DO I need prime ?

6667 Views 59 Replies 20 Participants Last post by Will22, Jan 28, 2013

jli

Discussion Starter · Jan 22, 2013

My house has a wood patio which is red color. I want to change it to be white. I checked with the paint store and some online site all said I need to prime it first because I change the dark color to light color. The contractor I hire said I don't need prime. He will just put two coat on the patio, that will be better. He said the paint is much ore expensive than prime, put two coat of paint will be better than prime plus finish paint. I am confused here, please advice.

1 - 20 of 60 Posts

everylocaltrade

· #2 · Jan 22, 2013

More than likely, yes.

Prime is there to ensure that your paintwork can have the fighting chance of outliving you.
There are brands that have primer mixed-in within the paint.

Hopefully, this should help you.

oh'mike

· #3 · Jan 22, 2013

Do you know exactly what paint the painter is planning to use? Is he a professional painter or a jack of all trades sort of guy?

chrisn

· #4 · Jan 22, 2013

everylocaltrade said:
More than likely, yes.

Prime is there to ensure that your paintwork can have the fighting chance of outliving you.
There are brands that have primer mixed-in within the paint.:no::no::no:

Hopefully, this should help you.

NO there is not, never was, never will be. Paint is paint, primer is primer.

chrisn

· #5 · Jan 22, 2013

jli said:
My house has a wood patio which is red color. I want to change it to be white. I checked with the paint store and some online site all said I need to prime it first because I change the dark color to light color. The contractor I hire said I don't need prime. He will just put two coat on the patio, that will be better. He said the paint is much ore expensive than prime, put two coat of paint will be better than prime plus finish paint. I am confused here, please advice.

is it painted?

ask to "contractor" to explain the logic in that statement

cdaniels

· #6 · Jan 22, 2013

jli said:
My house has a wood patio which is red color. I want to change it to be white. I checked with the paint store and some online site all said I need to prime it first because I change the dark color to light color. The contractor I hire said I don't need prime. He will just put two coat on the patio, that will be better. He said the paint is much ore expensive than prime, put two coat of paint will be better than prime plus finish paint. I am confused here, please advice.

You really don't need a primer for color change.However, is it an oil based stain on the deck now or is it painted red? It all depends on what you have there now and what he is planning on using on it.It may need priming.....impossible to know without more info.

joecaption

· #7 · Jan 22, 2013

Lets see now, a real paint store that only sells paint and deals with painting problums all day long suggested you use a primer, Hmm.
So is he going to pay for the paint and do the labor for free to add more coats when it does not work out?

Gymschu

· #8 · Jan 22, 2013

As Brushjockey likes to say......"Primers are problem solvers." What is the problem in this case? If the surface is sound, i.e. not peeling too much, is clean then all you really need to do is a light sanding, clean off the dust, and apply 2 coats of your preferred paint. Now, if there is a PROBLEM such as excessive peeling, or the surface has a high gloss to it that will prevent bonding of the new paint, then you have a PROBLEM and need to use an appropriate primer.

Now, if this "patio" is more like a deck then you really have some prep issues. Decks really don't hold paint very well and you will need to strip the wood and apply a deck stain. That's a whole 'nother can of worms.

jeffnc

· #9 · Jan 22, 2013

Gymschu said:
"Primers are problem solvers." What is the problem in this case?

That's the right approach. Of course in that sense, paint is a problem solver too.

You don't really need a primer to make a color change. There are, however, some paints that look best with a color primer, for example a particular shade of gray will help some colors appear most true.

But that's not really what you're talking about. Primers do things like adhere to a surface better than paint will. But there are other ways to accomplish that sometimes too.

Do you always need to prime on top of a coat of paint? Well, have you ever read directions like "prime, then apply 2 coats of finish paint". Why don't you need to prime in between the coats of finish paint too?

If you're painting over old paint in good condition, it might need to be cleaned. It might need to be deglossed (sanded or using a liquid deglosser) or primed with a primer that adheres to shiny paint. Or in the case of mixing latex paint on top of oil or vice versa, it might need prep or priming.

So... more details.

