Why Is Primer Important?
What Makes Paint Primer Important?
Primer Paint Provides a More Even Surface for Painting
If you’ve ever painted directly over a bare surface, you’re probably aware of how uneven the results can be. This should come as no surprise -- while plenty of paints are thick enough to conceal certain surface imperfections, certain quirks will poke through if said surface is not prepared beforehand. This preparation includes several steps, including cleaning and sometimes sanding down the surface. Applying primer is another important step. Commercial and residential painting services can tell you that priming a surface levels the playing field, so to speak, so that the ensuing coats of paint can glide on easily and provide a smooth finish.
Primer Paint Helps with Adhesion
Not only does primer result in even coats -- it also helps those coats of paint stay put. In other words, primed surfaces are highly receptive to paint, meaning your coats of paint will adhere better and therefore not peel, chip, or flake away so easily. In this way, priming before house painting helps to ensure the beauty, durability, longevity of your paint job.
Primer Paint Seals the Surface
Priming your surfaces also protects them at the deepest level, which is especially important for exterior painting where surfaces are exposed to the elements. This is because primer is designed to partially soak into the material, forming a strong bond that prevents tiny particles like bacteria, fungi, and moisture from entering. And because the primer has sealed off the surface, the ensuing coats of paint will not seep into the surface but instead simply adhere to the primer. Conversely, if you paint a surface (especially a porous material like wood) without priming it first, much of the paint will soak into the surface rather than rest on top of it evenly.
Primer Paint Can Add Color
Though primarily functional, primer can serve an aesthetic purpose as well. While most primers are white, they can come tinted. If you want to paint over a surface with a new color, starting with a tinted primer that matches (or partially matches) the color or shade you’re going for can aid in this process. Even typical white primers can help in this regard, particularly if you’re painting over a darker surface with a lighter color -- the blank primer can act as a buffer between the old paint color and the new, lighter one. In many cases, primer can help commercial and home interior painters/exterior painters reduce the amount of coats they need to achieve the color they’re trying to introduce.
The question, “why is primer important” is somewhat redundant. After all, the word “prime” means “of the utmost importance” in one sense, and “first” in another. Indeed, a coat of primer should almost always come first, before residential or commercial painting begins, and doing so is important if you want to protect your surfaces and end up with an even, durable, beautiful paint job.
At Endure Painting we don’t take primer for granted. Rather, we understand that primer is an integral part of the painting preparation process. And now, you should understand this, too. For more information regarding our skills and services, call us at (510) 458-2120 or send us an email at hello@endurepainting.com.
