Should i prime my walls

Many professional painters use a tinted primer before painting. This is an inexpensive way to bring your walls close to their final intended color before adding the more pricey topcoat. Ask about this at your paint store if you are painting a bold or dark color. Stucco is an incredibly durable, versatile product, and it has been a popular building material from Los Angeles to New York to How to Paint a Room Many people look at their dull or scuffed-up walls and wonder what it would be like to have freshly painted, Patched Or Repaired Drywall If you have repaired a wall before painting , you will likely have patches of spackle or joint compound on the surface.

Major Change In Wall Color Painting contractors generally assume that a dark color will cover over a light color very effectively with one or two coats. Painting Over Oil-Based Or Glossy Paints In order for the new paint to perform well, the new paint must have a surface it can adhere to. Since it is exposed to the elements and takes much more of a beating, it will need a coat of exterior paint primer. For any of these situations, make sure to paint over primer within 48 hours.

Most primers are made to physically and chemically bond with the paint applied over them. If you wait too long, it will lose its effectiveness. If the surface has already been painted and it is in good shape, you can skip the primer. Just make sure there is no chipping or peeling. Generally speaking, interior walls that only need a touch-up or are being painted a similar shade will be just fine with no priming.

If your drywall is smooth and you are planning on using a flat paint, you can use two coats of self-priming, water-based flat paint. Any imperfections will be less visible in flat paint, and this paint is made to forgive other blemishes. But if you find yourself in one of the above situations, skip the self-priming paint.

Want to know more before painting your walls? Check out our tips on sanding, priming, and other prepping methods. Untreated or unstained wood is also very porous. Glossy surfaces are hard for paint to adhere to. If the wall is covered in a high gloss paint, enamel or if the wood paneling has been shellacked, you could paint coat after coat and never have it stick.

While these surfaces will definitely need primer, we would also recommend a light sanding or scuffing beforehand as well. Before you prime over stains, however, it is extremely important in some cases that you fix any problems that led to the staining in the first place. For example, if you have old water stains, make sure that the leak is fully repaired before you paint.

It will cause more problems later with staining as the least of those problems! If the previous homeowners or tenants were smokers, had pets, were victims of a fire or cooked strong smelling foods, the walls themselves have likely soaked up and retained those odors.

A high-quality primer will seal in and eliminate odors and prevent them from returning. Paint colors that are very saturated will show through lighter, less saturated colors. When painting your home, it is always best to consult with your local paint store professional who can recommend the best type of supplies for your painting project.

As with all home improvement projects, make sure you consult with and hire a licensed, insured, experienced and reputable company. Homeowners should always consult with licensed professionals, check a contractor's license through the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs call for information and ensure that their project complies with NYC DOB regulations before embarking on any home improvement project.

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