Picture this – you got tired of the colour of your living room walls. Or maybe you want to restore some old wooden patio furniture. The problem is – you’ve never painted anything by yourself before! Looking up information online, you get bombarded with all those painting terms you don’t understand. What does undercoat paint do? Why do you need it? Aren’t primer and undercoat the same thing?
Fear not! In this blog post, we will shed light on exactly what undercoat paint does, when you need it and how it differs from primers.
So, if you are:
Keep reading! This post has the answers.
To put it short – undercoat paint is the layer applied after priming and before painting a surface. It is the second step to painting any base, spread over a coat of primer or sealer. It is best used to prepare surfaces that are already primed or painted.
There are specific types of undercoat, created for use on different surfaces, such as wood, metal, and plasterboard. Keep in mind the type of base you will be working on and choose your undercoat accordingly.
So, why use undercoat? Well, the best painting results are achieved when the surface is properly prepared, and it is part of that process. Undercoat paint has several important functions:
While both primer and undercoat are used to prepare the surface for painting, they serve a different purpose. They are essentially two steps of one whole process. A good rule to keep in mind is – if you’re painting a bare surface, use primer. If the base has been primed or previously painted, use undercoat.
Primer paint is the first layer applied when painting a raw surface. Its purpose is to give the following coats a good base to stick to. It helps reduce the absorbency of porous materials, such as wood and concrete, so less coating is necessary to achieve a solid colour.
Primer also provides a layer of protection, preventing stains from bleeding through the topcoat and appearing on your walls. Additionally, it makes it easier to work with hard-to-paint surfaces, such as glass or metal.
As mentioned previously, undercoat paint is the coat that follows the primer. Its purpose is to improve the overall look of the topcoat and provide an even surface to work with. It ensures even and unaltered colour application and protects the base from moisture.
Why not let the specialists help? Fantastic Services offers a professional and reliable painting service, done by skilled and fully insured decorators. Available every day of the week, you can choose a time that fits your schedule.
The professionals can paint your walls, refresh your doors and window frames and take care of any wooden furniture you might want to be painted. We can even deliver the materials upon request! Rest assured your property will be left spotless and your walls looking better than ever.
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Find a professional here to breathe new life into your home!
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Did you enjoy this article? Do you have any additional questions about painting? Let us know in the comments below!
Image source: shutterstock / N_Sakarin
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