Hot answers tagged

25 votes

What is the best type of paint to paint a shipping container?

Nononono! Tell him to save his latex paint! I sometimes paint things at industrial sites. Latex works fine on the buildings, but when it is used on steelwork of any kind, it turns into an ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
17 votes
Accepted

Why would porch paint say "do not prime horizontal surfaces"?

Porch and floor paints are formulated to work well on floors and are self priming. Very few primers are rated for floor use, so what you would have is a "bad" primer layer followed by ...
JPhi1618's user avatar
  • 27.9k
8 votes
Accepted

How do I clean thick primer out of a paint brush?

The results I get for that product name indicate that it is oil based. As such, water cleanup won't do. You should (before painting, with a clean brush) dip your brush in paint thinner and wipe it out ...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 212k
5 votes
Accepted

Purple primer left on over night: can I use it?

yes, you can use it, just re-prime it. You'll see that the fresh coat of primer with melt right through the dried primer.
Bob's user avatar
  • 2,581
5 votes
Accepted

When is it necessary to do two coats of paint over a primer?

You should add another coat if you don't think it looks good enough. If you think it looks good with one coat, don't put on a second. In more concrete terms, you generally add another coat if the ...
mmathis's user avatar
  • 8,863
5 votes
Accepted

Skim Coat after Primer?

Absolutely you can skim. (Lots of people deliberately prime in order to see the defects that might not be obvious.) If you can, use topping mud, which will sand more easily and give a better ...
Aloysius Defenestrate's user avatar
5 votes
Accepted

Latex paint or oil paint for pressure treated wood outdoors

My background is retail paint store management 21 years. A few days before and after obtaining the materials, you'll need to pressure wash the wood, wait a day for it to dry, then apply the primer. ...
Rob West's user avatar
  • 581
5 votes

Kilz PVA primer cracks and peels

Improper surface preparation. Surfaces should be scuff-sanded to remove any gloss, that's to provide microscopic mountains so the new primer has something to adhere to. Then surfaces have to be ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
5 votes

I removed wallpaper, and it seems I've hit a wall. Sand, plaster, or seal?

Using white paint over primer is going to show all kinds of different wall textures due to all the patching and sanding. You'll need a skim coat if you want a really smooth finish. Otherwise, think ...
JACK's user avatar
  • 80k
5 votes

Dealing with recently decarpeted room with generational urine reek

Yes, get the organic vapors cartridge for your mask. It wasn’t crystal clear — if you haven’t removed the 1/4” hardboard, I suggest you do that. I’d also consider pulling the baseboards to get primer ...
Aloysius Defenestrate's user avatar
5 votes
Accepted

What is "knotting solution" called in the US?

You want a knot blocking wood primer. Supposedly a few coats of shellac-based stain blocker, e.g. Zinsser BIN, will do the trick.
Huesmann's user avatar
  • 3,164
4 votes

Can I use joint compound over primer?

Yes you can overcoat the primer with more joint compound. If you have some left just use that, but if you need to purchase more consider topping mud. Topping mud is made for feathering places like you ...
Ed Beal's user avatar
  • 103k
4 votes

Primer /sealer over latex paint

It's a shame your contractor couldn't follow directions. Check to see if the paint he used contained a primer, many paints out there now do. The primer you purchased can be applied over latex paint so ...
JACK's user avatar
  • 80k
4 votes

Using primer on electrical PVC conduit

NEC 110.3(b) settles the question ...as always. This requires you follow the instructions and labeling for the approved equipment you are using. Which UL approves as part of approving the equipment. ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
4 votes

Shellac Primer on entire interior of house?

I don’t see any downside. I’ve been using shellac based primer for many years, and I think it’s one of the greatest problem solvers ever. I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on any indoor surface that’s ...
MTA's user avatar
  • 11.2k
3 votes

When is it necessary to do two coats of paint over a primer?

For painting over previously painted surfaces you do NOT need primer. High quality primers do not hide colors very well because they are designed to adhere to a raw surface and typically do not carry ...
Damon's user avatar
  • 1,291
3 votes

Can I apply joint compound over drywall primed with PVA?

You can absolutely mud over cured primer. (Or cured finish paint, for that matter.) Use all purpose mud (not a setting compound) and scuff the primer gently with 120 grit.
Aloysius Defenestrate's user avatar
3 votes
Accepted

What's the reason to sand after priming?

My father-in-law does cabinetry and explained it to me like this: When you paint, the paint has to have something to hold on to. So, for instance, if you just slapped latex paint over old lacquer, it ...
Machavity's user avatar
  • 24.7k
3 votes

Which paint colors require gray primer?

I'd consider any color that's darker than the gray primer itself to be better suited to gray primer. It's not just about color hiding, but also edge exposure. If you prime with white and then paint a ...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 136k
3 votes

How do I prepare an already painted wall for new paint?

TSP and a sponge mop. Wash the walls once with a TSP solution, then again with clean water to remove any soapy residue. This stuff really works, so that means if you've sensitive skin, wear those big ...
Mazura's user avatar
  • 13.4k
3 votes

Does new drywall need two coats of primer?

It really depends on the results you get after the first coat. The purpose of primer is to lay down a surface that is uniform and consistent in color, within reason smoothness texture absorption ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
3 votes

Priming green sheetrock

You can hide the color with paint or you can hide the color with primer. In general, primer is cheaper than paint so on "color changes" you want to do as much as you can with primer - even to the ...
JPhi1618's user avatar
  • 27.9k
3 votes

Should I prime just repaired areas or the entire ceiling before painting?

This is mostly a matter of opinion. You'll usually get a better (more uniform) result if you do things edge-to-edge or corner-to-corner, including primer. The undercoat can have a significant effect ...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 136k
3 votes
Accepted

Primer /sealer over latex paint

As far as I can tell the primary purpose of a primer is to identify areas that need more work. Primers are generally easy to sand to allow you to fix these problem areas. Anytime I talk to my rep at ...
Fresh Codemonger's user avatar
3 votes

When to reprime vs just repaint?

Primer is generally used for one or more of these reasons. If they apply, use it. If you're unsure, use it. Save cost (cheap sealing and color/texture uniformity coat) Improve adhesion over glossy or ...
isherwood's user avatar
  • 136k
3 votes

When to reprime vs just repaint?

If you try to lay a topcoat over an inconsistent surface, the inconsistencies will "print through" and give an inconsistent result. Look at what you have there, you have a dog's breakfast of ...
Harper - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
3 votes

Best type of primer and paint to use over acrylic paint "mural"

The key to making this art go away and stay away is using the best primer for the job, and for this job shellac based primer is the only way to go. This is a primer made of shellac and a white pigment ...
MTA's user avatar
  • 11.2k
3 votes
Accepted

Can I use tintable primer without adding tint?

Yep. Tint is completely optional as a measure to cover existing paint or prepare for new color.
isherwood's user avatar
  • 136k
3 votes

From gray to pink-is primer necessary?

"but is it really necessary here?" This is a question that will only be answered after you've painted the walls. There are quality paints out there that have the primer added to them. I've ...
JACK's user avatar
  • 80k
3 votes
Accepted

How to prevent GI pipe from getting corroded

When you weld galvanized (zinc-coated) iron or steel, you burn off the galvanizing in the area near the weld and of course the weld itself isn't galvanized. So, "unwelding" the top, painting,...
Ecnerwal's user avatar
  • 212k

Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible