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Do I Need to Use Paint
Primer?
Paint colors, dyes and compositions are getting better all the
time. Effects that would have been unthinkable just a
generation ago are becoming easier than ever to achieve, from
special matte finishes that resemble suede to effortless
crackle glazes that make faux effects a cinch. One thing paint
cannot do terribly well on its own, however, is bond to every
possible surface without a little help. This is where paint
primer comes in. If you have come online in search of vetted
and reliable info on which primer to use and when, the
following survey may be of some use.
The basic rule of thumb for paint primer is that it is
necessary whenever you cannot create a totally flat surface
for painting. Surfaces with cracks, holes or depressions that
aren’t properly sealed could greatly reduce the paint’s
ability to set effectively, so inherently porous substrates
such as wood, drywall and concrete tend to come with primer
recommendations attached. The natural holes in such materials
can create an uneven surface for painting. But each of these
materials requires somewhat different care, and it pays to
understand what distinguishes one from the next.
Wood is the most common surface for paint primers, a fact that
is hardly surprising considering its organic nature. The
reason you always want to prime wood before painting is
twofold – to protect the paint, and to protect the wood. A
number of modern paints dry into proper color and hardness via
evaporation, meaning they require the water to find its way
into the atmosphere. The problem is that wood is a notoriously
thirsty substance, and it is easy for water to get absorbed
into the grain itself. Often the paint will begin to pucker
and peel if the wood isn’t dry, making it necessary to scrape
and start over. Paint primer creates a watertight seals
between the two and ensures the paint has a smooth and
adhesive surface with which to bond.
A second reason you always want to prime a wood surface is
because the same absorption can quickly undo your attempts at
an even coat. Lighter paint colors especially will often
reveal the telltale whorls of wood grain even after several
passes, requiring you to paint over and over for a truly solid
hue. Although you could indeed take the hours necessary to
paint repeatedly, often you can achieve the same effect with a
few fast coats of primer first. The advantage extends well
beyond mere convenience – primer tends to cost far less than
paint, easing your financial burden in the process.
The wood itself can be injured without a primer in place.
Although a negligible amount of water is absorbed during
drying, considerably greater amounts may leech into the grain
if that painted surface is exposed to the elements. Without a
primer in place, it’s not unusual for repeated thunderstorms
to take their toll, creating devastating conditions for mold,
mildew and warping. Although many people consider outdoor
paints to be waterproof, often they are anything but – their
hardy nature derives from their ability to absorb rainwater
with ease.
Of course, paint primer is recommended for a variety of other
materials as well. In concrete and drywall, for instance, you
simply want to seal the surface and create a solid bond
without having to worry about similar problems with drying and
moisture. For metals – especially those prone to rust – a
paint primer can protect the surface itself and keep moisture
locked out. Plastics too can benefit from a coat of paint
primer, particularly if they are porous in nature or you are
putting a light color over a darker one. Finally you may need
primer to marry two different paint types together, as when
you apply latex over oil paint.
One thing primers are decidedly not for is hiding blemishes or
“sealing in” mold and mildew. If you are working with a
material that may have absorbed or produced an organic
population such as this, it is essential to clean thoroughly
before you paint. Dry everything for several hours and wait to
see if the problem recurs. It is better to discard a rotted
plank than to use primer to delay the inevitable!
How to Sponge Paint a
Wall
There are countless reasons why homeowners might want to
forego traditional paint and opt for sponge painting instead.
The most common may be in older homes where the walls show
some irregularities and dings in the finish – sponge painting
blends everything into a seamless whole and hides all
blemishes. But sponge painting is also popular among
cutting-edge designers in brand new homes, and with good
reason – the technique lends depth, texture and interest to
flat surfaces of any size. Even longtime homeowners looking
for a bolder finish to compete with new design ideas often
find themselves drawn to this handsome effect.
How does it work? If you have ever watched home improvement
shows before, you may have noticed just how quickly it can be
done. Sponge painting involves the application of glaze to an
existing base coat of paint using a variegated surface –
usually a sea sponge. The glaze and paint are usually mixed
separately in a fixed ratio (often four parts glaze to one
part paint) to create a mixture that will apply evenly. The
sponge is then dipped into the glaze, blotted and pressed
firmly into the wall in repeating patterns. Using this
technique, it’s not unusual to have a bedroom wall done in
about an hour.
