To prime, or not to prime

[Walkers]

New construction, KD Doug Fir. Expised patio and eaves. Should I prine or not? I see high end houses with no primer. The primer seems the same as the paint. The cost per gallon is roughly the same as paint. What are the down sides of just painting it?

 

[The Bean]

I use a primer-sealer on bare wood, two coats because the first one dries so quick and thin. Then two coats of finish paint which itself is a primer and paint in one. I expect 15-20 years out of it. Of course, preparation is key.

 

[pcmeiners]

I am for priming but with an oil base product, a single light coat, so moisture can escape; any full coat of any paint primer does not allow moisture to escape. Oil base because it penetrates wood and adheres well, unlike latex which basically does not penetrate into the wood. There is a good chance of paint blisters peeling if you use full primer coats.

 

[nadogail]

Most new houses are built to a price, not quality. Skipping priming helps hold the cost down, but adds nothing to the quality.
Priming and painting can deter termite infestations which, IMHO, adds to quality.

 

[The Bean]

I get the 'second coat' of primer-sealer spread before the first is fully dry, just to get an even coverage. It's white. The first top coat of brown will not fully hide the primer but the second does, and leaves a smooth finish.
Paint formulas have changed since I helped my dad paint his 1928 wood-shingled house almost 50 yard ago, but I still do it the way he taught me. I hope it holds up with no early failure.

 

[Mike65]

Use paint that is paint & primer in one.

 

[dcg9381]

New construction, KD Doug Fir. Expised patio and eaves. Should I prine or not? I see high end houses with no primer. The primer seems the same as the paint. The cost per gallon is roughly the same as paint. What are the down sides of just painting it?

If I do it again, it'll be hardie only or PVC trim. No wood. 4 years later on "new construction" I've got gaps in trim that are 30' high and will require a lift rental to get up there and deal with.

As people have mentioned, home builders give 0 consideration to the longevity of trim and paint. But if you'll pay for it, they'll use the supplies... Do it as right as you can the first time, or you'll be on a lift / ladder soon enough like me.

 

[Hank11]

OP is in Arizona, so unlikely to have much moisture problems with the wood.

Most places in the U.S. real primer followed by real paint is the best answer.

 

[whateg01]

So is paint with primer really better than paint only? Reminds me of shampoo with conditioner. I can't tell if it does anything extra.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I primed the OSB/Plywood on the interior garage walls. I'm pretty sure I would prime the outside whatever wood items.

 

[reader2580]

I am using Sherwin-Williams Duration paint on Smartside siding. I noticed the can says it can be used as primer. In my case the Smartside is already primed so I am just doing two coats of the Duration.

 

[Hank11]

Primer can help with any bleed through or staining.

And...

Why Use Primer? | Sherwin-Williams

Why use primer (and top-quality primer, at that) rather than just applying an extra coat of paint? Because using multiple coats of paint alone can do more harm than good.

www.sherwin-williams.com

 

[WisJim]

I was taught that primer is made to adhere to the wood or other material and the finish coat is designed to protect from the elements or whatever the object is exposed to. And the primer provides a good surface for the finish coat to bond to. This could all be done with one product, but not as well as using a separate product for each function. I remember some brands of premium paint had specialized finishes that were spec'd for a primer, a base coat, and a finish coat. If properly applied, the 3 product finish was remarkable.

 

[CraigStu]

When I sprayed the drywall in my new garage I thought similar to you. Primer was maybe $2/gal less than paint. It would also require figuring out the amount to buy twice so I didn't end up w/ a bunch of each unused. So I just painted it 2-3 coats. BUT, you are doing an outdoor area. For that I would choose a brand, maybe a series within the brand, and then use what they recommend in primer and paint.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I would prime and paint all sides.

Another option since you're starting out fresh with new wood, may be to think about using opaque stain instead of paint. The advantage is that as it ages, stain just sort of fades away and then you just put on a fresh coat, while paint builds up and eventually chips or alligators requiring a lot of scraping and sanding before you can repaint.

 

[cgrutt]

I generally prime whatever I'm painting regardless if it's marketed as an all in one paint plus primer. I'll even prime primed trim with a separate primer before painting. Read the TDS for whatever product you are using with specified application for what you are painting. Many paints plus primer will still specify surface should be primed (or trouble areas such as knotty or oily wood, patching compounds, etc should be spot primed) with separate primer or first coat of product should be used as a primer followed by one or more additional coats. Also primers generally need to be top coated within a certain amount of time or reprimed before painting. It should all be spelled out in the TDS.

 

[Walkers]

I use Dunn Edwards paints on jobsites for ironwork, so I have just continued using them for my house projects. So I will just **** it up and buy the primer.
Thanks for the opinions.

 

[The Bean]

Ideally, you should lightly sand pre-primed wood before applying any new paint, primer or topcoat.