A great paint job depends on many factors, including adhesion to the substrate, the right base coat to match and enhance the topcoat, and more. Do you know the rules and precautions about primer sealers and base coats?
This article considers the salient rules, precautions, and mistakes you should know about primer sealers before the base coat.
It gives a working understanding of primer sealers and base coats. It further discusses the rules, precautions, and mistakes to be aware of.
Primer Sealers and Base Coat
Primer sealers and base coats are necessary parts of any painting job. If you do not want to make the mistakes associated with primer sealers and base coats, it would be best to have an operational understanding of primer sealers and base coats and how they work together.
Primer Sealers
Primer sealers are preppers with priming and sealing properties used to prepare a surface for a fantastic paint job. Unlike primers designed explicitly for priming alone, primer sealers do more than priming.
The primary purpose of the primer sealer is to hide what stains on the substrate. It is also used to seal off odors and give a uniform shade of paint. Primer sealers help enhance the adhesion of the base coat to the substrate.
Primer sealers are designed with priming and sealing properties, making them thicker to fill into cracks, dry faster, and build in so you can finish your paint job as quickly as possible.
They are designed to build a moisture-resistant barrier between the substrate and the base coat by sealing the substrate for the application of a base coat as though the surface was unfinished. This prevents moisture from penetrating the topcoats.
Base coats
Base coats are usually the first layers of paint that serves as the base on which the topcoat is applied. If you have used a primer sealer, the base coat will be spread over it.
It is usually designed with pigments, fillers, and plasticizers to cover the slight surface cracks and enrich the visual appearance of the final coating. Base coats are used after primers or primer sealers to create a smooth, even-colored surface for the final topcoat.
It is used to lighten the surface when changing from a dark to a lighter color. The base coat is the foundation on which the finishing coat is applied.
Rules To Know
- Never skip the primer sealer
Never skip the priming process of a paint job. If there is a reason to apply primer sealers, it would be best that you do. Failure to do so will cost a lot. You will have to deal with an unsatisfactory result, start all over, and painfully scrub off the lousy paint job to do it right.
Skipping the application of a primer sealer when necessary will leave your topcoat scratching off, peeled off, or recoated many times over to get good coverage and sheen.
- Never buy low-quality primer sealers
Getting the job done once and professionally is the goal. This rule to always buy only the best you can afford will save you time and money. Buying low-quality primer sealers defeat the purpose because the lower the quality of the primer sealer, the more challenging it will be to apply it, and the less likely you are to get excellent results at the end of your project.
- Stir the primer sealer
Even if the can says it is unnecessary to stir it, it would be best to stir the primer sealer before applying it. Just like when you stir a paint, the consistency of the primer sealer is crucial whether you are using a sprayer or not.
- Always use quality work tools
Using quality work tools is very important. Quality tools help you achieve precision with the primer sealer for best results. Logically, you cannot get a professional result unless you use professional tools. Compromising on the use of quality tools can lead to poor results. Poor tools will hardly help you achieve the thorough coverage you need.
Precautions To Be Aware
- Never Compromise on Wearing Safety Equipment
When using primer sealers, safety glasses and a respirator are the essential safety equipment to consider. It would also be best to wear protective gloves to prevent contact with your skin while applying your primer sealer.
Failing to wear a respirator or gas mask increases the chances of respiratory illnesses such as the lungs and more.
You can also prevent chemical materials from coming in contact with your eyes by using safety glasses.
- Always clean your work tools before starting
It would be best to clean your brushes and spray cans of dust, grease, and other materials that could impede the quality of the application. If your product is water-based, you can clean your work tools with water. But if your products are oil-based, mineral spirits will do a good cleaning.
If you do not use clean work tools, the quality of the paint job will be poor. You may find parts of the paint job falling apart because that part was covered by dust or debris during the primer sealer application process. You may also find former paints leaking out of the unsealed areas.
Main Mistakes to Avoid
- Using primer sealers for the wrong projects
Many wood projects do not need primer sealers. Woodworks and projects like guitar finishings, kitchen furniture, etc., do not require primer sealers.
Using a primer sealer for the base of your guitar before applying the base coat would be unnecessary. All you need to do is sand the wood a little and apply your stain. Once done, you can seal the color with any oil or water-based finish of your choice.
This water or oil-based finish will seal in color and provide durability. There is no reason to use a primer sealer for projects like that.
Primer sealers are generally used for metal works. They can be used for other projects, but they are generally used for metal works. The reason is that paints hardly stick to metals. So a primer sealer enhances the adhesion of the paint to the metal surface while providing the durability you need.
- Mistaking Paints Advertised as Having Primers for Primer Sealers
Sometimes, some paints have labels claiming that they have primers. While this may sound economic because you will be tempted to think you have bought the paint and the primer at once, it will be a mistake to forgo buying a primer sealer.
The paint and primer products do not do what primer sealers do. They do not seal cracks and crevices in woods, hide stains or improve the adhesion. Although they may be good enough for some projects, applying a primer sealer is not negotiable if you are painting bare or dark wood furniture, a glossy wall, and other complex surfaces that need special treatments.
- Thinking Newly-built Walls Do Not Require Priming
Newly built walls are usually dry because no prior paint job has been done on them. You may think that since it is drywall, you don’t need to prime and seal the surface before painting.
But that would be an expensive mistake as it would cost you coats upon coats of expensive paint. It would be economical, time-saving, and better to prime and seal the walls with a primer sealer before adding the base coat and the finish coat ultimately.
Bottom Line
Primer sealers are a great way to help your base coat stick to the substrate better and enhance the brilliance of the topcoat. But there are rules which must be observed for a great paint job. This article will help you avoid expensive mistakes in your paint jobs. Make sure to keep them in mind.
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