How much coats of primer

When priming or painting wood paneling , two thin coats of oil-based or water-based primer should be enough. Apply one coat, let it dry, and then proceed with adding two coats of paint. If the wood you want to paint is stained, the number of coats you apply depends on the type of stain type. Usually, you will only need one layer when you choose a primer with a stain-blocking ability.

However, if the stain is really bad and visible, you can apply two coats. Ideally, you should apply two coats of primer when you are working with wood trim. After applying the first coat, allow it to dry for 24 hours, after which you can apply a second coat. Still, you should make sure that the primer covers the surface and that there is no blotchiness.

The number of layers you will need on wood will also depend on how you prime it. The smoother the surface is, the easier it will be for your primer to stick. The first step is obviously to gather the priming and painting supplies. You can get the following supplies from the paint store:. Whether it has previous paint color on it or not, sanding the wood is a step that you should not skip when applying primer.

You must make sure the wood grain has an even texture before going in with the primer and the new paint color.

At this point, you should know how many coats of primer you should apply. Try to find the right balance of primer and paint so that you obtain optimal coverage.

Read: Can primer be mixed with paint? If the first coat was uneven, this one will finish off the surface and prepare it for the paint color. Once you are done with the primer, the final step is to add the Again, maket. Make sure that the primer has properly cured before going forward with the paint. Depending on the surface and the paint, you might have to apply a single coat or double coat of paint. In the end, two coats of primer will be sufficient for any kind of wood.

Of course, there are certain circumstances when you can get away with just one coat of primer before adding in the paint, but the second layer will smooth any imperfections. Make sure to always remove the existing paint naturally first and then add the primer. This will ensure that both the primer and the paint will adhere properly, without any risk of peeling.

Be sure to read the shortlist of what primer does for you just below this:. Caution: Water-based primers on untreated wood has, can, and will raise wood grain. Oil-based primers are preferred for almost all wood. See below about how to put the right primer on wood. The only time we would ever ponder how many coats of primer to use is when our first product did not contain enough sealants resins, etc and some stains from the old surface managed to bleed through.

Even so, sometimes, a primer will show stains when it is dry, but it has, in fact, stopped the stain right there: it will not allow the stain to bleed into the finish paint. Easy to test for this. When in doubt, B-I-N is the answer. BIN is the answer. We had a reader write and ask why the dark areas near her radiator were bleeding through. Answer: Wrong primer. Some primers just seal drywall and they are not very expensive.

Others seal out nasty water stains and magic marker spots. Those are hard to seal, so you have to hit those spots with the nuclear option.

Explained next. Test it with acetone or in a pinch, rubbing alcohol. Put the solvent on a cloth or paper towel and rub the paint. Does it get gooey? It is latex. No goo, oil. Painting latex over oil: sand like a banshee scratch every bit to create a bond for new paint , or use the Mother of all Toxic materials, de-glosser. This stuff evaporates like water on a red-hot skillet. Wear your respirator!! There are 2 sizes of the best product going, but if you are doing more than a small piece of furniture, get large to save money.

This does not fill large holes. You need wood filler for that. This is a generic one coat paint of brown semi-gloss rolled onto some primer. The brown looked fine when wet. Now look:. I can really use your advice. The board will be in two bathrooms and 2 bedrooms. My plan is to paint the beadboard with Kilz premium high hide stain blocking primer. My questions are:. Is it ok to have the printer tinted?

I am planning to paint the same color with latex over the primer. No, and yes, and yes. The beadboard I know of is already primed at Home Depot etc, but if it is not, yes you really must and the primer you mentioned is excellent. Both sides? Not necessary unless you have leftover primer and nothing to do with it, then sure, why not?

Cannot hurt, especially in a moist environment. Tinting is ok, but if you do it yourself, be careful. Paint stores know how much tint can be added without affecting the property of the primer: too much and you lose your sealant properties… not so good. Better to be sure. Cannot trust advertising. Grays cover so well—almost always the best. So plan on primer plus 2 top coats. Hope this helps. If not, let me know. We are about to paint 2 bedrooms, both currently painted white.

