House painting Pros and Cons

Primer

Primer is the key to meet paint finishes; it creates a bond between the surface you want to paint and the paint finish you are applying. The right primer creates a solid, nonporous surface for the base coat by sealing new drywell, new piaster, concrete, raw wood, and any repairs you have made with caulking or spackle, if you miss the step, your paint job will be uneven and unpredictable. Primer should never be used as a base coat; however, if you want to apply a dark base coat, your primer can be tinted to half the formula of the paint color. This will reduce the number of coats required to achieve the desired depth of color.

Primer is available in acrylic, alkyd, and latex varieties; each one has its specific uses. Latex primer must be used over new drywall, as an oil-based (alkyd) primer will make the drywall’s surface bumpy. For new wood, use alkyd primer, as water-based primer will soak into the wood and raise the grain, making an uneven surface. Thanks to advances in manufacturing, it’s possible now to buy high-adhesion primers specifically designed to cover metals, ceramics, laminates, and most other shiny surfaces. These primers are wonderful because they save you a lot of hard work; for example, you no longer need to remove all the old varnish from a table or chair before you repaint, if you use the proper primer. Check with a knowledgeable sales-person to make sure you are buying the right primer for your project.

Shellac

Shellac is an excellent primer for plaster and raw wood. Apply with a foam brush to seal in the wood resins found throughout the wood but especially at the knots. The resins will bleed through your paint finish unless you seal them first. Shellac is alcohol-based and dries very quickly. It’s toxic, so wear a mask and work in a well-ventilated area…..

Latex paint

Latex paint is water-based, and contains vinyl and acrylic resins. The better the quality, the more acrylic the pain contains. Latex paint is tinted to your color choice at the point of hardware store using a recipe of concentrated color pigments called universal colorants, that are both water and oil-soluble. The same tints are used to color both types of paint. It is generally sold by the quart or gallon.

Oil Paint (Alkyd)

Due to its oil base, this paint is smooth and easy to apply and covers the surface well. It is tinted to your color choice at the store a recipe of universal colorants. If it is available in pints, quarts and gallons.