Are the walls primed before puttying? Do I need to prime the brick, plasterboard surface of walls, ceilings before puttying?

Repair is a troublesome business, and, especially if you do it on your own, you want to avoid unjustified laborious work. In this regard, the question is often asked whether it is necessary to prime the walls before puttying them.

It all depends on what you want from the future repair. If you do not plan to redo everything soon, then it is better that the walls be primed before puttying. In this case, your repair will be more durable. The appearance of the walls in this case will also benefit significantly, and the putty will not crack and crumble in the future.

How to prime the walls

The market offers many types of soil mixtures, they can be dry or liquid. Not all blends are right for you. Some of these soil mixes are only suitable for wood (alkyd and shellac). Many types are used for metal. Primers for metal protect the surface from corrosion. A separate primer is used for each type of metal.

If priming walls in a residential area, then a universal primer (acrylic or emulsion) is best suited. It is odorless and dries good conditions) for four hours.

The advantages of this primer include the fact that it does not have harmful impurities and is suitable for almost any surface.

If the walls are affected by a fungus, they can be treated with a special primer that removes mold.

In addition, all primers are divided into two groups - these are adhesive and strengthening.

Preference is given to one or another group, guided by the properties of the surface to be primed. For loose and porous surfaces, it is better to use a strengthening primer. It penetrates into the primed surface by two to three centimeters and gives the surface water-resistant properties.

Adhesive primers improve the adhesion of the layers used finishing materials. Such primers are used on fairly dense and finely porous walls that do not absorb moisture very well. As a rule, they are good to use if the walls will be painted in the future, as well as for wallpapering or tiling.

If we return to the question of whether it is necessary to prime the walls before puttying in the room, then both wallpaper and paint, if there is a primer, will go better. The primer improves the bonding of materials, and, consequently, the quality of all further work.

Stages of work

To prime the walls before puttying, they must first be prepared. For this:

• We carefully remove old wallpaper.

In order to make it easier to remove the wallpaper - the wallpaper can be wetted, as well as a special liquid can be added to the water.

We also carefully remove old paint and old plaster. We pay attention to those places where the plaster does not hold well. We knock down the protruding places with a hammer.

• Wall plastering. At this stage, we level out large irregularities.
• We prime the entire surface of the walls, which was previously plastered.
• Directly putty walls.

How to prime walls before puttying

For work, you will need a tray for a roller or any suitable container where we pour the primer. You need a roller and a brush (both with a small pile), as well as a bucket, a sponge and a respirator.

First, pre-cleaned walls are treated with a wet sponge. Pour the primer into the prepared container, and apply it to the wall with a roller. It is much more convenient to work with a roller. The primer applied with a roller lays down more evenly, and the matter will move more quickly. When working, you need to properly squeeze the roller.

The primer is applied in a thin layer. Smudges and accumulations of primer are unacceptable. The primer is applied sequentially, first vertically, then horizontally. For hard-to-reach places, use a brush.

After applying the primer, it must be allowed to dry. On the packaging, as a rule, the drying time is indicated. This time depends on the season (room temperature), the thickness of the applied layer and ranges from four hours to a day. After drying, the walls can be puttied.

Is it really important to prime the walls before puttying? The answer is obvious: without processing the walls, further work with the wall may go the wrong way. After all, the primer not only protects the wall from the effects of harmful factors, but also contributes to a better setting of putty materials with the base.

The primer helps the putty layer adhere firmly to the base of the wall. Penetrating deep into materials, it improves adhesion and then the putty lies on almost any surface without the risk of cracking or falling off.

Primer wall treatment

The composition of the primer includes components that protect the wall from fungus and mold, prevent the absorption of moisture.

Manufacturers of building mixtures identify five primer tasks:

1. Leveling the absorbent properties of the wall surface;
2. Ensuring the required level of setting of the top layer of the finish with the wall;
3. Reduced consumption of putty;
4. Antibacterial protection;
5. Strengthening the treated wall.

Surfaces are primed not only before puttying the walls, but also before painting or wallpapering. So the finish will last longer without losing its original appearance.

What type of primer is best to use?

The construction market has different types primers that are designed to perform various tasks. For those who are not engaged in construction or repair on an ongoing basis, it is difficult to choose the required type of composition.

Perform the type of mixture that is suitable for processing this type of base. To understand which primer to choose, get acquainted with the main types of mixtures. List of primers:

• Aluminum primers are used exclusively for wooden surfaces to protect them from moisture and the spread of fungus;
• Alkyd. This type of mixture is successfully used for processing metal and wooden structures;
• Shellac. Used on wooden surfaces to prevent the release of resins from wood;
• Silicate mixtures are used to process decorative plaster;
• Acrylic. The universal type of mixtures are suitable for processing concrete, plasterboard, brick walls. Penetrate deep into the base;
• Epoxy mixtures are used for the treatment of concrete and iron surfaces. This type penetrates well into the treated material and prevents corrosion:
• The polyvinyl acetate mixture is used in the subsequent painting of the surface with the appropriate type of paint;
• specific compositions. For example, a drywall surface treatment mixture.

When buying a primer, compare the information on the packages. Manufacturers indicate the depth of penetration of the mixture into the material. And the better the absorption, the better the result.

Starting to prepare the wall for putty

Before starting work, prepare the wall, cleaning it from dust and previous coatings. If necessary, degrease and grind problem areas of the wall. Then proceed directly to the priming of the walls. This will require standard inventory:

• Construction brushes;
• roller;
• Spray.

The spray gun is used when the primer before puttying takes place in large areas. In the case of small rooms, standard rollers and brushes will suffice. The roller speeds up the application of the mixture on flat surfaces, and the brushes are suitable for working with brick walls.

For a high-quality result, adhere to the technology of applying the mixture. The primer is applied to the wall in several layers. Re-treatment occurs after the final drying of the first layer. The material is applied evenly over the entire surface of the wall.

The walls are primed at temperatures above 5 degrees Celsius. Otherwise, the composition will not be able to impregnate the surface.

How to act when priming under putty

Practice shows that perfectly smooth walls without plastering or puttying do not exist. Any layer of primer mixture only repeats the processed contours and does not contribute to leveling. Starting to putty, adhere to several rules. The wall must dry after being treated with mixtures and must not have dust and grease stains on the surface.

If the surface is porous, then to prevent excessive absorption of the putty, it is coated with a deep penetration primer.

If you want to level the walls with a large difference, then apply several layers of putty. In this case, make sure that each layer is no thicker than 10-15 millimeters and is applied only after the previous one has dried. Drying of each layer takes 10 hours. The exact drying time depends on the room temperature and the type of substrate.

How to wash the surface from the primer?

When working with mixtures, especially when using a spray gun, contamination of other surfaces becomes inevitable. An abrasive brush and cleaning products such as "Mr. Muscle" are suitable for washing. If the solution gets on the tile, then it becomes problematic to wipe it off. The use of solvents such as acetone, gasoline and ethyl acetate will help here. But they should be used on those surfaces where they cannot harm the coating.

Is it necessary to prime the walls - expert opinion:

Time is an important factor. The longer the primer remains on the foreign surface, the deeper it is absorbed. Therefore, they begin to clean the surface without waiting for the mixture to set.

In contact with

Experts say that priming the walls before puttying is an obligatory stage of preparatory work, although this work may seem like a waste of time and money to an ignorant person. In order to cast aside doubts, you need to understand why this coating is needed, what functions it performs and whether it needs to be primed before puttying.

Why do I need a primer before putty

Coating a wall with a primer serves several purposes at the same time. This layer:

1. Provides adhesion strength between putty and wall
2. Saves material consumption
3. Improves the quality of the result
4. Guarantees the durability of the putty layer

Mixtures that are used for priming walls before puttying contain cementing components, fine sand. This creates the necessary roughness on a smooth wall, ensures reliable bonding of materials. Otherwise, the applied layer may be poorly fixed, which will cause it to crack, shed. Applying putty directly to the wall will require a greater consumption of material, since the mixture will initially be absorbed, filling microscopic voids in plaster, wood, concrete, and other materials. The primer excludes this process.

Everyone who has tried to learn how to properly putty walls () knows that the most difficult thing in this work is to create a uniform layer. The primer levels the surface of the wall, which greatly simplifies the task. Putty is better distributed over the surface, providing a quality result. This material, being absorbed into the plaster, the wall, protects it from moisture penetration. Therefore, the finish retains its integrity longer.

