Do walls need to be primed before painting?

Wall priming is a very important step in any renovation. The primer is an excellent agent that, due to its chemical composition, provides strong, reliable adhesion of materials and protects against the formation of mildew and mildew. Ease of use allows even a beginner to independently prepare a work surface for painting without any problems. Also, this procedure is needed to strengthen the structure of materials and paints and varnishes, which can be affected by adverse environmental factors.

The primer applied before painting is an important element of the renovation work. It is the first preparatory layer that performs the task of providing the best adhesion between the wall and the topcoats. In other words, the finish will help the paint to lay down more easily and evenly.

To make sure of the need for preliminary priming of the walls, it is worth knowing some of the useful properties and advantages of this composition.

1. Promotes structural strengthening of the work surface.
2. Provides moisture resistance of the processed material.
3. Forms a protective layer on the surface.
4. Fills cracks and levels the base. As a result, the paint lays down better, and its consumption during the painting process is significantly reduced.
5. Prevents paint cracking during operation.

You can purchase a colored primer to brighten your topcoat. For rooms with high humidity, antiseptic soil is used, which protects the walls from the formation of mold and mildew. The antiseptic destroys microorganisms and bacteria on the surface, and the acids that make up it help to remove all unnecessary formations and plaque.

The facade of the building is also treated with a solution before decorating. However, the surface during operation must be completely dry and protected from sunlight.

The soil is classified according to the composition and type of the treated surface. But there are also universal types, suitable for both concrete and brick or wooden bases. Priming compositions are divided, depending on the main function, into the following varieties.

• Strengthening. They are designed to stabilize the working surface, increase its density and hydrophobicity. Most often, they are used to cover porous materials. The composition penetrates deep into the material and then hardens, thus forming a kind of reinforcing frame. The depth of soil penetration can reach 10 cm.

• Adhesive. Such compositions serve to increase the adhesion between the finishing material and the wall. They are applied immediately before painting, puttying or gluing. In this case, the soil penetrates into the material by about 3 cm.

Depending on the composition, the primer is divided into types.

• Universal. They are found more often than others in hardware stores. They are used to carry out repair work on a small surface area or if the use of paints and varnishes with good adhesive properties is envisaged in the future.
• Acrylic. They have a wide range of applications, they are suitable for almost all materials (concrete, brick, asbestos cement, cement plaster, wood building materials, polystyrene).As the name implies, this type of primer is made from acrylic resins, therefore it has excellent adhesion and moisture resistance. Also, the applied composition is characterized by harmlessness, odorlessness and fast drying speed. However, acrylic primer cannot be stored in the cold, as the composition will lose its qualities.

• Alkyd. Suitable for metal, concrete and wood surfaces. The composition protects metal bases from the appearance of corrosion, and from wood, chipboard, MDF and plywood - from destruction and a wood beetle (bark beetle). However, these mixtures are not recommended for priming gypsum walls, since after drying a moth-eye layer forms on them, which spoils the quality of the subsequent painting.
• Mineral. They are composed of minerals such as cement, gypsum or lime. They are used for processing the interior of walls made of concrete or sand-lime bricks, as well as plastered surfaces.

• Shellac. Most often, wooden walls are primed with them, since the composition is able to protect the surface of the sawn timber from the resin secretions of conifers.
• Epoxy. Used for the treatment of concrete surfaces. Due to the content of epoxy synthetic resin in them, the degree of strength of the coating is significantly increased. Serves as a base for paint, linoleum and ceramic tiles.
• Aluminum. Suitable for wood and metal substrates. The aluminum powder included in the composition increases the degree of adhesion of the paint and varnish material and the base.

• Silicate. Used for processing brick plastered surfaces. They are characterized by high resistance to sudden changes in temperature, strength and hydrophobicity. They do not leave a mineralized layer on the wall and perfectly penetrate into old cement-lime plaster, sand-lime brick and concrete.
• Polyvinyl acetate. Specialized primers. They are used when using special polyvinyl acetate paints. Dry quickly.

The choice of a primer is made based on the condition and characteristics of the walls, as well as the type of surface. The most important parameters are the degree of porosity and looseness, as well as the ability to be hydrophobic. For dense and fine-pored surfaces, choose an adhesive primer. If the material is loose, fragile and porous, then a strengthening deep-penetrating composition is needed. For rooms with high humidity, a hydrophobic soil is required, which forms a reliable waterproofing layer on the surface. To enhance the effect, the solution is most often applied in a double layer.