Even within sponge painting, a number of popular variations
have been cultivated over the years. One of the most common is
to use more than one glaze in succession, giving each time to
dry before the next. In this way, you can add colors and
striations to your wall for a far deeper look – something
closer to granite than fabric. Add in metallic glazes for
“mica” and a solid topcoat and you can create stunning effects
with little more than a few days’ work.
A second popular variation involves using something other than
a sea sponge for different effects. Designers have employed
everything from chiffon to steel wool in this regard, and the
number of compelling options seems to be expanding each year.
If you want a more uniform appearance, you can even use a
cheap kitchen sponge from the local store! The point is to
create texture that suits the room – finer compresses suit
traditional décor, while more porous materials may be desired
for an edgier look. (The kid in you may even want to add a UV
layer for wholly unexpected constellations under the
blacklight.)
The most common mistake when sponge painting is to let the
glaze spread to your hands, elbows and other tools. The
smudges that result are harder to repair than you may imagine,
as it is difficult to remove a layer of glaze without also
dissolving the base coat beneath. This is why most DIY home
painters recommend wiping your gloves and arms repeatedly
during the process, paying particular attention to any part of
you being used for stability against the wall. That said, it
may not be the end of the world if you smudge a section or add
a streak – often the very same sponging techniques you used to
apply that glaze can be employed to remove it as well. Go with
a dry or moist sponge and work slowly and patiently to remove
excess material until you are satisfied with the fix.
Finally, you want to be careful about mixing different paint
materials without proper preparation. Many older homes come
with oil-based paint on the walls, while the vast majority of
glazing substrates are latex-based. In such cases, you will
need to apply a primer to ensure solid bonding occurs –
otherwise you may be aghast to find that latex glaze peeling
within a few weeks’ time! Latex is also notorious for
saturating sponges entirely; effectively undoing the mottled
effect you want. Rinse often and thoroughly to ensure you get
a nice array of contact points with each press.
With a little practice and a good sense of what you want,
sponge painting can be an exhilarating improvement. Look for
similar colors for a uniform appearance or mix and match for
something innovative – it’s your choice. You should come away
with rooms that invite comment and admiration, instead of just
a passing glance.
Paint Color Moods
Most people give little thought to the way room colors
influence their mood, but designers know better. For years,
anecdotal evidence suggested that different color palettes
could evoke different emotions, effectively programming our
minds each time we enter a space. Recently a number of
scientific studies have borne out such claims, providing an
essential links between our experience of color and the
feelings that make architecture sag or soar. If you have been
looking for good advice on the different paint color moods and
what they can do for your home, you may be heartened by the
depth of knowledge that currently exists.
The most basic distinction is usually made between so-called
“warm” and “cool” color palettes. The warms – red, orange and
yellow – are usually associated with feelings of intimacy,
comfort and creativity. Because the colors are most often
associated with fire, it only stands to reason that they would
suggest energy and ferment. On the flip side are the cool
colors – green, blue and purple – which are usually associated
with calmness, serenity and open space. Designers tend to use
such colors in rooms where stress levels tend to run a bit
hot, for instance, or where excessive sunlight may irritate.
But of course each color comes with its own particular
qualities as well. Going through the rainbow, we begin with
red, the most passionate of hues. Because the color is
associated most closely with desire, it may be employed in
bedrooms, restaurants, boutiques and casinos to good effect.
Studies have shown that many people feel increased energy when
they enter a red room, and such energy can be channeled
effectively and amplified using carpeting and other accent
colors in the mix. Crimson is considered a bit more stayed,
while paler orange – and pink – suggest romance.
Orange is widely considered the hue of creativity – witness
the proliferating number of tech brands that use orange in
their design. A number of schools employ orange to stimulate
original thought, and parents are increasingly coating the
walls of their children’s rooms in the same color. Although
orange may be associated with passion as well, it is generally
considered a more welcoming color that brings such powerful
interests into the collective sphere. As such, orange family
rooms, boardrooms and play areas are often orange, melon or
salmon to encourage lively discussion. Add a touch of pink and
you can expect greater intimacy as well.
