Painting is one of the best ways to transform a room or a piece of furniture and is a lot more affordable if you do the work yourself. While painting is fairly easy to do on your own, there is a lot to learn when it comes to the different types of paints that you should use. Depending on the surface you are painting on, certain types of paint will have the best adhesion and often a primer is necessary to prep most surfaces for your final paint color.
The difference between paint and primer is that primer is formulated to seal the surface you are going to paint and provide adhesion while paint is formulated to provide color and protect. Paint also contains a finish, typically flat, satin, eggshell, semi-gloss, or high-gloss while primer does not. This difference is especially important when painting raw wood or a surface that has not been painted before. Primer can be the difference between a good paint job that lasts and a paint job with poor coverage and adhesion.
Is primer just white paint?
Primer is not simply just white paint. It contains a resin, a solvent, and an additive agent giving it properties that allow it to penetrate a porous surface and fill those pores acting as a sealant.
Paint does not have the same properties as primer and extra coats of paint are not an alternative to a quality primer. Paint is meant to deliver color and protect the surface that you are painting.
Do I need to use a primer?
Once you know the difference between paint and primer, you may be wondering if you always need to use primer before you paint. The answer is not a simple yes or no, but if you are unsure, it is always better to start with a primer. Primer provides an ideal surface for a fresh coat of paint. Primer hides imperfections, seals porous surfaces, provides adhesion, and provides a blank slate for your new paint color.
There are instances when primer is more important than others. For example, it is very important to apply a primer before you paint with raw wood. Without a primer, you may see the tannins in the wood bleed through and create an orange tint in your paint. Likewise, with surfaces like new drywall, metal, brick, patched or repaired walls and walls with darker paint colors, a primer is always recommended.
If you are painting a smooth surface or a surface that has never been painted before, primer is an important first step. Primer will provide adequate adhesion for the top coat of paint to properly stick to the surface you are working with. If you do not apply a primer in this instance, you are likely to see your paint peel, chip, or become easily damaged.
Paint and Primer Composition
When it comes to the composition of paint and primer, the main thing to remember is that primer is going to be more resin based and paint will be more pigment based. This is directly related to the main role of each, which is for primer to seal the surface and for paint to deliver color to the surface.
| Ingredients | Primer (resin-based) | Paint (pigment-based) |
|---|---|---|
| Resin/Binder | Yes | Yes (less resin than primer) |
| Solvent | Yes | Yes |
| Additives | Yes | Yes |
| Pigment | No (sometimes tinted closer to final color) | Yes |
Primer does not typically contain any pigments, but the paint specialist you are working with will often recommend lightly tinting the primer if you are using a dark color. This is so that the primer gets you a little closer to that final color instead of being such a stark contrast and requiring more coats of paint for proper coverage.
What happens if you use your primer as paint?
If you attempt to use primer as paint, it will initially appear that you have a fresh coat of white paint on your wall or other surfaces. However, you will quickly notice that your primer has no properties to protect it from the elements as you begin to see the surface start to chalk simply by touching it, as well as peeling, chipping, or flaking off of the surface.
Primer does not have the properties that can stand up to the elements like water and moisture in a kitchen or bathroom, crayon or pen marks, or just normal wear from touch. Primer simply is not meant to protect the surface, and therefore you will quickly see wear and tear. Paint is a necessary top coat to finish your project and protect it for long term wear.
Do I need two coats of paint if I use primer?
If you use a primer before you paint, it is still a good idea to apply two coats of your final paint color. With only one coat of paint, you may miss small spots here or there, but with two coats of paint, you will have nice even coverage. The more coverage you have the better protected your surface will be and the longer it will last.
Applying a primer will make your paint go on more smoothly and evenly and provide good adhesion for your top coats of paint. One coat of primer and two coats of paint will provide you with an excellent end result.
Paint vs Primer
Paint and primer not only have different compositions but different roles in your painting project. They cannot be substituted for each other and perform best when used together. Whenever you are in doubt, always opt to use a primer first and ensure you get a quality paint job the first time. Applying one layer of primer and two coats certainly takes time, allowing for the paint to dry in between, but it will ensure that your paint project lasts as long as possible and stands up to the elements that it will be exposed to.