# My primer dries too fast..........



## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

By the time I reload my roller, I guess I am really slow at painting, my wet edge is almost completely dry.

I suppose this doesn't make a difference now that it is primer, but will it be a problem when I use the regular paint, which will be eggshell finish?

Also, the primer dries really flat. Does the eggshell finish give me sort of a little "texture" if you know what I mean???????? over the wall?


Thanks you wonder people for answering all my questions.


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

Yummy:

I own a small apartment block, so I probably do more painting than most people, and when I paint I have no clue whether my edge is wet or not. It's something I pay NO (zero, nada, i^2+1, absolutely none) attention to.

So, I kinda wonder how important it is to "keep a wet edge" since I prolly don't.

How much texture to expect from an eggshell paint?

I guess that depends on the paint. My experience has been that Behr "eggshell" paints are flatter than Pratt & Lambert Flat paints. I'm convinced that it's kinda like shoe sizes. Not everyone agrees how flat "flat" should be, and not everyone agrees how big a size 9 shoe should be. It's kind of a "free for all" when it comes to paint gloss. Every paint company has a different idea of how glossy "eggshell" is.

So, it boils down to: "you pays your money, you takes your chances"


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

Thanks Nestor.

I thought that you needed to have a wet edge so that the whole wall will look blended. At least that is what I have been reading. I have never painted before.

I plan on using either Benjamin Moore or CIL paint. I guess I will have to wait and see what "texture" I will get.


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Keep a wet edge when you can. It really makes a difference in the glossier paints but even the flat paints will show laps.


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

Thanks Matthew. I guess I have to move my butt when I paint.........lol

Hopefully I will get faster as I gain more experience.


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## Garasaki (Apr 14, 2008)

Painting all starts to make a lot more sense the more you do it.

The advice given by the pro's on these forums is really good - so take it to heart when you see it.

unfortunately sometimes their advice is beyond the skill level of DIYer's like you and me - but ya know, they all started from nothing too!!! 

I'm 90% done painting my basement (1000 sf floorspace, 3000 sf or more of paintable surface) - and a lot of the things I read here didn't necessarily start to make a lot of sense until I was well on my way. 

For instance, they advice on here about doing trim work (or "cutting in") - don't use tape, just do it by hand with lots of patience. It's working great for me so far! :thumbsup:


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

Yummy:

What primer are you using? Some primers, notably Zinsser's "BIN" shellac based primer and MasterChem's KILZ sealer WILL dry faster. That's cuz BIN uses alcohol to thin the shellac, and KILZ uses a 60/40 ratio of naptha (camping fuel) to mineral spirits as the thinner. Both alcohol and naptha evaporate much faster than mineral spirits.

If it's a latex primer, then I wouldn't have any idea why it's drying so fast. Perhaps because of the low relative humidity in your home.


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

1) Not knowing what and why you are priming, and what product you are using, I can't tell if your technique will be an issue later
Sometimes (for example) _new drywall_ or _old "builder's paint"_ is very "thirsty", and and the primer appears to dry almost immediately
As it's "just the primer", in these cases it's not an issue
The two coats of paint should cover any "wet edge issues" you had with priming

2) If you are a slow enough painter that the top coats (paint, not primer) are having a wet edge issue, there are "extenders" out there that "extend the open time" of coatings so you can maintain a wet edge while applying

3) Primers do not leave the surface a "solid color" like paint, and are (mostly) expected to be a bit blotchy, whether it's new const. or re-paint
Again, in these cases, it does not necessarily mean a "wet edge issue", the top coats, properly applied, should not have the same issue
-mostly because a proper prime job has done it's job and "sealed" the substrate (substrate="what you are painting")


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

Nestor_Kelebay said:


> Yummy:
> 
> What primer are you using? Some primers, notably Zinsser's "BIN" shellac based primer and MasterChem's KILZ sealer WILL dry faster. That's cuz BIN uses alcohol to thin the shellac, and KILZ uses a 60/40 ratio of naptha (camping fuel) to mineral spirits as the thinner. Both alcohol and naptha evaporate much faster than mineral spirits.
> 
> If it's a latex primer, then I wouldn't have any idea why it's drying so fast. Perhaps because of the low relative humidity in your home.


I'm using CIL latex primer for drywall. 

I just have to go faster..............lol

I just hope that egg shell finish doesn't dry as fast. 

Nestor, why is it that you know so much about quite a lot of things? :wink:


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

yummy mummy said:


> Nestor, why is it that you know so much about quite a lot of things?


Prolly cuz I know less than nothing about a lot of other things.


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## yummy mummy (Sep 11, 2006)

Nestor_Kelebay said:


> Prolly cuz I know less than nothing about a lot of other things.


 
You're funny..........


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## Bubbagump (Apr 10, 2008)

I would not worry much muyself. The thing you are really trying to avoid is rolling over half dried paint. This creates odd patterning when the film breaks through to the wet part underneath. You can't possibly be THAT slow. I mean, so long as you paint a surface, reload the roller, and apply the adjacent surface within a few minutes, you are fine. Wet edge doesn't mean it is still dripping sloppy. However, primer can dry very quickly as has been mentioned. This is often by design to prevent variations in the finish coat between wall board and joint compound.

What are you using for your egg shell? I have found when using cheapo paint (when i HAVE to) like Lowes Valspar, a bit of Flotrol can help a lot.


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