Yellow is without question the most stimulating paint color.
Because it imparts a sunny cast, yellow is often employed in
preschools, kitchens and bathrooms. Yellow is a playful color,
and blending it with others can accent any space with
competing emotions – fun with calm when mixed with green, or
relaxed levity as you fade it into white. Although many
homeowners are afraid to use such a bold color, the final
effect can be utterly charming, especially in older homes.
Consider accenting with simple black and white for a whimsical
touch, or with paler blues for a refined, Craftsman feel.
Green is the second sibling when it comes to cooler hues, but
its remains vital and popular nonetheless. Often considered
the most calming hue, green is put to widespread use in
hospitals, offices and countless educational institutions.
Because the color can be mixed to such varying effect, green
never imparts just one emotion. Blue-green, for instance, is
widely associated with restfulness, while yellow-green adds a
lighter touch of refinement. Saturated greens in any hue tend
to invite interaction, and darker hues add a stately and
masculine touch to any space.
Finally, blue is the most common color of all for mood
painting. Often considered the precise counterpoint to red,
blue tends to suppress desire, quell passion and invite serene
reflection. For this reason it is often employed in children’s
rooms and studies for a touch of sanctuary. You won’t find
blue in many restaurants for precisely this reason, but
libraries and offices may want to consider its palliative
effects.
Whatever you choose, it may be wise to create a simple mockup
of your room using basic photo editing tools if you want a
better sense of what to expect. With a little planning and a
fine eye for other decorating concepts, you should come away
with a space that provides exactly the effect you want.
Tips for Faux Paint
Finishes
Paint has always been used for two entirely different
functions. On the one hand, it is a covering used to bring
solid color and life to otherwise boring surfaces. Home
exteriors and room interiors are the typical examples of this
treatment, though you may also hear painted furniture and
powder-coated vehicles included as well. On the other hand,
paint has traditionally been used as the indispensable medium
for art, creating the illusions of depth, representation and
abstraction on flat, blank canvases. Somewhere in between the
two lies the concept of faux painting, an umbrella term that
refers to any number of innovative room-painting techniques.
Why “faux”? The term makes reference to the fact that painting
this way often implies depth and texture where there is none.
Some have even gone so far as to say faux painting is the art
of “drawing” something that doesn’t exist – be it fabric,
metal or a third dimension. Most experts categorize fax paint
finishes under a few main flags – sponging, dragging,
stamping, marbleizing and so on. Although a few require exotic
materials, most simply demand household items and
concentration. Thankfully you hardly need to be an artist to
master techniques such as these – for the most part, they
require little more than patience and repetition. The benefits
can be spectacular – dazzling forms and unexpected contours
that lend every room a more inviting and stylish sheen.
Of the major techniques, ragging may be the most common. In
it, you apply a base coat in your color of choice, wait for it
to dry, and then use a blotted rag to achieve secondary
texture over the first. Most experts advise practicing with
your glaze before you hit the actual locale, as details such
as pressure, rotation and saturation can make all the
difference. Once you are comfortable with the look, you simply
need to repeat the same motion as needed, rotating when
necessary, to achieve a mottled appearance akin to fabric. You
may also want to experiment with cotton versus polyester, as
the material you use may affect the clarity of the print. Some
advanced painters have even been knows to affix chamois cloth
to a traditional roller to expedite the process!
Sponging works much like ragging, but with markedly different
results. Instead of crumpling to create a repeatable shape,
sponging makes use of the holes that naturally arise in a
porous sea sponge. That means the texture you get is far finer
and subtler, closer to pointillism than illustration. The
steps are essentially the same – apply a base coat, pick your
glaze, practice, blot and apply. But one of the nice things
about sponging is that you need to look closely at the wall to
discover the technique – from afar, it simply looks like a
blended texture. A number of designers even recommend sponging
more than once with subtly different colors to build up depth
and complexity and reduce the uniformity you might otherwise
see from such a fine-grained technique.
