Wall priming, types of materials, their choice and advantages of wall preparation, process technology for various types of finishes. The primer of the walls is their impregnation with a special composition that protects structures from corrosion and decay, while guaranteeing adhesion of the base surface with a decorative coating. A primer that matches the wall material allows you to perform a high-quality finish with wallpaper, paints, decorative plaster or tiles.
Types of wall primers
Today, the construction market offers its consumers exactly such a primer that is suitable for a certain type of work. When developing a material, manufacturers take into account the type of surface, the characteristics of the premises and the type of future finish. Primer mixes are of several types and are produced on alkyd, acrylic, mineral and various other bases. They include film-forming substances, for example, bitumen, glue, resin, pigments, drying accelerators and additives that give certain properties to the walls treated with the primer.
Acrylic primer
This material is used more often than other primers as it is suitable for wood, concrete, brick and other surfaces. In addition, the acrylic primer has excellent adhesion to fiberglass, tiles, galvanized steel, PVC plastic and glass. It is odorless and dries up within 5 hours.
Mineral primer
Mineral-based primers are used for preliminary preparation of external and internal walls. The binder of such materials is cement, this makes it possible to use the composition for processing walls made of brick, concrete, plaster and expanded clay concrete blocks.
Alkyd primer
This primer is suitable for treating wooden surfaces. For this reason, it is often used in the repair of country houses made of logs or beams. The alkyd primer should not be applied directly to the gypsum board as it may deform.
The alkyd primer has a long drying time of 15 hours, after which the surface treated with it will be ready for finishing. Material consumption is low and amounts to 100 ml / m2.
The solution has several types, which differ in technical properties and chemical composition. For example, an alkyd primer based on zinc chromate is used on metal surfaces, but it is not suitable for treating plastered or gypsum walls.
There are zinc phosphate-based formulations that can be applied prior to application to alkyd enamel surfaces.
PVC primer
The material is characterized by fast drying, after an hour at temperatures above +20 degrees after applying a PVC primer to the walls, they can be decorated. The composition is resistant to low temperatures, so it is often used for exterior decoration. The primer is applied to metal, concrete and brick surfaces.
Glyphthal Primer
It is used in the processing of wooden surfaces for subsequent wallpapering on them. The primer dries within 24 hours; it is not recommended to use it for treating the walls of rooms that have high humidity.
Universal primers
Such materials are diluted with water and have universal application. They are based on acrylic copolymers. These compounds have good adhesion to acrylic, alkyd and latex paints, and are also used for priming surfaces of walls made of concrete, gypsum boards, gypsum boards, plaster, wood and preparation for fiberglass wallpaper.
Special primers
They are highly specialized and are designed for the treatment of surfaces in rooms that have special operating conditions. Special primers include moisture-proofing compounds with additives of fungicides, insulating primers that prevent the appearance of flaws on the walls caused by various unfavorable conditions: smoke, soot, etc.
Penetrating primers
In addition to the basic properties inherent in all types of the above compositions, such primers have the ability to deeply penetrate the surface layer of materials and fasten the base for finishing. The penetrating primer sticks together dust, sand and other small particles on the wall and impregnates its surface to a depth of 5-10 cm.
It greatly reduces its looseness, which leads to a decrease in the consumption of liquid finishing materials used in the future: paint, glue, putty and others. The penetrating primer creates adhesion and is used for treating walls under plaster, wallpaper and before tiling.
This type of primer is based on acrylic polymers. The material may contain various additives that make it possible to obtain, for example, an antiseptic effect.
Deep penetrating primers are sold in 1-10 L cans and are ready-to-use. The cost of a ten-liter canister of material starts from 300 rubles. The polymerization time of such compositions at temperatures from +5 to +30 degrees is one hour. Material consumption depends on the type of surface to be treated, but its average value is 150-200 ml / m2.
The most popular brands of penetrating primers are: Optimist, Expert, Ceresit, Tiefengrund, Prospectors, Lakra, Knauf, Balars, Eunis.
Primers Betonokontakt
The purpose of this type of primer is clear from their name. Concrete prefabricated wall panels have a smooth surface that is of little use for tiling or plastering. In addition to the acrylic base, Betonokontakt primers contain various fillers, including quartz particles, which, after the solution dries, give the surface some roughness. It provides excellent adhesion of the wall material to plaster or tile adhesive.
Concrete contact is used not only for the processing of concrete panels, but also for the preparation of painted walls and plasterboard structures. The primer makes it possible, for example, to adhere the tiles to the whitewashed surface, while ensuring that the cladding does not fall off.
This primer is used for indoor and outdoor use, but it should only be applied at temperatures above +5 degrees. In room conditions, Betonokontakt dries up in 3-4 hours. Solution consumption averages 200 g / m2.
The ready-to-use primer is sold in 5 to 45 kg buckets. Before applying it, you should prepare the base with high quality and mix the composition thoroughly, since the quartz particles contained in it settle to the bottom of the container.
The most popular brands of Betonokontakt are Pufas, Knauf, Prospectors, Ceresit, Optimist and Balars.
Features of the choice of a primer for walls
Before choosing a primer, you should evaluate the ability of the walls to absorb moisture, that is, their porosity. This indicator is important to determine the quality of adhesion of the wall surface with materials for its decoration. For dense walls with low porosity, it will be correct to use a primer with high adhesion, and for loose walls, it is better to choose a deep penetration composition. Medium porosity walls can be primed with a universal primer that dries for three to twenty minutes.
Professional quality formulations are usually formulated to cover a specific type of substrate for maximum effect. For example, for the preparation of concrete walls, mineral primers are used that have cement in their composition. Therefore, their application gives excellent results.
The preparation of the walls of rooms used in high humidity conditions, such as showers, baths or bathrooms, requires the use of a special primer. Its peculiarity is to create a thin film that protects the surface from moisture.
