This is a question which answer can keep some money in the homeowner’s pocket.
It would be ideal to prime all walls at all times before painting. But is it always needed?
The answer is no. It may be always good for business but not necessarily for the homeowner’s budget. The homeowner does not have to pay for something he does not really need.
The major reason for priming is to seal and prepare a surface for a finish coat of paint. If the surfaces are already painted, surfaces are ready most of the time. So, the next question to: Should I always primer my walls before painting? would be: Are my walls already painted? When they are already painted. Most of the time you do not need to primer.
There are cases in which surfaces should be primed for example:
- If ceilings, walls, doors or trim have never been painted.
- If ceilings, walls, doors or trim had some areas repaired with joint compound, wood puddy or caulk.
- If ceilings, walls, doors or trim have peeled off.
- If paint has a very dark base. (Example dark orange, dark black, dark brown)
- If walls have signs of humidity issues.
- If you have walls with a high level of gloss. New paint with the same sheen or lower will not adhere easily over a high finish. The higher the shine the more resilient to absorption. Light sanding helps to reduce shine and sometimes even the need of primer is excluded.
Primer is very important, so paint adheres well to various surfaces. Some surfaces have been deteriorated greatly for the lack of primer or the poor experience on its application. Therefore, it is important to know when to prime and how.
Finally, if you are in doubt about certain areas to be primed or not, MAXC Impressions LLC offers free support for answering questions about House painting in Silver Spring, Bethesda, Rockville & other cities nearby. Homeowners need an experienced guidance even if they are working on DIY projects. We would like to make sure your surfaces are prepared well, so you are successful in your project.
Furthermore, if you ever need a painting company in Silver Spring for a project that may be too challenging for you or for the lack of time, we can give you a hand. Call us (240) 643-2794 or send us an email
Look at our painting services in Bethesda Maryland, Exterior and Interior House Painting in Bethesda, MD
