Among DIY beginners, a common mistake is assuming that applying a couple of coats of paint to a wall is sufficient. But the reality is that if a wall is not prepared with a good primer, even several coats of paint may not be enough to adequately cover the surface of the wall. Even when the paint job looks complete, having no primer can lead to problems as the paint job ages. Here are the main reasons to prime before painting.


1. Creating a smooth canvass: Primer makes the surface smooth, which provides a nice surface for the first coat of paint. It also seals the surface, making the paint much easier to apply and facilitating even absorption of color along the surface of the wall.

2. Color changes: Primer makes it easier to make dramatic color changes on a wall. Even when the old color is dramatically different from the new one, having a layer of primer creates a seal that makes the old color easier to paint over. For this purpose, heavier-duty primers are usually the best choice.

3. Better adherence: Primer is designed to make paint stay on the wall better, so that it doesn’t streak or run during the drying process. It seals up the pores while also making slick areas easier to paint, which prevents streaking and eventual flaking of your layers of new paint.

4. Consistency: Using a primer makes your paint job more uniform and gives it a consistent look. Without primer, paint jobs can look patchy, streaky, and uneven. You don’t want to be stuck with a shoddy paint job, so take the extra time to apply a layer of primer first.

5. Priming seals in problem patches: If there are any stains, water damage, or patches of mold on the wall, priming seals these things in so that they don’t seep out through your new layer of paint. Without a primer, things like mold and stains can eventually rear their ugly heads on the surface of even a double-layer paint job.