If you’re about to start your own DIY project by painting something wooden, stop right there—you’ll want to use a wood primer, and here’s why: It’ll make your paint job immensely smoother than if you didn’t use one, will give it a more professional look and feel, and will protect the wood and enhance the paint used.
So what exactly do you need to know about wood primer before buying it? Here’s the essential info.
What is wood primer?
Wood primer is the undercoat of preparatory coating put on wood, specifically, before you use paint on it. Using a wood primer increases the durability of your paint job, ensures better adhesion of the paint to the surface, and helps protect the wood that’s being painted.
When should I use wood primer?
It all depends on the kinds of wood you’ll be painting. According to Lowe’s, when you’re painting new wood that isn’t stained, you should be using high-quality latex primer or an oil-based primer. If your new wood is painted or stained, you’ll want to use a stain-blocking primer. Older, more weathered wood needs a high-quality latex or oil-based primer.
How do I use wood primer?
You’ll want to thoroughly clean the wood you’ll be painting first, then sand the surface. After sanding, remove all of the dust that accumulated during the process. (Wash the surface using a wet rag to make sure it’s particle-free).
Then, you’ll want to apply wood primer. You should be painting on two coats of primer, which will eventually look and feel a little chalky.
Source: housebeautiful.com
