High-quality floors, smooth and shiny, like a mirror, serve as a decoration for any apartment. However, buying a quality floor covering does not guarantee that the repair will not suffer a sad fate and you will not encounter floor tiles that have flown off, a laminate that has risen up, or linoleum that has gone in waves. To avoid these troubles and to extend the life of the coating, a floor primer is used in surface preparation. Any hardware store has a huge selection of primer mixtures, the only question is how to navigate this variety and choose the composition that is best suited for specific purposes.
Possibilities and purpose of floor primers
Different types of primers affect the treated surface in different ways:
- fill chips and microcracks, level the surface;
- penetrating deep into the structure of the material, strengthen the foundation;
- improve adhesion materials by increasing the adhesion area (roughening the surface);
- deprive concrete of excessive porosity;
- create a thin film that is water-repellent and provides waterproofing.
Most primers perform several of the above functions at once. The choice of primer for the floor will depend on two main factors:
- from the materials used in the work;
- functional features of the room.
For example, the waterproofing properties of soils are most needed in the kitchen and bathroom, antibacterial - in the nursery, strengthening - in rooms with increased load (in the hallway, corridor, living room).
Important! The surface should be primed twice: before arranging the screed and before laying the finish coat.
Types of primers used for floors
For the floor, specialized types of primers are used, which have a different basis:
- An alkyd primer is most often used when working on wood floors before painting them. Soil drying time is approximately 10 hours.
Important! If the floor is to be painted with alkyd paint, a zinc phosphate primer should be chosen. When using other coloring compounds, you should buy a composition with zinc chromate.
- Acrylic primer is considered the most versatile, belongs to deep penetration compositions and is used for processing brick, wood, cement, plastered surfaces, fiberboard and chipboard, concrete floor. Its advantages include the possibility of dilution with water, the absence of smell, ease of application. It will take 2 to 5 hours to dry.
- Polyvinyl acetate. Suitable for a wide variety of surfaces that will subsequently be painted with polyvinyl acetate paint. Has good hiding power, significantly reduces paint consumption.
- Glyphthalic. It is used for metal and wooden surfaces, it is used to improve adhesion with enamels. Contains pigments that allow you to make the color of the subsequently applied paint more saturated.
Primers such as polystyrene, phenolic, perchlorovinyl, contain toxic substances, therefore, they are not used in an apartment.
Primers for concrete
The primer for the concrete floor primarily prevents increased absorption of moisture into the surface, due to which the adhesion of materials is significantly impaired. Therefore, it must perform 2 main functions:
- Filling small pores in concrete pavement.
- Waterproofing - preventing the penetration of moisture into the concrete.
These tasks are best handled by deep penetration soils specially designed for concrete. The most popular of them include:
- polyurethane (epoxy) primer;
- primers on a latex basis;
- "Betonokontakt" ("Concrete-contact").
Polyurethane primer
Polyurethane or epoxy mixture is the most suitable primer for self-leveling floors. It belongs to the compositions of deep penetration and performs the following functions:
- reduces the absorbency of the base;
- prevents the appearance of mold;
- strengthens the base, prevents deep penetration of moisture.
The composition of the polyurethane primer includes the smallest particles that clog the pores of concrete and do not give liquid from fresh screeds or self-leveling compound sink into the base. This moment is extremely important for the quality of the new coating and the adhesion of the floor layers.
Latex formulations
Latex primer, as well as epoxy, refers to deep penetration compositions. Differs in universality, possesses the following properties:
- non-toxic, absolutely harmless;
- makes the base resistant to moisture;
- dries quickly;
- creates a strong elastic film;
- protects against mold growth.
Betonokontakt
Suitable primer for concrete floor - popular adhesive mixture "Betonokontakt". Contains quartz sand, due to which it gives the treated surface the roughness necessary for high-quality adhesion.
Homemade PVA glue primer
The most budgetary version of the composition of deep penetration - homemade primer from ordinary PVA construction glue.
It is very easy to cook it. It is necessary to take 2 parts of building PVA and 1 part of water. Glue is poured into the bucket, with constant stirring, water is added to it. You will get a thin mass, which is very easy to apply.
To improve the quality of the PVA primer, you can add sifted chalk, gypsum or cement to it. This will make it more viscous and increase strength. This additive is recommended when working with porous surfaces, including concrete base.
A few nuances of using homemade PVA soil:
- The composition must not be applied too thick to avoid flaking.
- Under the influence of ultraviolet PVA can turn yellow, so it is better not to use it before applying light paint.
How to prime the floor
When priming any base, the quality of the application of the solution is of great importance. To get a good result, you must do the following:
- Prepare the surface before priming by thoroughly cleaning it. It is worth considering that it will not be possible to make concrete perfectly clean, no matter how much you would like it. Dust will remain anyway.
- Eliminate base defects, repair potholes, cracks. Wait for the base to dry.
- Thoroughly mix the primer, pour it into the paint bath, and then use a roller to evenly apply it to the substrate, leaving no gaps. In hard-to-reach places, it is better to use a flat brush.
To create a durable impermeable film, it is best to apply the primer in 2-3 layers, each time waiting for the surface to dry completely.
It must be remembered that priming is a mandatory step in the arrangement of the floor. Whatever coating you choose, be it linoleum, self-leveling polyurethane flooring, epoxy paint, thanks to these simple manipulations, it will last much longer.
