What's the Deal With Primers?

Derived from the Latin word primus, which means FIRST, the word “primer” refers to the “first” coat or the “prime” coat, and prepares you for what comes next. Many people use primers in multiple aspects of their daily lives without giving it a thought. For example, a math primer can serve as the initial material that introduces a student to the world of numbers, counting, addition, subtraction, and other concepts and equations--providing the foundation for the more advanced concepts that will follow.

Many women routinely apply a primer or foundation for their face, eyes, lipstick, mascara, and fingernail polish. These primers, which function as a barrier between the product and skin, help ease the application and keep the makeup in place longer. Primer paint works in the same manner.

The preliminary layer of coating applied to wood, plastic, concrete, metal, and other surfaces ensures that the paint adheres to the surface properly. A paint primer enhances durability, improves appearance and adds an additional layer of protection to the painted surface. Whether giving yourself a flawless new look or creating a beautiful home environment, primers allows you to prepare the surface properly.

Types of Primers

Wood, concrete and other materials have various physical and chemical makeups, which requires you to use a primer that interacts with the chemistry of the surface. Each type of primer categories - oil, latex, and shellac - possesses different ingredient properties and applications, such as:

Oil-based primers

This paint primer fills the pores in the surface and produce a smooth finish. Oil primers, which dry slowly and require mineral spirits for thinning and cleaning, works well for the following paint projects:

• Unfinished wood
• Eroded wood
• Varnished wood
• Woods that bleeds
• Existing paint surface that is worn cracks and other defects

Latex primer

Rising in popularity, latex primers consist of water-soluble products that dry in a short time. This primer allows for the passage of water vapors and produces a finish that resists cracks. Latex primers works for the following applications: 

• Unfinished drywall
• Bricks and concrete blocks
• Bare soft woods
• Galvanized metal (properly cleaned)

Shellac primers

These primers have an unpleasant odor, contain denatured alcohol that kills bacteria known to generate certain odors. Use shellac primers for the following projects:

• Cover smoke, knots, stop stains and prevent bleeding
• Use when dying is required quickly

When shopping for a paint primer you will need to consider the differences between adhesion-promoting primers and porosity-sealing primers. The adhesion-promoting primer (tie coat) “ties” the new paint to the existing surface, and usually sticks to the material surface better than the topcoat. Porous surfaces such as wood and concrete require a porosity-sealing primer that helps the coating adhere reliably, without bubbles, blisters or pinholes appearing in the top coat.

How to Cover Difficult Colors

To task of painting dark walls of black, brown or red hues can seem rather daunting. Dark-colored walls typically require two coats of quality primer sealer, because you must fill the pores in the surface of the material in order to prevent bleeding. If you find yourself with fluorescent orange, neon green or some other bright color, take the same approach as recommended for dark colored walls and use two coats of primer.
Many professional painters tint the primer varying levels of gray or use a color close to the shade of the topcoat to prevent bleeding. The best advice for using paint primers is to follow the instructions on the paint can label or seek out professional advice.

If you need help with your residential or commercial priming and painting project, click here to choose a convenient time and date for your free estimate!

Ultimate Guide to Non-Toxic Paint

This is the first of three in a series of "Ultimate Guide" to different types of paint. Check back for the Ultimate Guide to Water-Based Paint and Ultimate Guide to Oil-Based Paint!

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the air that we breathe indoors contains two to five times more contaminants than outdoor air. Consequently, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) rates as one of the top five hazards to human health. The paint in our home has a significant effect on IAQ. Conventional paints-- made from a petrochemical base-- release low levels of toxic emissions called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) into the space. Data shows that VOCs cause breathing problems, headaches, nausea, and eye irritation. Some VOCs have even been linked to higher incidents of cancer.

Many manufacturers added VOCs to their paint to slow drying times and prevent paint from freezing during transportation. Responding to concerns about the health and environmental impact of VOC, the EPA issued regulations that require paint manufacturers to develop low VOC and zero VOC paints solutions. Regulatory and consumer demand for green products have motivated manufacturers to develop “nontoxic” paints that have small amounts to barely traceable VOC levels.

Volatile Organic Compounds Limits

Currently, the federal VOC limits are set at 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat paints and 380 g/l for other paints and finishes. Depending on the state where you live, your local government may have adopted stricter VOC limits. For example, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, California, and the District of Columbia limit flat coatings to 100 g/l and non-flat coatings to 150 g/l.

Types of Non-Toxic Paint

Today, manufacturers have over early reliability issues and a color selection that was limited to a few pastels and earth tones. You can use non-toxic paint anywhere you would use conventional paint. Non-toxic paint also comes in a wide range of finishes, including interior and exterior eggshells, masonry paints and primers. The available non-toxic paint options include:

Natural Paints

Natural paints do not contain VOC and have little or no odor. If you are bothered by the strong odor of paints, suffer from allergies, plan to stay in your home during renovation, or simply want an eco-friendly alternative, you can choose a natural paint from among a wide variety of natural ingredients, including:

• Water
• Chalk
• Clay
• Milk casein
• Plant dyes
• Natural latex
• Beeswax

Zero VOCs

Any paint in the range of 5 grams/liters or less can be called "Zero VOC". Remember, some paint manufacturers may brand their paint as “Zero VOC”, but the product may contain color tints, fungicides or biocides with some VOCs.

Low VOC

Low-VOC paints and finishes use water as a carrier, which results in a lower level of harmful emission compared to solvent-borne surface coatings.
Remember, tinting the base paint can increase VOCs levels up to 10 grams/liter.

How to Choose a Non-Toxic Paint Product

Look for the VOC level listed on the label in grams per liter, which can range from 5 g/l to 200 g/l. The product with the lowest VOC content will have the lowest overall risk. As you look for non-toxic paint, keep in mind that even zero or low VOC paints may have minute levels of ingredients such as ammonia, formaldehyde, acetone, and odor-masking agents, which contributes to indoor air pollution. If you are unsure about the contents of the paint ask your dealer for specific information.
Pro Painting provides interior and exterior paint services for residential and commercial customers. Our experienced estimators can help you choose the correct non-toxic and other paint products to make any design dream into a reality. You can trust that our team stands ready to deliver a high-quality paint job and top of the line customer service.

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