Some owners believe that after filling, the walls do not need to be primed. If this is not done, then the leveling layer will crumble strongly during work and absorb a lot of paint, which will significantly increase its consumption.

There are also special wallpapers that are intended for painting (painting non-woven). It is not necessary to subject them to special preparation, but before pasting the wallpaper itself, the walls are primed. The drywall surface is processed in two layers. The first layer is applied immediately after installation, and the second layer - after puttying.

Before priming, the room and walls must be prepared.

• We remove everything that can interfere with the work process. If it is not possible to take out the furniture, then we move it to the middle of the room.
• We keep the temperature in the room from 5 to 25 degrees.
• Beforehand, the walls must be thoroughly cleaned of all dirt and grease stains. To do this, you can wash them with hot water and a little ordinary detergent.

• If there are damages on the walls, then we cover them with putty, trying to achieve the most even surface.If necessary, we carry out work to remove mold.
• We rub the putty with a bar or medium-grain sandpaper. Be sure to wait until it dries completely.
• We clean the work surface a couple of hours before priming.
• We apply a primer.
• The walls must be completely dry. If the humidity is high, then we ventilate the room or dry the walls with a heat gun.

To work, you need the following tools:

1. protective respirator, goggles and seals;
2. brushes, roller (or spray gun), a narrow brush is needed for processing corners, switches and other complex structures, the roller should be 18-20 cm wide with an average synthetic bristle;
3. a container with a mixture, for example, a paint bath, the presence of a depression and a grate for wringing will allow the soil to be applied more evenly and without excess;
4. degreasing agent;
5. a clean rag and a wire brush.

• Putting on personal protective equipment.
• We prepare the mixture. Mix dry soil with warm water according to the instructions. Stir the finished solution thoroughly before use.
• Pour the composition into a container. Dip the roller in it on both sides, and squeeze the excess on the wire rack.
• We provide good ventilation of the premises in which the work will be carried out. The air temperature should be from 5 to 25 degrees, the air humidity should be at 60-80%.

• Grinding the putty.
• We remove debris and settled dust with a broom or a broom brush. If there are foci of fungus or mold, then they are removed with a metal brush and treated with a concentrated antiseptic composition.
• We degrease the surface with technical acetone or any other degreasing agent.

1. Apply the first layer to the wall. You should start from the most convenient place in the direction from top to bottom with forward movements. To avoid smudges, lightly press on the roller, but the solution must not be allowed to drain. For hard-to-reach areas, it is more convenient to purchase a special roller attachment (telescopic bar).
2. Apply the solution to the corners and other difficult areas with a narrow brush. Here you need to show special care and accuracy.
3. Let the soil dry out. This can take 3 to 6 hours. To understand whether the soil is dry or not, you can look at the wet spots that should disappear. The process must take place in natural conditions; you cannot use a heat gun or battery.
4. Apply a second layer if necessary, without waiting for the first layer to dry. The sequence is the same.
5. Then we apply the paint.

Features of surface treatment depend largely on what the finishing will be.

1. An acrylic primer is required for water-based paint.
2. If the surface is finished with alkyd paint, then, accordingly, the same type of primer is needed.
3. For paints with a narrow purpose, for example, electrically conductive, it is more expedient to choose a universal primer composition.

In the store, the soil is sold in the form of a ready-made solution or dry mixture. The differences between them are in convenience and price. The concentrate is diluted with warm water and, as a result, as much soil is obtained as is necessary for the work. Moreover, they are much cheaper than ready-made ones, since the price of the latter is increased due to sealed packaging (plastic bucket).

Based on how liquid the consistency of the mixture is, and based on the wall area, they choose the tool with which it will be applied. It can be rollers, brushes, a spray gun, and for thick compositions it is more convenient to use a plastering trowel.

Helpful advice from the masters.

• In no case should primers from different manufacturers be mixed, even if they are intended for the same material. In any case, the chemical composition will be slightly different, which can lead to a loss of functionality.
• Storage in the cold and even more so in the cold is excluded. Freezing can also lead to loss of functionality and properties.

• Be sure to read the instructions on the packaging declared by the manufacturer before starting work.
• You can degrease the work surface with nitro solvents or extraction gasoline.
• To test how strong the primer film is, lightly press down on it with the tip of any metal object. The coating should not form tears and cracks.

For information on whether you need to prime the walls before painting, see the next video.