Another popular choice, usually called combing or dragging,
involves precisely what you may expect – vertical or
horizontal streaking techniques to create a “grain” in the
glaze itself. The difference here is that you want to apply a
full base coat and a full coat of glaze before you begin the
technique. Generally the glaze coat is then “combed” using a
stiff brush to apply subtle parallel lines over the length of
the room. Many painters apply blue tape or a guide to ensure
all the motions are parallel and perpendicular to the lines of
the room. Different brush types and bristle gauges can offer
finer or coarser grains depending on your preference, and the
amount of time you give the glaze to set may alter the
appearance as well. Experiment with a small section of wall or
wood until you get precisely the aesthetic you want.
Of course, faux painting can also include advanced techniques
such as crackle glazes, metallic finishes and more, so do not
limit yourself without speaking to a pro at your local home
wars store first. Anyone who has visited an art gallery can
vouch for the fact that nearly any material can be “faux’ed”
with paint, so be sure and let your imagination free before
it’s time to commit.
Types of Creative Paint
Finishes
Painting is about far more than solid colors these days.
Anyone who has spent any time thumbing through design
magazines has likely noticed just how many homes are being
utterly remade with more textured approaches. These can range
from simple mottled colors to fully realized imagery, and
everything in between. If you are looking for creative paint
finishes to make your home a more interesting and inviting
place, you may take great benefit from a comprehensive
overview. Most homeowners do not realize the sheer variety of
looks, tones and techniques that are available to DIY-ers, and
the sheer variety of choices can be overwhelming.
First things first. No matter when kind of finish you’re
applying, it is essential to make the proper preparations
first. This means not just choosing the colors you want, but
ensuring the wall itself is free of any cracks, holes or
peeling paint. Vacuum for dust in and around the area, and lay
down masking tape and drop cloths that can withstand paint and
glaze. You also want to secure good lighting and prepare all
the materials so you aren’t mixing in a hurry and learning on
the fly. Experiment with wood pieces or an unseen corner
before you create the full solutions – practice beforehand is
the surest way to avoid disasters down the line.
Most paint finishes can be broadly divided into categories.
The most common is generally called ragging, though it may
encompass any number of similar techniques. The point of each
is to create blends of colors that are coarser than a simple
mix, combining glazes and undercoats into finely etched,
repeating patterns. For each, you want to begun with a solid
base coat of paint, something to play off as you expand the
room’s visual interest. The second step is to mix that paint
with glaze – the proportions may vary depending on the
manufacturer, so it’s always wise to start with a lower paint
percentage and work your way up.
Ragging and sponging are essentially identical – the only
difference is what shapes you use. Sponging involves dipping
an edge or face of the sponge into the glaze solution and
pressing it for a mottle effect. Ragging, on the other hand,
allows for much greater creativity as you can scrunch that
fabric in countless configurations for a truly random
distribution. Avoid getting the glaze on your hands, elbows or
paint handles, as you could inadvertently break the effect
with an errant streak. Also bear in mind that the top coat is
what generally draws the eye, so plan ahead and make the base
coat the one you will ultimately use for peek-through
“accents.”
Combing is an entirely different effect, though arguably an
even simpler one. Because this technique doesn’t require you
to apply the glaze piecemeal, you can brush it on more broadly
with equally good results. Create a lead line of tape or
string to mark the primary parallel, and then draw down a
stiff brush in alignment with that guide. Vertical lines are
more common, though you may be able to generate a funkier feel
with expansive horizontal strokes. As with ragging and
sponging, much of the ultimate look here depends on which
colors you are matching – very close and you have a look not
unlike denim, while more disparate glaze can create striking
juxtaposition.
More interesting color combination can be layered with greater
depth, creating what many designers called a marbleized look.
This technique is as much art as science, so you’ll need a
good eye and plenty of practice to emulate the mineral
distribution of true marble. Multiple sponging layers in
subtly different hues comprise the bulk of this technique, but
much of the effect depends on finer details such as metallic
passes, subtle striations over broad space and the application
of “veins” using an artist’s brush or a feather. As with the
other techniques, practice is essential here – give each layer
plenty of time to dry if you want a true representation of
your vision.
More sophisticated paint finishes techniques await for the
enterprising homeowner as well, from wood graining to crackle
glaze. Thankfully, they all involve essentially the same
materials, so this is a hobby that rewards long-term
experimentation year after year. |
