Reasons You Need To Prime Wood

You need to use primer when you are painting. Using a primer can help to even out the surface. It helps to minimize the porosity of the surface to maximise adhesion. This ensures that your paint job is both even and smooth. Throughout this article, you will learn exactly what makes priming so important for getting optimal results.

Choosing the right primer is another important thing you need to do. Not every primer is created equal. However, things can get difficult when you don’t know what to look for. With so many primers available, how do you pick the right one for the job? 

A lot of decorators end up using the various terms interchangeably when they shouldn’t. To put it simply, an undercoat is a primer. However, a primer isn’t always an undercoat. While they operate similarly, they are used for different reasons and they serve different purposes. A primer essentially acts as a foundation for your new paint.

 It helps to create a much more even surface for better adhesion. A very easy way to remember what you should be using is by using an undercoat for a surface that is already painted and using a primer for surfaces that aren’t painted.

Priming Your Bare Wood

It can be difficult to get new paint to adhere to bare wood. Previously, there was no other option available except a slow-drying oil-based primer when you were painting on bare wood. This method takes a very long to dry. However, it sinks deep into the wood. This allows it to stick better than alternative options.

While this is still the best option available, not everyone has 24 hours to wait for it to dry. If you want to topcoat the primer before 24 hours have passed, you’re going to want to use something else. Luckily, manufacturers have developed a much faster drying option in both latex and oil-based products. These newer products dry very quickly and still offer the same optimal adhesive properties as the older technology.

However, if you don’t mind waiting around for the slower oil-based wood primer, it’s always going to be the best option. That being said, if you don’t want to wait around for the slow drying process to complete, it’s a good idea to opt for a high-quality latex wood primer instead.

Priming Your Glossy Surfaces

No paint is going to stick very well to a glossy surface. This is true whether the surface is unpainted or painted. You need to ensure that you are sanding the surface to make it easier for it to adhere. It doesn’t matter if it’s woodwork or a wall. You will likely need an undercoat for the wood, but you don’t need to apply any primer to it because the surface is already painted. 

If you cannot sand the surface down, you can utilise an adhesion primer which can enhance the adhesion and bonding process. This can also come with additional benefits like having stain-blocking and odour-masking properties.