One will be a gray color, the other a sky blue. Can we just put primer over the test areas? Thanks for your help. Good luck! If you use an oil-based primer on softwoods can you then use a latex paint over the oil based primer? Good luck. We used Zinsser Cover Stain primer on the exterior of our home which has previously had multiple coats of an oil-based stain.

The primer was allowed to dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour as stated on the can. We then applied a latex paint. The paint and primer have set for 5 days but the paint can be scratched off to reveal the primer underneath. The primer seems to be adhering well to the siding. The humidity has been high in our area during this time frame. Could it be that it will just take longer to cure or did something go wrong? Any advice you can give would be appreciated. Oh boy, sorry to hear this. I will write to Rust-oleam the makers of Zinsser and ask for you…I may have more power since I help them and ask nothing in return.

Yes, do wait a while and keep checking in various areas. What paint exactly did you put on? The problem is more likely with that. An interesting test: take a blow dryer and really heat up a few square inches, let rest, cool, then test adhesion. It is supposed to be a highly rated paint. Brad, I have wood fir outdoor steps that primed and painted 1. They have partial sun exposure. Should I use the Royal again or is there something better I only need 1 qt?

Thank you. I cannot remember if is for exterior, but if it is, yes, go for it. I would use Benjamin Moores Block Ou t an oil-based exterior only primer. But the main point is that the prep really determines how long the job will last: you should not be out there in less than 5 years, unless you have very high traffic and intense sun, snow, etc.

Scrape the loose paint very well: on our site is info on how and why and on the scrapers and how to file them a video of me sharpening.. Key point: remove loose paint, create bonding with primer and use the best deck paint you can afford. Good luck, b. Same reply! Do I have to paint a topcoat of latex paint or can I leave it as is? It has a whitewashed look to it as I applied the primer with a brush.

Yes, I know that look. Well, you could of course if you like it, but just know that it will take a beating: handprints cannot be washed etc.

Next primer would not need to be so extreme… just Kilz Original or such. Hi, Brad! Thanks for providing such an informative posting! I did have to apply more than one coat of KILZ to completely eliminate the appearance of the water stains.

Do you have any idea where I went wrong? Are there any steps that I can take so that the treated areas are not noticeably different in appearance?

I can provide a photo if that will help. You probably did not need multiple coats, but no harm was done. Great that you have to original paint, but your problem is that this is my best guess that the old paint had faded. Anyway, yes a photo will help somewhat and I can post for others to see, but my advice is to repaint with a new ceiling paint, or if you still have a lot of your paint, do the entire ceiling.

That will be fine. I love them both! I love your article, very helpful! In here u have mentioned sanding the primer, is this necessary if I am painting over stained but lightly sanded down kitchen cabinets?

And also what grit of sandpaper should I use? Then do I wash or tack cloth them again before painting? Thank you! Yes indeed. Then wipe with damp cloth or tack cloth a couple of times.

You should get no dust on your finger after the wipe down is dry. Then you are all set. Have a look at the article about trim paint: I love the Advance from ben moore. Practice first with it, then you will see the magic: no brush strokes witha water-based paint. I am making a utility box cover with a birdhouse on top. Will this be a good process? Things get wet and the primer will degrade but very slowly. Why not do it all the way before you assemble?

Save your good paint. Good choice on primer btw. Hi, I am getting ready to paint over a orangey-red wall. You recommend a gray tinted primer. A big box store? Do it on my own somehow? Thanks, Stephanie. Yes, that primer is great for that.

Take it to a paint store: you might get a charge. Again, this will ruin the entire project, so either applies multiple coats or finish the drywall to save time. This is a great and easy way to get the right amount of primer. When priming, the most important thing is that you have enough on there. Primer acts as a canvas for the paint. This is key to have a perfect, high-quality paint job. All in all, priming can be a tedious task. And truth is, everyone wants to skip it.

But it's better to just commit and get the job done. Priming sets up for a great end result that will be worth the extra work. When it comes to deciding how much paint is necessary, the key things to look for is just the eye test.

If it looks like it needs more then add more. But in general, the list above will get you exactly how much you need. All Posts. How Many Coats Of Primer?