PRIMERS

A primer is the first coat applied to a surface.

The primer as the name itself suggests, the primary layer that ready to receive paint. It is
nothing but paint without pigment.

A primer or undercoat is a preparatory coating put on materials before painting. Primer is

specially formulated to make sure the top coat of paint adheres to the surface below, creating the best-
looking, longest-lasting finish. Primers are engineered for aggressive filling and binding with underlying
surfaces.

Priming ensures :-

1. Better adhesion of paint to the surface,

2. Increases paint durability (life), and
3. Provides additional protection for the material being painted

A primer is often used when painting porous materials, including concrete and wood. Using a primer
is considered mandatory if the material is not water resistant and will be exposed to the elements.

Each types of primer paint consists various properties and uses. That will solely depend on the
surface conditions and environment.

1. Oil Based Primer:

Oil based primer is suitable for both interior and exterior application. It is mainly used for wood
work, i.e. new wood, painted wood, dry wood, etc. It can be used on metal surfaces as well.

 Oil based primer is commonly known as alkyd primer. This primer is suitable for both
oil and latex paints. Oil based primer has tendency to remain flexible after drying and
very helpful when temperature variation occurs.
 It requires mineral spirits for thinning and cleanup but they are great on providing
barriers to keep the wood bleeding through.
 Oil based primers prevent stains from showing through your new coats of paint. They are
good for blocking stains on walls from ink, nicotine and water.
 The drawback of oil based primer is that they are often slow drying, generally 24 hours or
more. It release high amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOC), which can be
harmful to people if in high concentrations and for prolonged exposure.
 It shouldn’t be directly used on masonry.
2. Latex Primer:

Latex primer is the best option for interior and exterior surfaces including drywall, plaster,
masonry, woodwork and painted metal.

 Latex primer is also known as an acrylic primer and basically, it is water based.
 It is more flexible, fast drying, water soluble and less brittle than the oil based primer. It
also comes with low or no VOC compounds, making them a healthier alternative to oil
based and shellac primer.
 Latex primer is useful for woods having slight dampness. These types of primer paint are
sometimes also useful for semi-seasoned wood.
 It provides a great flexible finish with excellent cracking resistance and is recommended
to use on bare wood.
 Before applying it, make sure you try it first in a small area to see if they raise the grain.
Use of interior and exterior surfaces including woodwork and see if they raise the grain.
 The drying time is lesser than oil based primer – generally under 3 or 4 hours.

3. Shellac Primer:

Shellac primer is almost good for interior paint jobs and used as a spot exterior primer. It is
excellent for blocking stains, works well where there are severe water and smoke damage to
walls. Also, it is good to use on wood, metal, plaster, plastic, etc.

 Shellac primer is fast drying and highly adhesive.

 They also can be used with both oil and latex paints.
 The drawback of using shellac primer is that it is not as versatile as latex and oil based
primer.
 The drying time of shellac primer is usually under an hour.
Usage

Using a primer is considered mandatory if the material is not water resistant and will be
exposed to the elements. Primers can also be used on dirty surfaces which cannot be cleaned or
before painting light colors over a dark finish.

Some primers can be tinted to match more closely with the color of the finishing paint. If
the finishing paint is a deep color, tinting the primer can reduce the number of layers of finishing
paint that are necessary for good uniformity across the painted surface.Primers are also used to
hide joints and seams to give a finished look.

Some primers require that the topcoat be applied within a certain amount of time after the
primer dries to ensure optimal adhesion. This varies from 24 hours to up to two weeks after the
primer has dried. It is common to apply the finishing coat of paint before the primer fully cures
in order to improve adhesion between the primer and the topcoat.

Wood is very porous and will absorb the solvent in paint and cause it to dry more quickly. This
is undesirable because most paints undergo chemical reactions during the process of curing
which is dependent on the water or solvent evaporating slowly. A layer of primer will prevent
the underlying wood from prematurely absorbing the solvents in the finishing paint.

Water can permeate into the wood and cause warping, mildew, or dry rot. Primer improves the
waterproofing of the finish.

Metal: Some metals, such as untreated aluminium, require a primer; others may not.

A primer designed for metal is still highly recommended if a part is to be exposed to moisture.
Once water seeps through to the bare metal, oxidation will begin (plain steel will simply rust).
Metal primers might contain additional materials to protect against corrosion, such as sacrificial
zinc.

Metal hydroxides/oxides do not provide a solid surface for the paint to adhere to, and paint will
come off in large flakes. Using a primer will provide extra insurance against such a scenario. An
additional reason for using a primer on metal could be the poor condition of the surface. A steel
part can be rusty, for example.

Painting and gluing aluminium is especially important in the aircraft industry, which uses Zinc
Chromate Primers to add the necessary adhesion properties.

Plastic: Using a primer on surfaces made of plastic is only necessary when making a drastic
change of colour (going from dark brown to white, for example), or when a long-lasting coat of
paint is desired.

An important point for choosing a primer for plastic is making sure the primer's solvent will not
dissolve or warp the plastic part itself (e.g. most common household spray paint will damage
polystyrene foam) For this reason, most manufacturers recommend that both the primer and paint
should be tested on a less visible location of the part being painted.