Design Vogue

Should you always prime before painting? If so, how many coats of primer do you need? There's no one answer because the number of coats of primer depends on a few factors, such as the color you're painting over, the type of paint you're using, and the condition of the walls or surface you're painting. However, two coats of primer are typically used for most projects.

Keep reading to learn when to use primer and how many coats of primer are necessary before painting.

What Is Primer?

A primer is a base coat that comes before the final, or base and finish, coats of paint. Primer preps the surface and substantially improves the paint's adhesion and coverage.

Do You Really Need Primer?

You almost always need to prime a surface before painting. The only time you can potentially skip primer is when you buy paints with built-in primers. However, these self-priming paints are only effective for painting over walls in good shape that are already painted.

Primer is beneficial for covering old paint or paint in a very different color or higher sheen than you've chosen and preps the surface so the new paint adheres more effectively. However, many other situations require priming, such as:

• Painting unfinished wood: Bare wood does not accept paint well and needs to be primed so the paint sticks. Look for a primer formulated to seal knots when painting knotty wood.
• Applying latex-based paint over oil-based paint: If your existing walls are painted with oil-based paint, you'll need a bonding primer to help the new latex paint stick.
• Painting over plaster and joint compound: Walls that have been repaired or skim-coated with plaster and joint compound will look uneven unless primed. These patched surfaces soak up the paint differently than surrounding areas.
• Painting over new drywall: New drywall must be primed with PVA (polyvinyl acetate) primer, an inexpensive product formulated for drywall.
• Painting over stains or mold: Stains from water, mold, and other substances can be difficult to cover, requiring many coats of paint. Use stain-covering primers to cover ordinary stains and mold-killing primers to stop mold growth.
• Using lower-quality paints: You can often get away with using lower-quality paint if you use a decent-quality primer. However, inexpensive paints may not last as long as high-quality paints.

How Many Coats of Primer to Use

The number of coats of primer depends on the details of your project and the type of paint you're using.

When to Use One Coat of Primer

Use one coat of primer for the following situations:

• When painting over similar paint colors
• Going from a light paint color to a dark paint color
• Surfaces that are in good condition, including metal

When to Use Two Coats of Primer

Use two coats of primer when painting the following:

• Unfinished surfaces like wood
• New drywall (use PVA primer); new drywall soaks up paint and primer prevents the paint finish from looking splotchy and uneven when dry
• Preparing to paint over wallpaper
• Poor condition metal surfaces
• Drastically different paint colors
• Covering a dark paint color with a light paint color

When to Use Three Coats of Primer

You may never need three coats of primer. However, situations that may necessitate a third coat include:

• If the second coat of primer hasn't offered adequate coverage
• Painting over uneven surfaces like masonry, plaster, unfinished wood, and drywall joint compound
• Covering major stains, such as water damage on a ceiling

What Type of Primer to Use

Consult the label on your primer for proper application. Different surfaces call for specific types of primer and it's important to use the right one. When in doubt, ask the associate at the store's paint department for product recommendations. When applying primer, pay close attention to the manufacturer's instructions specifying how many coats of primer to use and any necessary steps to take between the coats, such as sanding.