Acrylic primer is suitable for any wall materials, it is easily diluted with water and impregnates the surface up to 1 cm deep. Alkyd is used for processing wooden structures, as well as for preparation for tiles, fiberglass or PVC.
Benefits of priming walls
In certain cases, covering the walls with a primer is not only desirable, but simply necessary. Without this adhesive interlayer, it is problematic, for example, to glue the wallpaper securely. The primer increases the strength of the wall surface and prolongs the life of the finishing coat.
The advantages of priming walls include the following:
- The primer coating, creating a film on the surfaces, prevents steam and moisture from entering them.
- Reduces the possibility of cracks and plaster flaking.
- The priming solution binds the dust on the walls.
- The layer of putty applied after priming becomes more durable.
- Due to the presence of antimicrobial components in the primers, mold does not form on the treated walls.
- The paint or varnish applied to the walls after priming has the best shine.
- Reduces the consumption of paint or glue when processing porous walls.
- Priming takes a minimum of time and saves costs when decorating walls.
Preparatory work before priming the walls
Before priming the walls, they must be carefully examined. If there are large cracks, gouges or chips on the surface, such damage must be repaired by plastering. Small flaws can be putty. If there is old paint or wallpaper on the walls, they should be removed.
The wallpaper is easy to remove if you first wet the surface with water and then use a metal spatula to clean it. The paint is removed from the walls using special washes, which soften the material and thus facilitate the cleaning process. After cleaning the walls from the old coating, sealing cracks and leveling the surface, you can prime it.
To apply the primer to the walls, you will need: a fur or foam roller, a telescopic extension handle for the roller, brushes of various widths, a container for diluting the primer, a respirator, protective gloves and goggles in case of using toxic solutions.
In addition to the above tools, the primer itself is required. Its budget options have only a basic set of properties, while more expensive ones have additional qualities, for example, disinfectants.
If you have money difficulties, you can make a primer yourself. Such a composition will be able to give the surface a certain density, but no more. To make a primer at home, you need to dilute the PVA glue with water and add chalk to the solution. After stirring, the liquid will turn white and ready to use.
Wall priming technology
The following options for priming the surface of the walls are only a part of the possible ways. However, they are most often used in practice.
Priming walls for painting
Priming before painting can significantly reduce the consumption of finishing material and contributes to its high-quality adhesion to the base surface. For this type of work, it is recommended to use a primer with high bonding qualities. When dry, it forms a thin film on the walls, making their surface less hygroscopic. This ultimately significantly saves paint costs and application time.
To prime the walls before painting, they should be cleaned of dust and dirt. Walls made of porous materials are recommended to be coated with a deep-penetrating primer prior to painting. This material will strengthen their surface and increase the life of the paint coat.
The application of the primer is carried out with a roller or brush at least twice with drying of each previous layer. You should work with it in protective gloves, if it gets on the skin, a solution that has quite a lot of chemical components can cause allergies. Plus, it doesn't just wash off your hands.
When buying a primer for this type of work, you should pay attention to its manufacturer. The paint and primer for it must be of the same brand. Manufacturers produce these materials on the same basis for the best adhesion.
Priming walls for plastering
The effect of using a wall primer before plastering is especially noticeable on flat surfaces. The wall not covered with the composition has low adhesion to the finishing material, therefore it will be problematic to apply the first layer of plaster on it. The primer layer protects the structure from moisture penetration, which ultimately prolongs its service life.
Pre-priming the walls is highly recommended when applying several layers of plaster or one, but thick. The cost of a primer for this type of work is low compared to other similar compositions. When choosing it, you should pay attention to the binding effect of the material.
These primers are specially designed for crumbling surfaces and smooth concrete or masonry substrates. Material consumption is 150 ml / m2… When preparing the base for decorative plaster, 200 ml of primer per 1 m will be required2 surface.
The process of priming walls before puttingty is practically no different from preparing walls for plastering. An important factor for these types of surface finishes is the presence of antifungal components in the primers, which counteract the appearance of various microorganisms in the form of mold on the walls.
When applying layer-by-layer finishing materials to walls, each previous layer must be primed and thoroughly dried before applying the next one. Otherwise, delamination of the finishing coating and its shedding may occur.
Wall primer for wallpaper
This work is done to protect the walls and wallpaper them securely. Porous concrete, brick and plasterboard surfaces are subject to priming. The penetrating composition increases the strength of such bases, improving their adhesion to the finishing material and at the same time maintaining comfortable air exchange in the premises.
The primer is used to prepare walls for pasting with vinyl, paper, non-woven fabrics and liquid wallpaper. The glue mixture lays down evenly, while completely eliminating the risk of stains on the front of the wallpaper. This mortar is usually white and is well suited for this type of work.
Before priming, the walls must be cleaned and leveled. It is convenient to apply the primer with a roller, but a wide brush will work too. It is recommended to prime porous surfaces twice. If the solution is poorly absorbed by the wall surface, it can be diluted with a little water, taking into account the recommendations of the instructions for use of the primer.
A water-dispersible acrylic mixture is excellent for priming walls in front of wallpaper. It counteracts the peeling of the wallpaper glue from the walls. After applying the composition, all tools should be thoroughly rinsed with water, since it is very difficult to remove dried primer from them.
Walls are most often grounded along their entire height. In order not to install building scaffolds and freely handle the upper parts of the structures, it will be advisable to fix the roller on a long pole with adhesive tape. A more civilized option is to use a special telescopic handle.
How to primer walls - watch the video:
There are a huge number of wall primers with their own areas of application, advantages and features. Before repairing, you should not buy the first available mixture, first you should familiarize yourself with its characteristics and method of preparation. Good luck!
