether it's inside or out, masonry usually needs 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 source of the efflorescence, usually moisture, must be cured for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry has to cure for 90 days before you can prime and paint it, especially if it's highly alkaline, like stucco.

Sherwin Williams has a masonry primer called Loxon that withstands alkalinity up to pH 13; it can be painted on masonry that is a week old. Stucco, which is basically colored mortar and packed with lime, is an ideal surface for Loxon, as is new plaster or poured concrete. Pittsburgh Paints also has a primer for new, high-alkaline masonry, called Speedhide Alkali Resistant Primer; it's made for oil-based paint. You also can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top coating, but it is important that you utilize latex only on low alkaline masonry. In these circumstances I've had good luck 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 curing time of concrete. You may still etch if you are so inclined, although if I never see another container of muriatic acid, that could be just fine. (If it etches concrete, imagine how well it etches pores and skin!) Etching takes a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, remember a respirator, specially when you mix the acid with water. Important: Add the acid to the water, not the other way around. If you add drinking water to acid it will splash and burn anything it contacts. And combine 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 considered a chore. It's best to keep them well looked after and recoat them regularly, before they have to be completely redone. Cement flooring surfaces in really bad shape should be sandblasted, or you may use a new system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry a lttle bit easier (it's still no picnic). If the surface is in good condition, prep the area and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.

For new cement floors, I would recommend a concrete stain made by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My choice is the water based stain, since silicon 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 cement 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 coating requires an oil-based enamel or epoxy concrete conditioner. I would add Penetrol to the primer for a longer lasting bond.

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