Finally we get to break out the paint rollers, spray guns and paint brushes! It is time to apply primer.

There are two steps to this process:

1. Choose the right primer
2. Put the primer on the surface to be painted.

When it comes to choosing the right primer there is no better resource than the person behind the counter who sells you your paint. Primers come in a dizzying array of types and styles for a variety of purposes. As an example here is a short list of primer choices; interior, exterior, oil based, latex based, stain resistant, stain preventing, bonding primer, corrosion resistant primer, tinted primer and so on. If you have worked hard to prepare your surface you should ask for help on the right primer.

The process is complicated further if you are trying to cover damage on the surface or working in areas which might have high humidity or high sunlight. This is no time to be shy or proud. Ask for help. Once you have secured the proper primer for the surface you are painting you are ready to apply the primer to the surface. The surface should be clean and dry.

You can apply the primer in one of two ways; only to those spots where you have sanded and patched and scraped the old paint away or made repairs to the surface, or you can apply the primer to the entire surface you will be painting. On exterior jobs spot priming is very common and avoids trying to prime the whole house. On interior jobs spot priming is common on larger walls but on smaller walls priming the whole surface can be just as easy and can prevent slight variations in color and final appearance when the wall is painted.

Apply the primer according to the directions on the can. A paint roller really works great since you do not need to be exact. If you put more primer on the surface than you wanted you just spread it out and all is well. If you are doing larger areas a paint roller works well or you could upgrade to a paint sprayer if the surface is very large. Apply the primer just like you will apply your paint, from the ceiling down to the floor.

Use good drop cloths to protect furniture and carpet. If you are making serious color changes, especially to a much darker or richer color you should prime the entire surface to get good color consistency and to avoid needing 3 coats of paint. Another way to help if you are going to apply darker or richer colors of paint is to ask the paint sales person to tint your primer to match the color of the paint. The tint costs a bit more but it will cost less than the extra paint you will need for a third coat. In the end your life is easier and you get a more consistent finished product. So your primer is on and now your surface is ready to apply paint.

 Congratulations you have made it through the preparation process and your pant job should last a long time and look great for years to come.

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