DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

Do I Need a Primer?

1K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  SeniorSitizen 
#1 ·
We want to paint our kitchen walls a dark red/burgundy color to make it feel a little warmer. It was two rooms that the previous owner converted into one large kitchen area. The paint store advised us that we would need a primer because of the color, as well as two coats of the paint. Is it possible to skip the primer and just paint the two coats?
 
#2 ·
Depends, what color are the walls now?
#1, I'd never suggest anyone paint a kitchen a dark color. Make's it uninviting, and it will show every speck of dirt.
#2, If I did I for sure would use a primer tinted gray or one pretinted to at least 50 % of the color I was going for.
If not your going to be painting more then two coats anyway to get an even finish.
 
#3 ·
It's possible. With a high end paint like Aura or Emerald, two coats of paint will cover with any color.
But even with these paints, it depends on the application. Aura paint advertises 'never more than two coats with any color'. But one 'application' doesn't always equal one 'coat' in terms of film thickness. In fact, it rarely ever does even for pros. So, you may have to paint the walls three or four times to get 'two coats' worth of paint on the wall.


Unless you are using Aura, or a comparable high end paint, I would go with the gray primer.
 
#4 ·
depends on what red/burgundy you choose .I always use Sherwin Williams paint .Sherwin Williams will tell you if your color needs a gray primer, and what shade of gray .i cant speak to other paint brands but if s/w says you need a primer ,well then you need a primer:huh:
 
#5 ·
What the last 2 guys said...

Deep reds almost always apply truer with a gray primer underneath. However it's best if you know the correct shade recommended for the particular color from the manufacturer. But if you want to just go for it, then just paint until it looks good to you, and then you won't need the primer.
 
#6 ·
What the last 2 guys said...

Deep reds almost always apply truer with a gray primer underneath. However it's best if you know the correct shade recommended for the particular color from the manufacturer. But if you want to just go for it, then just paint until it looks good to you, and then you won't need the primer.
for panda2's info

which could mean 4 or 5 times instead of 1 primer and 2 finish coats
 
#9 ·
I can't believe I know the answer to this! I've done red inside, and right this very minute we're doing a red trim outside, which is looking really nice.

Use a primer coat in a flat, medium grey. Use a warm or cool grey depending on whether your red is warm or cool. Whether you choose a special primer or this is just a coat of grey-colored paint depends on what you're painting over.

After that, two coats of dark red in your favorite sheen will be enough, AND the red color will look its best.

Are you doing ALL the walls dark red? Are most of the walls covered with cabinets and decorations, or will there be a lot of red showing? If there will be a lot of wall showing, you might not want ALL the walls to be totally red. Bright yellow and tan are two colors that work great with dark reds. The bright yellow and dark red is really cheery and warm; the tan and dark red is more of a classic, sophisticated look.

P.S. In case you were wondering, I use AFM Safecoat paint. We've also done one bright yellow room in Sherwin Williams Harmony.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top