# How many coats of prime require on new drywall?



## Brik (Jan 16, 2007)

One decent primer and one decent finish paint is all that's required in my experience. Just did a whole bunch on my basement project. I used the mid grade Benjamin Moore primer and their top grade paint. One coat of each and it looks great!

Actually, I take that back, I bought a 5 gallon bucket of PVA primer at Lowes, I forget the brand. When I ran out I then bought a gallon at Benjamin Moore. Ran out of that and finished with a gallon of Sherwin Williams primer. Quite frankly I didn't see much of a difference except perhaps the coverage rate. Yes, my job required 7 gallons of primer for one coat!

My top coat was one coat of Benjamin Moore Matte
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/wrapper_pg3.asp?L=prod&K=intprods&groupid=45&productid=206#article










I think the key was using a good quality top coat to get one coat coverage. DO NOT GET BEHR PAINT. Used it once and had to do 3 coats for even coverage! I have also used Pittsburgh brand paint on new drywall, one prime, one finish. Again, their top line paint.


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## KUIPORNG (Jan 11, 2006)

I bought the prime coat from HD. but the top paint from Banjamin outlet. not the top quality one though, the middle quality one.... 

for prime coat, I found the HD stuff works well after two coat... if only one coat, it sees through a lot... don't know if that matter, but I do it safe so am going to do two coats as it is going be my 10 years old daughter's trouble...

thanks for the info anyway...


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## Brik (Jan 16, 2007)

In my experience the primer will still show a little through after one coat but it has done its job in sealing the drywall and you can 
finish paint. Not much mind you, if you can clearly see the drywall and mud joints then a second coat may be needed.


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## tawkingjames (Mar 4, 2010)

From an expert, The RIGHT way to completly seal new drywall is this: prime before and after texture. Alot of drywallers dont do this and thats why you can see tapelines even after the painter has LOADED it up with paint. Then people assume the painter used inferior/not enough paint. If you want it to look the best you can get, dont skip this. Plus, primer is a hellofalot cheaper than paint.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Good advice from tkjames there. Floating corners, steel stud application direction, nail, screw length, spacing, type, max. weight of insulation, over existing plaster, over foam board, prime before and after-- pp.18, A.2.3 and A.4.3.1+2: http://www.gypsum.org/pdf/GA-216-07.pdf The drywall manufactures *require* it for their warranties. 

Some info like primers vs sealers and other tips taken from that site and more: http://books.google.com/books?id=lO...X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9#PPA159,M1

Be safe, Gary


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Hopefully after 3 years he has painted the drywall :laughing:


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Never hurts to give updated answers, read some of your answers back then Dave............. You are answering a lot better than you did 3 years ago, so do I. If not, something major is wrong upstairs......

Be safe, Gary


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Hopefully the person got the RIGHT answer which would be one coat primer two finish coats rather than the one and one which was posted.:whistling2:


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## Kevin M. (Nov 26, 2009)

chrisn said:


> Hopefully the person got the RIGHT answer which would be one coat primer two finish coats rather than the one and one which was posted.:whistling2:


What a shame the guy didn't have access to the new batching technology. Mix the primer and paint together, put on two coats and enjoy getting four coats net, (two primer and two finish) :whistling2:

Kevin


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

GBR in WA said:


> Never hurts to give updated answers, read some of your answers back then Dave............. You are answering a lot better than you did 3 years ago, so do I. If not, something major is wrong upstairs......
> 
> Be safe, Gary


Heck 3 years ago I was asking more questions then I was answering :yes:
I just find it funny sometimes when someone responds to the OP on an old thread...especially when its over a year old

I like to see more info...of course in this case the poster was just posting info...


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Kevin M. said:


> What a shame the guy didn't have access to the new batching technology. Mix the primer and paint together, put on two coats and enjoy getting four coats net, (two primer and two finish) :whistling2:
> 
> Kevin


 Now why didn't I think of that?:laughing:


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## Kevin M. (Nov 26, 2009)

chrisn said:


> > *Now why didn't I think of that*
> 
> 
> ?:laughing:


Next time you go to the grocery store buy peanut butter and jelly in one jar!










You will find it much easier to transition from peanut butter and jelly in one jar to to primer and paint in one can. :laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Popular thread.....over 10,000 views !!


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## Reposter (Feb 25, 2011)

*Old Posts*



Scuba_Dave said:


> Heck 3 years ago I was asking more questions then I was answering :yes:
> I just find it funny sometimes when someone responds to the OP on an old thread...especially when its over a year old
> 
> I like to see more info...of course in this case the poster was just posting info...


 
I hate it when people reply to old posts.....


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## Ole34 (Jan 31, 2011)

tawkingjames said:


> Plus,* primer is a hellofalot cheaper than paint*.


 
thats the only reason why people ''prime'' ..............years ago they called it ''basecoat''.............all you need on new rock is a good base coat and 2 top coats. i base coat with the finish cause its easier and i dont have to change products an clean up in between coats so the extra in cost is worth it to me................


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

The right way is one coat of primer and two coats of paint. A quality primer is not as cheap in price as some are suggesting. A cheap primer will equal poor end results. Primer seals the drywall, assures top coat adhesion, promoted a uniform finish.


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## Ole34 (Jan 31, 2011)

i basecoat with M.A.B ceiling white (flat) ..........best basecoat out there


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## Ole34 (Jan 31, 2011)

2 coats of finish, no primer and its been 5 yrs and it hasnt fallen off yet lol ..............uniform finish without primer ??? glass finish without primer:wink:.....


oh and i didnt wait 4-6 hours before painting over that 20 set either:laughing:


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

Ole34 said:


> 2 coats of finish, no primer and its been 5 yrs and it hasnt fallen off yet lol ..............uniform finish without primer ??? glass finish without primer:wink:.....
> 
> 
> oh and i didnt wait 4-6 hours before painting over that 20 set either:laughing:



The walls in your pic. Are previously painted, you shouldn't need primer. I'm talking about priming new drywall as that's what the original question was.


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Primers are specifically formulated to penetrate and bond to bare surfaces such as wood and sheetrock. Finishes are not. If you do a job using finish as a "base coat" and the people have a faux decorator come in and tape everything up, they're going to be pulling a lot of paint off the walls when they remove the tape, you'll get a call. Use a primer when finishing with flat, a primer sealer when finishing with sheens. The sealer provides enamel holdout, meaning the primer will not absorb the sheen. Two coats of eggshell will not develop the same sheen over flatter straight primer as would over primer/sealer. ChrisN and HPNY had it right, one full coat of quality primer followed by two full finish coats. That's the proper system for all new bare substrates.


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

If I cought you using finish paint for a primer I would fire you on the spot and take a days pay for the agrevation. There really is no substitution for priming. I have seen finish peel off walls with just a little water when primer wasn't used. We just did a job this summer where the sand paint was coming off the ceiling when we painted because it wasn't primed.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Matthewt1970 said:


> There really is no substitution for priming. I have seen finish peel off walls with just a little water when primer wasn't used. We just did a job this summer where the sand paint was coming off the ceiling when we painted because it wasn't primed.


Had this happen at my last house when I painted the bathroom walls
PO did not prime & almost all of the paint peeled right off
Except where the mud was
So I had to strip everything down, sand, prime & paint AGAIN
A real PAIN !!


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Ole34 said:


> i basecoat with M.A.B ceiling white (flat) ..........best basecoat out there


Basecoat maybe, primer, not
Just quit giving bad advise to the DYI. 
You can hand this out in the painters chatroom if you want, but it is not welcomed here.


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