Home Improvement Tools: Types Of Primers

Primer can be the very paint, diluted with a solvent. Nevertheless, using it in such quality very economical, and in many cases (preparation for painting metal surfaces, fixing crumbling foundations, etc.) does not make sense. Usually, for pre-coating special primers are used, they contain more than cheap pigments and are cheaper than high-quality paint.

Their external difference in comparison with the paint is in the liquidness that usually creates a matte surface, which adheres well the subsequent coating.

Alkyd primer

This is one of the best primers for paint for untreated wood (“bloats” the structure of wood), as result we have an ideal surface for subsequent deposition of the majority of finishing coatings. Often we use heavily pigmented alkyd primer, which creates a semi-matt film and reinforces the depth of the upper color. It usually dries, in 12-16 hours.

The only significant limitation is that such primers should not bear the stucco and plaster surfaces, as alkyd causes them pile.

Acrylic (Emulsion) primer

As with acrylic paints, this primer is applicable almost to all surfaces (on the fresh and old plaster, cement, concrete, asbestos, wood, fiberboard and particleboard, brick). It has attractive consumer features: virtually no smell, dries in 2-4 hours, diluted with water. We do not recommend this primer to use as a protective coating for ferrous metals, since it doesn’t protect from corrosion (over time there may tread rust stains).

Epoxy and polyurethane primers

As a rule, it is diluted with a special solvent epoxy and polyurethane topcoat. In such cases each manufacturer has its own recipe of these priming compositions (they use their own solvents).

Resin primer for wood

It is primarily designed for isolation of knots on the sections of trees. It can also be used as an insulator for the water-soluble stains.

The basis of such a primer is latex insects diluted in methyl alcohol.

Primers for metal

The main purpose of these compositions is the protection of metals from premature corrosion. For different metals appropriate primers are used. Thus, for aluminum we are using special primers on the zinc-basis or urethane paint, which protects it from cover “pockmarks”. The best anti-corrosion primer for steel and other ferrous metals is alkyd with zinc content. There are several varieties of it, or example, the zinc phosphate is the best anti-corrosion primer for alkyd finishing paint, on zinc chromate, it’s used for the same purpose, but has a wider range of applications (suitable for designs that include wooden and elements).

Copper, brass and bronze usually are not dyed because in most cases, these materials appear in the sale from the factory already processed. If their cover is suddenly started “peeling”, then it is better to remove white spirit completely, then, to preserve natural color polish and cover with epoxy or polyurethane varnish.