Professional tips on how to apply primer on wood

Urvashi G Paul

7 years ago

Primer is an essential part of painting. Primer adds beauty to the painting by offering a smooth, uniform and polished look to your structure. It is a part of your preparation to make a wonderful wooden structure and combines multiple steps. The quality of a primer is that it helps you to use less paint in the process of painting.

By simply noticing how to apply primer on wood, you can distinguish between an experienced hand and those who just do it for fun. If you are clueless about how to apply it this blog will be a perfect guide for you.

1. The reason to apply primer on wood

Though it seems to be easy to apply primer on wood, it is not. Primer is chemically made to dissolve with the surface, with an aim to hide the imperfections of the surface.

Primers help the wood to receive paints by improving the surface. It has an adhesive quality that helps the paint to absorb well.

Primers help to hide tiny holes in the wood and make stains, knots etc., less visible. It helps your paint to last longer and look better.

However, if you already have a paint which has primer coated on it, you will not require to prime it. You will only have to look for any bare areas where primers are missing. Even better, you can even find paints that have primer built-in. These “paint and primer in one” products can be great time-savers because they offer the convenience of a one-step application, but they’re not always as effective as using separate primers and paints. If you’re painting over bare wood or previously unpainted surfaces, applying a separate coat of primer is still your best bet.

2. How to apply primer on wood

To work well, the primer should be mixed well, and you know how to apply it before painting a wood. With the help of a brush, roll or spray, you can apply primer on wood. If you want to choose an easy way, go for spray primer, though it will need you to use several coats to get good coverage. Brushing will take time and need more effort but will give you a thinner and even layer of the surface.

Every primer product, instructions are given for better application. Here are the steps-

Thoroughly clean previously painted surface, make sure that there is no any dust particles or grease
Apply primer on wood with a brush after properly thinning it
Then let it become dry for at least 6 to 8 hours before applying the polishing paste
Use sandpaper grit 180 to sand the putty and go for a second coat of primer Experts say if primer increases the wood cell fibers, then you should be sanding it with a fine sandpaper grit.

The surface will be ready by now to apply the paint

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3.Primer colour

If you are clueless about which color should be used for primer, then it is vital to know that for darker coats of paint, use gray primer and for brighter paints, it is a white primer. Keep a track on the gap suggested between coats and the number of coats when you apply primer on wood.

You can use tinted primers to match your paint color. It enables a smooth transition between the primer and topcoat.

4. Which one is best-oil based primer or latex based ones

If to follow professional recommendations, it is advisable to use an oil based primer first and follow it with a latex based one, when you are going to apply primer on wood. One quality with the oil based primer is that it is stickier than the latex based ones, but it is prone to cracking. To paint outdoor furniture, latex based option is better. Unless you are dealing with a wood that typically requires oil based primer only, always choose latex based primer.

5. Established brands of primers

Unlike old days, modern primers are faster drying and yet sticks to the wood quite well. It adds to the adhesion of the paint topcoat.

Masonry primer is a good option when you want to apply primer on wood. It helps to retain the Ph level without affecting the adhesive capacity. It also prevents the efflorescence, a type of white deposits that can form on the surface.

Stain-Blocking Primers are also available in the market, capable of any substance like water or smoke being poured into the finish. It helps to give way to new color, useful when you apply a lighter color over a darker color.

Bonding primer is another option to consider when you apply primer on wood. It is suitable to be used in surfaces with ceramic tiles, plastic and vinyl’s, as it has a very good adhesive capacity.

Multipurpose primers are preferred because of their universal nature, however always go for reputed brands as lots of adultery happens with this primer.

Here are some Multipurpose Primers you can find online:-

6. Final opinion

Based on the color of choice you make, you will be using a primer base coat. When you choose to apply primer on wood, use a fine quality product, never go for the cheapest option if you want the outcome to be satisfactory.

Though primer might seem unnecessary in the process, it will help you to save your time, money and effort. Every wooden thing needs to be primed before they get painted. If you avoid this, your paint will easily crack, peel or wear out.

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