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jli

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 22, 2013

Thanks for all reply. I learned a lot from your posting.
Here are some additional information. The patio is in very good sharp, it has beed painted less than three years ago. No lose paint at all. The only reason we want it paint is we want to change the color from dark red to pure white. The contractor is a licenced contractor, he got good review from our friend. He claimed that the paint he use is top of the line, acry-shield exterior paint. He said only the never painted surface need to be primed. He gives 5 year warranty for all his job.

He did mention about 2 coats, did 2 coats means you paint it once, wait it dry then paint another time or you just paint over and over to make sure all the old color been covered.

cdaniels

· #11 · Jan 23, 2013

Sounds like he should know what he's doing.If it's only a question of changing the color no primer is needed.He will have to wait for the first coat to dry before painting another coat.Good luck.

Matthewt1970

· #12 · Jan 23, 2013

Paint on a deck/patio = Not recommended !! Deck Enamel is another story.
Painting white on a walking surface = Not recommended !!

Reactions: 1

paulsmith544

· #13 · Jan 23, 2013

everylocaltrade said:
More than likely, yes.

Prime is there to ensure that your paintwork can have the fighting chance of outliving you.
There are brands that have primer mixed-in within the paint.

Hopefully, this should help you.

I think you are right primer is must for the wall.

chrisn

· #14 · Jan 23, 2013 (Edited)

The question that has not been answered is, WHAT is being painted, walls, decks, ceilings, the dog, furniture, the cat, steps, rails, grill etc,etc.

If this so called "contractor" is going to paint the patio deck( ie, floor) white and gurantee it for 5 years, get it in writing, have you're lawyer approve it and have him paint away. Although a white deck is kind of silly IMO.

Reactions: 1

Gymschu

· #15 · Jan 23, 2013

Preach it Chris! A 5 year warranty for painting a flat surface........might be this "contractor's" first AND last job.

TheBobmanNH

· #16 · Jan 23, 2013

chrisn said:
NO there is not, never was, never will be. Paint is paint, primer is primer.

You paint guys say this all the time. Is there a (pun intended) primer on what the difference is somewhere? If you took a two gallon bucket and dumped one can of primer and one can of paint in it and used it.... what would happen?

Brushjockey

· #17 · Jan 23, 2013

Your missing the point.
Primers do a bunch of different things- seal, adhesion, stain blocking- to mention a few. They are high resin, low solids ( low coverage)
I carry 5 different kinds of primers. And i have a reason for each.

Paints are high solids- cover better- give whatever qualities of that particular paint like scuff resistance and washability etc.

Some paints can do SOME of the functions of a primer- but only the most basic.

Know the problem- know the primer. they are PROBLEM SOLVERS.
If you don't have any problem- go ahead and use the all in wonders. Its just a way to market the paint.

Reactions: 1

chrisn

· #18 · Jan 23, 2013

TheBobmanNH said:
You paint guys say this all the time. Is there a (pun intended) primer on what the difference is somewhere? If you took a two gallon bucket and dumped one can of primer and one can of paint in it and used it.... what would happen?[/QUOTE]

complete and utter failure most likely:laughing:

jeffnc

· #19 · Jan 23, 2013

TheBobmanNH said:
You paint guys say this all the time. Is there a (pun intended) primer on what the difference is somewhere? If you took a two gallon bucket and dumped one can of primer and one can of paint in it and used it.... what would happen?

It is confusing Bob because you read responses here and things tend to get exaggerated. You read manufacturers' ads and things tend to get hyped the other way.

The fact is, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Regular paint does some of what primers do, and sometimes that alone is enough. Primers are sometimes for adhesion. Sometimes paint adheres very well. etc.

I very much doubt that all hell would break loose if you mixed a latex drywall primer into your paint. Which is not to say it would work as well as if you didn't. However this is not what manufacturers do when they sell "paint and primer in one". They figured out the custom chemistry.

It might not function as well as separate, specialized primer and paint, but then you might not need it to either.

Brushjockey

· #20 · Jan 24, 2013

As a pro painter- i am comparing and learning about each and every product I use and what it can and can't do. Daily.
Can't expect that kind of knowledge from an occasional weekend painter. So it is much safer to say- use a primer (and and the right one- they are not all the same)
then to just say go ahead use the all in one paints.
Its called insurance.
Much easier than fixing it if it fails.

Reactions: 1

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