How to Prime Walls for Painting

Just as important as learning how to paint a wall is learning how to prime walls before painting. It takes patience, but you'll be glad you did it.

What You'll Need:

--paint trays
--1", 2-3" and 4-5" paint brushes (synthetic for water-based paints or natural bristle for oil-based paints)
--rollers
--painter's tape
--drop cloths
Step-By-Step:

When you head home from the hardware store with a gallon of paint in the most beautiful color you've ever seen, it can be hard to resist diving in with a paintbrush and slathering the walls. But there's one very important step you have to take before painting: prime the walls. Primer is a neutral coat to be applied to the walls before paint. It can be tinted to more closely match the paint color. Primer does just what its name says--it "primes" a wall to be painted. Priming walls will ensure that the paint color goes on evenly, and you won't need to use as much paint as you would without priming.

Even before your prime the walls, be sure to clean them. Use a mixture of detergent and water then rinse the walls and let them dry. Then spackle over any cracks. Next, sand them down so that they're even. Move or cover all the furniture and put your painter's tape on trim that you don't plan to prime and paint.

It's almost always a good idea to use a primer, but it's especially important when your new paint color is lighter than your old one, if you're painting directly over wood or drywall or the existing paint is uneven. Use primer as you would a regular coat of paint. Cover the wall with the primer first in vertical strokes, then in horizontal ones to prevent streaks when it dries. Give the walls plenty of time to dry before painting and when it's all over, you'll feel you've created a masterpiece.