Five Star Painting Franchise

Paint stores encourage their consumers to use a primer under the top coat of paint. This makes them a lot of money of course, but is not the best advice. When someone wants to use primer, they only think of two different capabilities – priming and sealing. In reality, primer is about two different applications and probably two different products.

1. A sealer is meant to ‘seal’ something into the wall, like water stains or ink from a pen. Have you ever tried to paint over a pen mark on the wall? If so, you probably noticed that the ink bled right through the paint you just put on. Then you paint it again, and the same thing happens – you still see the ink. A sealer will fix this. The sealer will seal the ink into the wall and not allow it to bleed through the finish coat of paint. You will notice that the ink will bleed through the sealer, but that’s fine because you will still need to apply the top coat. Once that is done, you will never know that there was ink on the wall.
2. A primer does something a little different. It primes the surface to make it ready for the top coat. For example, you need to prime raw wood for the top coat to stick to it. There are three main substrates that need priming – raw wood, new drywall, and raw metal. Some paints have a primer built into it and you may be able to use it as a primer and a top coat all at once. But most of the time, you will have to prime these substrates before applying your latex topcoat.

Remember this rule – If the substrate is already painted, you DON’T NEED a primer anymore. You may need a sealer if there are pen marks or a water stain, but not a primer.

So the next time you question buying primer, remember these tips. If you have any questions or would like a FREE estimate, call Five Star Painting at 1-866-965-STAR (7827).

Preparation is the key to beautiful, long-lasting results for any painting task. Why spend all that time choosing astounding paint colors for your living room remodel or baby’s first nursery if you aren’t going to take the first step to ensure your new colors will withstand the test of time? Five Star Painting is proud to be partnered up with Sherwin Williams who has supplied us with great insight regarding the prep-work to any paint job.

Often forgotten, primers are made to help your finish coat be smooth and uniform. They can save several hours of time and several dollars. Some are formulated specifically to cover stains and discoloration, block out odors, hide surface marks and there are even primers that are made especially for use with dark vivid colors. All primers help to anchor the finish coat so it “sticks” better, ensure a rich shine for enamels, fill uneven surfaces and seal porous surfaces.

Prime for the Pickin’

When deciding which primer best suits your paint project, there are a couple of important elements you should take into consideration. One is the surface to be painted. Whether the surface you are painting is drywall in your brand new home, older wood in your basement or concrete in your stylish loft, there are ideal primers for each surface to ensure that the finish coat offers optimal beauty and protection.

Another important element to consider when choosing a primer is the paint color. Testing by the experts has found that often deep paint colors are best primed with gray-tint shades, and for this reason special primers have been designed to maximize deep hues. For example, the Sherwin-Williams Color Prime System has gray-tint shades for primers to achieve a true color in fewer coats. Another way to make those bold accent colors pop is to refer to the back of the color chip for primer recommendations. For example, deep, saturated colors are extremely popular for the home right now. To get the best possible results for these bold colors, a gray-tint primer is an ideal choice.

An interior latex primer is the perfect selection for most home painting projects. It goes on easy, dries fast and provides the best coverage on a variety of new or previously painted surfaces, such as wood, plaster and drywall. And clean-up can be a snap, with just soap and water.

Remember that primer can often make or break your paint project. In the long run, using primer will save you time and money by reducing the number of times you need to paint or repaint a surface. Choosing the perfect primer for the job can be simplified by seeking expert advice at an area paint store. For more information on primers, please check out our website or visit your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams.