Q. What is the difference between paints and primers?
A. Primers are applied to a substrate prior to painting in order to prepare the surface for painting. There are many different kinds of primers and they all have different applications. The purpose of all primers is to give the paint a sound surface to adhere. One commonality of primers is that they have no durability and MUST be topcoated with the appropriate coating.
Most primers on the market now are “universal” primers. A universal primer can be topcoated with any kind of paint regardless of the base. For instance, a universal alkyd primer can be topcoated with an acrylic water-based paint.
What are some different kinds of primers?
- Bonding Primers - Are used when adhesion is an issue, like on glass, plastic, or hard glossy surfaces.
- Sealing Primers - Are used to seal in water stains, oil stains, or odors caused by smoke.
- Rust-Inhibitive Primers - Are used to prime ferrous metals which are susceptible to rust.
- Alkyd Primers - Are used to promote adhesion and seal water-based stains.
- Acrylic Primers - Are used to promote adhesion and seal oil-based stains.
- New Drywall Primers - Are used to seal new drywall and even out the porosity of the tape, drywall, and joint compound.
There are many more kinds of primers than this and they can get really complicated and application specific. They use words like “zinc-modified aliphatic”, which you need a degree in chemical engineering to really understand. so I’m going to keep it simple since this website in for normal people.
Paints, unlike primers, are meant to protect and beautify a surface. Paints protect things from UV light, abrasion, water, chemicals, etc.
So the short answer is:
Primers prepare surfaces for painting. Paints cover the primers and protect whatever it is they are on.
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