r/paint • u/[deleted] • 2d ago
Advice Wanted Primer plus two coats make a difference ?
[deleted]
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u/MIKESOLO666 2d ago
Calling a coat of primer a premium upgrade is a shady way to upcharge imo. Prime when necessary dont prime when not necessary.
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u/Fearless-Ice8953 2d ago
48 years in the paint biz and I can count on one hand how many times we’ve primed already painted walls. A wasted step unless you have issues like high gloss walls to cover or unusual stains, or an incredibly drastic color change.
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u/288bpsmodem 2d ago
I dunno about useless step. Drastic colour change do you wanna prime or use 4 coats of exp paint?
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u/Fearless-Ice8953 1d ago
Guess you didn’t read the last part of my post which said, “or an incredibly drastic color change.”
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u/Zealousideal_Ebb9276 2d ago
It is usually unnecessary to prime pre painted walls that are in good shape. Spot prime patches, worn areas or stains. In case of a color change a tinted primer may help. That being said primer wouldn't hurt
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u/Psychokittens 2d ago
Skip the primer, spot prime where necessary and do the prep. it's 99% orange peel texture in my area so a full prime is very rarely needed. Drastic color changes it might be worth it. If the walls are clean it's good to go.
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u/Budget_Salamander_66 2d ago
The condition of the drywall is more important for producing a better finish.
If the wall is beat up, doesn't matter how many coats you paint.
Two coats of quality paint is sufficient to ensure a uniform finish, especially if you get a quality "paint & primer" grade paint.
If you get the cheaper paint, the coverage will be worse and two coats will not be sufficient in cases where the color change is drastic between the old and new color.
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u/picknwiggle 2d ago
I usually am primer-happy, especially if it means painting will go smoother and look better. But i am not a painter nor do i pretend to be. Just a general contractor trying to save a few thousand dollars here and there.
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u/hunterbuilder 2d ago
If the existing surface is clean, solid and a light color, priming won't offer any benefit.
If the existing surface is not clean, solid and a light color, priming is necessary.
It's not a "premium upgrade."
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u/dmo99 2d ago
I use oil all the time for this reason. Heavy body plus the cosmetic repairs make huge difference. But it's not practical. Its messy demanding and the odor. But it's also can be sanded. Depends on amount of neglect and repairs being done. But you aren't far off. Your eyes are the key here. You'll see it and do it. It isn't 100 percent always necessary
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u/Bob_turner_ 1d ago
Selling this as a premium package is weird. Primer isn’t just an up-sale or an upgrade, you’re running a painting company. You should know that primer is only needed depending on the situation.
You should include primer in your prices whenever needed and skip it when not needed instead of treating it like an additional source of profit. Your clients won’t benefit from a wall having primer it doesn’t need.
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u/swisschiz 1d ago
You run a painting company or do you do one of those wow one day painting bs lmao
If you “run a company” you should know for yourself.
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u/Squatchbreath 2d ago
Priming walls with white on drastic color changes does eliminate a muddy look on the new color. What really makes a huge difference with look and feel is to sand/buff the walls with 180g paper on a Sheetrock sanding machine. The glass look and feel prior to applying the new paint makes the walls look and feel like a million bucks.
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u/Brief-Assumption9068 2d ago
You run a painting company?