Should I prime my walls before I paint, or is washing them sufficient?

Question

The walls are presently a light color Satin paint and I am painting them a dark color Satin paint. Can I just paint without washing or priming?

Answer 1

always prime. It looks better

Answer 2

well i wash ,prime then paint but you can just prime then paint it wouldnt hurt,
Primer and paint form a chemical reaction[citation needed] that allows the paint to adhere much better than if paint were used alone. In general, a primer is necessary when painting any kind of porous materials, such as concrete and especially wood Priming is mandatory if painted material is not water resistant and will be exposed to the elements. Priming gypsum board (drywall) is also standard practice when building a new home or building because it seals the wall and aids in preventing mold. Priming is also done for dirty surfaces that, for some reason, cannot be cleaned, or before painting light colors over existing dark colors.

Answer 3

You should always prime before you paint, no matter what the surface is. That way you never have to worry about the color not being true or the paint chipping or peeling. And, if the color you are going to paint with is dark, have the paint store tint your primer darker. It won't be an exact match, but it will help bring out the true color of your top-coat.

Answer 4

Wash the wall down with a TSP trisodium phosphate available at most hardware stores.. If you are painting a really dark color it's helpful to tint the primer the same color as the paint you are applying that way it will take less coats and last longer.. Also, don't skimp on the quality of paint it won't last ! Good luck

Answer 5

Assuming your house was built after 1978, you can safely sand the walls lightly. If before 1978, ensure that it is lead paint safe before you consider sanding. The purpose of this is to create a profile on the surface for the new paint to adhere to the best. Wash the walls with TSP to remove any dirt and stains. TSP doesn't leave residue like other cleaners, so you won't have adhesion problems. If you have stains such as water, grease, marker, etc. remaining, you will want to at least spot prime those areas with a stain blocking primer.

Answer 6

You may not need to prime before you paint. Another alternative is to get some "liquid sander". You can find it at your local Lowe's or Home Depot. You simply wipe the wall with the liquid sander, let it dry, then paint away.

You need to take off the "shine/sheer" from the old paint otherwise your new paint will flake off in time. You can accomplish this by priming your wall, or use the liquid sander, it works great.

Answer 7

once the walls have been painted there should be no need to prime some warm water and washing up liquid is perfect make sure to wash any grease or hand marks a light sanding will help the new paint adhere have fun

Answer 8

There is only a few reasons to use a primer...never been painted, wall had to be patched and has stains that will come through, and lastly is because you change the paint...as in latex paint...to flat paint...or to oil paint....if it is the same type of paint, but only a different color no! PS...if you only have small patch spots,,,just prime them and then paint.

Answer 9

Priming is only necessary on drywall. If you already have a coat of paint on your wall, you won't need to prime again. I would just wipe the dust off the walls with a dry clothe before painting, that should be enough.

Answer 10

no need to prime -primer keys to the wall then gives the paint something stable to stick to - as you have the same kind of paint on already, a stable surface for the new paint to key to is already in place - lightly sand it that's all
if there is a big colour difference, you may need to apply undercoat specified for the colour you are applying -that's not the same thing as primer - test paint a small section without the undercoat you may be happy with the result but its gonna take more coats to cover a high contrasting new colour eg white over black than say painting white over cream

Answer 11

YOu dont have to use a primer. I have used primer on panneling to cover up the dark color and once you prime then just paint over it with what ever color you want. But if your walls are already painted then you dont have to prime them.