Should I prime before painting?

If you walk down the paint isle at the hardware store you may notice that almost all the gallons of paint have something in common.  “Paint and Primer in One”.  Is this true? Does this product replace primer?  Well… sort of.  Let me explain.  Paint and primer in one means that the product has added adhesion to help stick as well as more solids per volume to help cover. 

Does paint and primer in one mean I can just start painting over my newly finished drywall? 

No, you should NOT paint directly over fresh drywall even if it claims to be paint and primer in one!  The branding behind paint and primer in one started in 2009 when Behr brought it to the market.   Naturally, competing brands followed suit and rolled out paint and primer in one for their premium paints. 

So, when should I use paint and primer in one?

Paint and primer in one is fantastic for repainting previously painted walls without having to prime first.  However, one thing to consider is that latex paint will not stick to oil-based paint without first being primed with an extreme bond primer or oil-based primer. 

Here are a few tips we’ve come across over the years!

Tint your primer to 70% of the wall paint formula.  This helps to cover a little bit better; it also makes patching stand out, so you don’t forget to go back and sand.

Get the dust off the walls.  We typically sweep or vacuum our walls after drywall to remove any dust before priming.  This smooths out the primer and allows it to bond better. 

Sand your surface after priming and before paint.  This helps give a much more uniform texture to the walls and ceilings.

Key Take Aways

When in doubt prime it out.

Clean before you prime.

Know what products work on what surfaces.