How to prime the walls before putty

There are several types of primers, now you will learn which primer to use before puttying. Purpose, properties of materials depend on the basis of the mixture. She may be:

• Mineral
• Acrylic
• Alkyd
• Polystyrene, etc.

In roughing, which is required for leveling a wall made of concrete, gas silicate blocks, bricks, plastered surfaces, a mineral-based primer is used. The addition of cement to such mixtures allows them to increase adhesion and provide reliable adhesion.

Acrylic primers are versatile. They are suitable for processing any surfaces:

• plastered
• Cement
• Concrete
• Plasterboard
• Painted

Acrylic copolymer base guarantees perfect adhesion. An additional advantage of the material is its rapid drying, which reduces the time for finishing work.

Primers made on an alkyd basis also have universal properties. These mixtures are used in both roughing and secondary processing. Alkyd primers contain anti-rust ingredients, making them excellent for metal surfaces.

Polystyrene primers can be used on plastered walls. But due to their high toxicity, such mixtures are not used indoors.

There are special types of primers in which components are added that prevent mold from appearing, preventing damage to the ceiling under the influence of nicotine, etc.

How to prime walls before putty

Putty is the final step in preparing the walls for final finishing. These materials are applied in a thin layer. Therefore, if there are deep irregularities on the surfaces, drops, it is initially performed. Only after that the primer is applied. The work will require:

• Primer
• Capacity
• Brush
• Roller
• Respirator

If there are contaminants on the surface, they must be removed before priming. Then the walls need to be moistened. To do this, the surface is treated with a sponge dipped in water. The primer can be applied to the wall with a brush. But the roller allows you to significantly speed up the process. The mixture is distributed more evenly with its help. The brush is used for processing corners, other hard-to-reach places. The resulting primer layer should be thin. It is impossible to allow the accumulation of material in separate places. When smudges appear, they must be removed immediately. The applied primer of the walls must dry completely before puttying the walls. Drying time is indicated on the product packaging. It can depend not only on the composition, but also on air temperature, humidity.

Renovating your own home is a long and tedious process. Anyone who decides to do it with their own hands will first of all face the problems of choosing the necessary building materials. For example, primer. It seems to be not the most important material, but modern repair work is not carried out without this liquid. And the question of whether it is necessary to prime the walls before puttying or other types of finishes is still relevant today. Many believe that this process is an extra cost, because literally twenty years ago no one knew about this solution.

First, let's figure out what a primer is for.

1. With its help, the adhesive properties of the treated surface are increased.
2. The upper layer of the wall is strengthened. And it doesn't matter if the wall is brick, wood, block, plaster or concrete.
3. Grease and oil stains, areas of paint that are difficult to remove are closed with a film. That is, even on such a wall, putty can be applied.
4. Some species have antiseptic properties. This is especially important in wet areas.
5. In addition, the applied primer reduces the cost of putty.

From the point of view of economy, the last point is interesting. It turns out that less leveling material goes to the primed surface. And since the primer is several times cheaper than putty, the savings are clear. But the other items on the list are just as important. Especially when it comes to old walls, fragile with large defects. Here, no one will think about whether it is necessary to prime the walls before puttying.

Variety of choices

Primer manufacturers are trying to approach the issue of strengthening walls from all sides. That is why there are so many on the market different types. Some of them are universal, some are used in specific situations and for specific surfaces. What do manufacturers offer today?

• Acrylic primers are this category of universal solutions. They can be used to process any materials: from brick to metal, and even more so to prime drywall before puttying.
• Phenolic - only metal and wood can be processed. Although experts assure that it can be applied to drywall, but not to putty.
• Alkyd - used when working with wood.
• Polyvinyl acetate - used to treat any surfaces, but only if paint is applied to them based on the same material.
• All other types, and these are glyptal, perchlorovinyl, polystyrene, can only be used for outdoor work.

This is why acrylic primers are so popular. It can be applied to drywall before and after puttying. So, now it becomes clear how to prime drywall before puttying.

