should i use a primer, trying to cut cost
i primed my room once and i painted it eggshell. it has a semi-gloss sheen. i want to wash the wall, putty the small nail holes and vacuum any dust. i’m painting the room a light bergundy-kind of berry color. would i need to prime it if i take steps to clean it? also since it is eggshell colored and glossed?
thanks lol. i guess i should use a primer. at least a thin coat.
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No primer. It is a popular myth that primer is needed to change color or for glossy finishes, but this usually is not the case.
Primer will sometimes seem to make contrasting colors cover better because it cures more quickly than paint, but using most primers over a previously painted surface results in a softer (easier to scuff) finish. You can get good coverage, even with sharply contrasting colors if you are patient.
Now, for your situation, you do need to "break" the gloss on your walls. New paint does not like to stick to glossy surfaces. One way to do this is to clean with a strong mixture of Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP). Buy TSP powder when you buy your paint (or at a store with a paint dept, if you already have paint). Mix with water, strongest solution listed on the box, maybe a bit stronger. Wash well and rinse. You must rinse when cleaning with TSP.
Next fill the holes. If you have only small nail holes, look for a lightweight spackling compound. The can/tub will feel empty, but there is something in there. Fill your holes using a putty knife, wipe off the excess with a damp sponge. No need to sand.
You might need two coats of paint, depending upon the quality of the paint and the colors. Hard to tell from your description, but you may be fine with just one.
If you do feel that you need a second coat, wait at least 24 hours, 48 is better before you put the second coat on. This is where the primer myth comes in. If you use a tinted primer, it will cure in a few hours. Paint needs longer to cure — the 24-48 hours should be sufficient. If the first coat is not properly cured, the second (or third, fourth, etc) chemically reacts with the earlier coat, causing the paint film to be much thinner. If you wait, you will get much better coverage out of the second coat.
Now, if you feel that you really must use a primer, make sure you get the right one and you can skip the TSP. You still need to clean, any household degreasing product will do. May or may not need to rinse, check the directions on your cleaner.
The primer should be a primer for glossy surfaces, check the label. Standard wallboard primer will not help you, may even hurt and will make your finish softer.
You save a bit of effort with this method, but you pay for the primer. It is not needed at all if you clean with TSP. Most glossy surface primers are fairly new, within the last 10 years. We painted semi-gloss for years without them.
When painting over a semi-gloss finish priming is an absolute necessity. The only way to work around priming is to paint with an oil based paint but difficulties associated with oil base make it less than ideal for most situations. If you do not prime the wall the smoothness of a semi-gloss finish will stop the new paint from properly bonding and it WILL peel eventually. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Now the good news is primer doesn’t have to be perfectly applied nor does it need to be as thick as your final coat just thick enough to provide some coverage for the final coat to grasp. Good luck.
just sand it a bit to rough it up no primer needed. i do it all the time
you can get inexpensive primer at Lowe’s or home depot. it’ll be worth it to save the aggravation of trying to paint over it without it.
No you do not need to prime it. If you’re going darker you will be fine. Just make sure you mix the paint very well to get an even color on all walls. Wipe the walls down with some TSP and the paint will stick just fine.
yes, if you are painting over a gloss or semi gloss finish you will need to use a bite primer to help the new paint stick better…unless you want to sand all of the walls. never skip the primer when trying to save money.. it will cost you more in the long run
Every time I have painted, I have used primer. It makes the color look better. I can usually get a gallon of primer for around $13-14 at Menards.
any flat paint works as well as the primer, just for a simple wall sealing. And you may spot prime the patched areas. primer companys job is to sell sell primer
i would prime it if you used any sort of color paint the first time around, especially if its a darker color, like dark blue or green, etc. go with one coat of primer. if you used a white, offwhite, or really light yellow or gray or something similar, then i don’t think i would bother with a primer. two coats of the light burgandy as a definate, possibly a third coat if necessary. consider using a good quality paint, such as sherwin williams or benjamin moore, over a cheaper paint like baer or valspar, because it covers better and is just a better type of paint. good luck!
Primer does help new paint stick to semi-gloss and you’ll have a longer lasting result. Primer is cheaper than paint and you could always have your primer tinted (free of charge) to a color close to your paint and this should cut down on the number of coats of paint you’ll need. Using a white primer with a dark top coat usually requires at least 2 coats and sometimes 3 and I have seen it take more with really dark, rich colors…