How Many Coats of Primer Should You Use on New Drywall?

Painting new drywall can be an invigorating (and nerve-wracking) experience. Drywall is a commonly used construction material that creates the shape of the walls and ceilings in most homes in the United States. Drywall has unique textures and absorption qualities that can make your painting experience differ a lot compared to painting wood, brick, or other materials. So, if you’re painting drywall in your home, you need to have the right tools and materials for your painting project to be successful. Whether you’re finally working on your unfinished basement, building your new construction home, or refreshing your long-time fixer-upper, you’ll need to know how to prep your drywall before painting it.

One of the most important steps to help you get a smooth, even result from your paint is to prep your drywall with a coat (or multiple coats) of primer. In this article, you’ll find all the tips you need when it comes to painting drywall, including where you should buy all the painting supplies you’ll need for your project. So, read on, and good luck with your drywall and paint!

What is Primer?

If you don’t have a lot of painting experience, you might wonder what primer is or why you need to use it. Primer is a material that prepares your surface to properly adhere to the paint you’re going to put down. It is a base coat that will not only give your drywall a protective layer, but it will also help your paint to go on much more easily, smoothly, and evenly. Adding primer to your drywall helps your eventual coat of paint to last much longer with increased durability and resistance to any damage or scratches. Without primer, your paint likely won’t be able to sufficiently lock onto the surface of your drywall and might not last as long as you would like.

What Kind of Primer Do I Need?

There are three different types of primers in the painting industry including oil-based primer, pigmented shellac primer, and latex primer. Depending on the type of paint that you plan to use or the type of surface you’re going to paint on, you might need a different kind of primer. For example, when you’re painting on a drywall surface, a latex primer will be the best choice for your product. An oil-based primer won’t work as well on a drywall surface, so pay attention to this important detail when you’re shopping for your painting materials.

Some paint products come with priming materials already mixed in, so you might not always need to use a primer depending on the project you’re working on. Of course, this depends on the product that you’re going to be painting. Because of the absorptive nature of drywall material, sticking to the recommended latex primer will ensure that you get the smoothest, most durable finish after your coats of paint dry.

How Many Coats of Primer Do I Need?

So, how many coats of primer will you need to coat your drywall? When you’re prepping your drywall, you can generally expect to add a minimum of two coats of latex primer. In some circumstances, two coats of primer might even be insufficient to get a bold, even result from your paint job. If your primer looks a little uneven or splotchy after two coats of primer, feel free to add one or two more coats before adding your paint. It doesn’t matter how you apply your primer. You can use a sprayer, roller, brush, or whatever will work best for your painting timeline and process. Just make sure you get the required number of coats of primer spread evenly on the drywall surface. This will make your painting day much easier and smoother!

If you aren’t sure whether you’ve added enough primer to your drywall surface, try adding a small but even portion of paint to your wall. Let it thoroughly dry and then examine it. If it looks splotchy or if it appears to have been absorbed rather than adhered to the surface as it should, that will be a good indication that you should add another coat or two of primer before you keep painting. Remember, drywall acts almost sponge-like as a material, and will unevenly soak up anything that you add to it. So, if you add your primer and texturing details first, the surface should be prepared to adhere to your chosen paint without soaking it up unevenly.

Where Should I Buy My Paint and Primer?

Now that you know why and how you should use primer, you need to know where to shop for your primer. When you want a high-quality primer that won’t require as many coats as cheaper primers, make sure to shop at Vista Paint for your products. They have a variety of primer products for different materials such as wood, metal, and more. Their premium primers are some of their popular products, such as their 7001 Acriglo Interior Primer, which pairs well with Acriglo finishes. For your drywall-painting project, you’ll want to use a latex primer such as their 301 V-PRO 300 Primer. This primer is high-quality, professional-grade, and seals and performs excellently. You might also like to use the 5001 V-PRO 5000 Primer which is the perfect foundation for paint when you’re painting on drywall. Both of these primers are zero VOC, protecting you and your home from any harmful chemicals such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). When you pair Vista Paint’s primer and paint, you’ll have a smooth, professional-looking finish that is damage-resistant for years to come.

Once you’ve ordered your primer, don’t forget about your paint! Of course, your outer layer of paint is even more visible than your primer, and therefore, even more important to have high-quality, damage-resistant materials to work with. Vista Paint always has paint colors that are trendy, timeless, and in high demand among designers and home decorators. You can order some paint color chip samples by using this online form on their website!