Why you need to prime drywall

Should drywall be primed before plastering? This question is of two minds for many. But those who are familiar with the GKL firsthand know how things are with its finish. Especially when the drywall plane is prepared for wallpapering or ceramic tiling.

The thing is that the cardboard surface is very even and smooth, so that the adhesive compositions are not attached to it one hundred percent. But that's not all. When attaching GKL sheets to a metal frame, a slight warping of the sheet itself occurs. In places where self-tapping screws are installed, the plane is pressed in, and, conversely, where there is no fastener, it becomes convex.

And such a plane must be leveled. This is where putty mixtures are used. And so that they are well attached to the cardboard surface, a primer solution is used. In addition, primers act as antiseptics. So after their application, neither mold nor fungi will appear.

Possible errors when applying a primer

Let's turn to the experience of professionals. What mistakes can beginners make, and why they simply cannot be made?

We hope that your doubts about whether it is necessary to prime the walls before puttying, we have dispelled. The most important thing is to understand that this cheap material, which can be easily applied with your own hands, works wonders. And it does not matter if you have an old wall in front of you or a newly erected one. In any case, a primer must be used.

We look forward to your comments on this article. It would be interesting to know your opinion. Maybe someone will add information, tell about their personal experience.

Everyone who decides to do their own finishing work in the house is faced with the question of what comes first: a primer or putty? The answer is unequivocal - primer. Whatever material is at the base surface - metal, concrete, wood, plaster - all future coatings on it must hold firmly. For this, a primer is used, which penetrates deep into the base and makes the adhesion to the next coating better.

The primer has the properties of adhesion and fixing, so it prevents damage to the base layer. In addition, the primer layer contributes to the uniform application and absorption of paint, plaster, glue, putty, and so on. As a result, the quality of the final finish becomes much higher. Note! Before using a primer, the surface must be prepared.

Naturally, you don’t have to bother with a primer, but in this case the quality of the repair will be much lower, and in the future the plaster will peel off, the wallpaper will fall behind, and cracks and spots will appear on the surface due to the influence of moisture. Therefore, the application of a primer is recommended, because it gives an additional guarantee of quality.

Different primers are also used to treat different surfaces. It is necessary to take into account the type of coating, the conditions and features of the room, and the method of subsequent finishing. They can be divided into two groups: primers for primary surface treatment and compositions to improve adhesion between materials. They are produced on alkyd, mineral, acrylic and other bases.

Putty works

Even thick layers of primer follow the contours of the surface. Therefore, in order to make it even and prepare for subsequent work, the plane is puttied. Dried putty can be easily sanded, which allows you to achieve perfect evenness of the surface. All modern putty is a dry mix that is refilled with water or a ready-to-use pasty mixture. They are divided into leveling and finishing.

Levelers are used for "rough", preliminary leveling of the surface. They are applied in a layer of 0.5-2.5 mm at a time. The solution is made plastic so that after drying it does not shrink and spread. Finishing putty is necessary to eliminate minor defects, scratches, cracks. It is usually applied in a layer no thicker than one millimeter. Very thin layers are called superfinish.

They are superimposed with a thickness of 0.1-0.2 mm in several layers with intermediate drying. Care must be taken that the total thickness of the layers does not exceed the maximum allowable thickness, otherwise the surface may crack. Note! The maximum allowable thickness for each mixture is different, and it is indicated on the packaging.

Calculate and save

The primer and putty material is not the most expensive for finishing work, but it’s still worthwhile to calculate in advance what class of mixture is needed and how much it will be needed for work. Such a simple calculation will allow you to protect yourself from additional costs for an already not cheap repair. It is necessary to think over the entire course of work, draw up a plan and follow it. This will avoid problems such as applied primer after puttying. Points to consider:

• Calculate the area of ​​the treated surface;
• Based on the area, calculate the amount of primer and putty needed (for this you need to read the instructions on the package, where the consumption is indicated);
• Be sure to take into account the type of surface;
• Consider the degree of required surface alignment;
• Buy mixtures with a small margin.

Important! Each material has its own degree of absorption, so this point must be taken into account when calculating.

By planning with these factors in mind, you can maximize your reliability and trouble-free operation. For a more accurate calculation, it is better to consult a professional or a person who has experience in similar work.