Undercoat and Primer...What are they and why are they so important? - Paintway

Undercoat and Primer…What are they and why are they so important?

Undercoat and Primer are key components in the Painting process. It is  imperative that they are done and must be considered when painting your home.

Whether your painting a small internal or a large external project, understanding how to use Undercoat and Primer will influence the finish of your project dramatically.

Paintway give you a a brief run down on what Undercoat and Primer are and how to use both materials in your next painting project.

primer  or undercoat is a preparatory coating put on materials before painting. Priming ensures better adhesion of paint to the surface, increases paint durability, and provides additional protection for the material being painted.

Prepcoats prepare the surface to be painted with a topcoat. Primers, on the other hand, adhere to timber surfaces and contain stain inhibiting tannin blockers, while an undercoat is ideal for preparing plasterboard.

Acrylic Primer: used to seal bare areas before painting the finish coats. For example bare plasterboard walls or ceilings.

Oil Primer/Undercoat: used as a binding coat between glossy surfaces such as windows, doors, frames and skirting and your finish coats. Most paint jobs older than 4 years would generally have been painted in enamel paints. For example repainting Enamel surfaces or bare hardwood.

Water based Undercoats: there are a few manufacturers that make a water based undercoat. Its best to talk to them and doing a test sample to check if it sticks. The key to these water based products sticking to enamel, is thorough preparation.

Note: if you want to check if you have enamel surfaces – get some methylated spirits and use a old rag and rub done the area to be tested. If the paint comes off its acrylic – if not its enamel. Be careful not to mistake paint rubbing off with old dirt.

If already have enamel painted surfaces and you have used the appropriate primer or undercoat you now have the option to convert from enamel to water based top-coat. The advantages are they are less smelly (low odour) and easier clean up paint – they are usually referred to as Acrylic Enamel. Not only are they easy to use you can wash up in water.

Committed to total client satisfaction

We offer a Complete Range of Painting Services

Residential

Commercial

Latest from our News

Undercoat and Primer – Is it that Important?

Undercoat and Primer are key components in the Painting process. It is  imperative that they are done and must be considered when painting your home.Whether your painting a small internal or a large external project, understanding how to use Undercoat and Primer will influence the finish of your project dramatically. Paintway give you a a brief

Read More >
How much Paint do i need to Paint my House?

When planning a painting project, knowing exactly how much paint you’ll need will save you a trip back to the paint store because you haven’t bought enough, or you find you’ve purchased way too much. So how do you calculate how many litres of paint you will need? Follow these simple steps to work out

Read More >
Is it worth repainting your home before Selling?

Are you planning to sell your home? If so, then you might be asking yourself if there are practical and cost-effective ways to boost its resale value. Read this guide to learn how refreshing your home’s paint can increase your home’s value. Selling your old home is something does not happen straight away. Currently, on

Read More >
Tips For Choosing Exterior Paint Colours

Choosing the right exterior paint colours for your home can be tough but at Paintway, we aim to make the process less challenging. We have been painting Toowoomba homes for over 30 years, so we’ve seen what works and what doesn’t when it comes to colour. As a local painting business, we’re aware of the

Read More >
Scroll to Top