Not a single major renovation in the apartment is complete without finishing the walls. And although the technology for processing brick, concrete, plasterboard or wooden bases is very different, at a certain stage, do without putties Not sure it's going to happen. Regardless of how serious the walls require - large-scale leveling or the elimination of minimal defects - a primer for putty walls will be a must-have item on the list of materials purchased for repairs.
Why prime the walls before puttying?
Each owner of the apartment wants the finishing of the walls after the repair to look perfect for as long as possible. And it doesn’t matter if the repair is done with your own hands or with the help of professional craftsmen. For this to happen, you need a primer on the walls before puttying. The soil layer performs a number of important functions:
- In any material, be it concrete, brick, drywall or plywood, there are pores and cracks that a primer can fill and thereby strengthen the base surface.
- The primer composition increases the adhesion index of the base, improves its adhesion to the putty mortar, because of which it does not crumble and does not exfoliate from the wall for a long time.
- By filling the pores of the material with a primer, the consumption of putty is reduced.
- When dry, the primer forms a thin, but very durable film, which does not allow various kinds of stains to show through on the finish coat.
- On primed walls, do-it-yourself putty lies more evenly, it is easier to distribute it over the surface of the wall.
- Primers with special antiseptic and moisture-proof properties can reliably protect walls in rooms with high humidity from the appearance and spread of mold, fungus and other harmful microorganisms.
The listed properties of primers give an unambiguous answer to the question of whether it is necessary to prime the walls before puttying. And the answer is yes, it is. Moreover, in order to achieve the best result, sometimes it is necessary to prime the surface in several layers. This should be done, for example, when the surface of the walls is loose and absorbs moisture well. In this case, the first layer of priming solution is almost completely absorbed into the base.
What primer to choose for an apartment?
The modern market offers a huge number of primers that differ from each other for different surfaces. The primer should be selected depending on the type of substrate and its properties. Priming compositions are:
- concentrated;
- in the form of a dry mixture;
- completely ready to use.
The most common composition suitable for treating walls in an apartment before puttying is an acrylic primer. It is universal, therefore it helps to make the finishing of the bases from almost any material with your own hands durable and of high quality.
Acrylic primers can be divided into groups depending on the conditions of their application and purpose:
- universal - suitable for priming any surfaces under any conditions;
- deep penetration primers - able to penetrate the base material, smooth it and enhance the adhesion of the surface to the putty;
- adhesive - this primer contains a quartz impurity, which gives the treated surface an additional roughness, thereby increasing the adhesive properties of the base.
The undeniable advantages of acrylic compositions are:
- no pungent odor;
- drying speed;
- the possibility of high-quality preparation for finishing surfaces with increased porosity.
Tip: when choosing a primer, you need to pay attention to its technical characteristics.It is better to give preference to the composition with a deep level of penetration, it is suitable for any purpose.
The sequence of priming work
When it was decided to carry out repairs in the apartment with their own hands, the newly minted masters are concerned about the question: how to prime the walls before puttying? The whole process of priming work can be divided into several successive stages.
Preparatory stage
The first task is to prepare the walls. They should be cleaned of dirt, dust, old coating, if it began to lag behind the base. You also need to make sure that the walls are not wet. In the presence of moisture, it is better to dry them, since it is correct to prime the walls completely dry.
Preparation of the primer composition
The process of preparing the primer is carried out in full accordance with the instructions placed on the package. It's very easy to do it yourself:
- The ready-to-use composition is usually quite simple to mix thoroughly and pour into a convenient container.
- Concentrated primers are diluted in the proportions specified by the instructions.
- The dry mixture should be diluted with water, following the instructions on the package.
Primer application
It is necessary to apply the primer composition in a thin layer, in narrow strips, when priming each subsequent section, slightly stepping on the already treated part.
Tip: it is better to use a white or pigmented primer, then all untreated areas will be clearly visible.
You can cover the walls with soil with a brush or roller. If it is necessary to apply several layers of the composition, wait until the previous layer has completely dried. Approximate primer drying time must be indicated on the packaging.
Some necessary rules
Carrying out priming work with your own hands, you should remember a few simple rules:
- Wall surfaces must be clean before treatment.
- If the primer has come into contact with an untreated surface, hands or clothing, it should be removed immediately with a rag soaked in water.
- You should try to avoid the formation of smudges.
- You need to prime the walls, protecting your eyes with glasses, your hair with a hat, and your hands with gloves.
- At the end of the work, you should immediately wash all the tools: the dried primer mixture is very poorly removed.
In order not to make mistakes during the priming work, you can watch one of the many videos on the Internet on how to properly prime the walls. You will receive a lot of useful tips that will certainly help and facilitate communication with such material as a primer.
