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Pre-primed molding

CCI | Posted in General Discussion on June 1, 2005 09:24am

Used some preprimed door casing and when I finished spackling the nail holes I decided to use a  sponge instead of sandpaper to smooth it out.  When rubbed with the damp sponge the excess spackle comes off but so does the primer!! Right down to the bare wood.

Is this normal?  If the primer comes off with water what happens when the latex paint is applied?  I was going to reprime anyway as I was always told that primer has a short “grab” time after which it does not bond as well to the top coat.  In other words you can’t prime and then come back months later and paint – the primer should be fresh.  True or old wives tale? 

Should I use a special primer like zinsser 1-2-3 to make sure the original primer stays put?  Or can I use latex primer then latex top coat?

I don’t remember ever rubbing through primer that I applied – it seemed pretty durable.  Maybe the “primer” on the preprimed casing is just decorative.

Thanks.

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  1. Piffin | Jun 01, 2005 10:53pm | #1

    I think I am seeing more of that lately. On doors, windows, all sorts of millwork. Putting 1-2-3 over it will do nothi8ng for you if the original primer is not bonding. Another layer means you will just have two peeling or flaking off.

    Fortuanately, my painters always hit everything with a snading and tack clothe befor doing their own prime job. That way, they and I are confident in the results.

    I also still belive in oil based primers because they have time to seep into the wood while curing for a better bond. Top coating with latex is fine if you like the look of mud brushed on...

    But I think that what is going ion lately is that the factories are always in a hurry to pinch the half a penny out of each poiece in production. They meticulously time the rate it takes to spray ( without backbrushing, the bond is going to be weaker) tha first light coat on and have it cured before it gets bundled and handled out top shipping or staroage. The heated dry real estate for a product sitting around drying gets expensive when you add it all up.

    But when they forget why they are getting paid to pre-prime in th efirst place...
    I just got a pair ( about #890) of exterior doors with a veneer top. I ordered them with pre-primed to protect them from the e=weather and thought the $18 for that was a bargain. But I had to laugh at what I got. It was a see-through latex that never touched the edges or top and bottom of these doors - the most critical places when it comes to weather ruining a wood door.

     

     

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    1. User avater
      Sphere | Jun 02, 2005 02:41am | #2

      I really needed to hear that, I got some preprimed brickmoulding showing the same problems. Back to getting raw ( or make it) and follow along with your advice. Thanks P.  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

      The Morphine    s eems  to do no good at all..I'd run all the way if I would not fall...

       

    2. CCI | Jun 02, 2005 05:03am | #3

      I had a feeling that this was junk.  Unfortunately I needed some 2-1/4" x 11/16" thick and all they had was the preprimed.  Should I sand the whole thing to bare wood or is a light roughing o.k.?  I think I have some sanding liquid around as well if that is better.  I really hate to paint and the only thing worse would be to paint twice.

      Thanks.

      1. BryanSayer | Jun 02, 2005 05:42am | #4

        No, what would be worse is painting once, THEN having to strip the paint and cheap primer, THEN having to paint again.I believe in general that primer does have an "exposed" life during which it should be top coated. I'm sure it varies by type of primer, but all the ones I have ever used all state that the top coat should be applied after waiting X amount of time but before Y. Which raises an interesting question about pre-primed trim, should it have an expiration date?

  2. DanH | Jun 02, 2005 05:45am | #5

    The spackle likely contained solvents that softened the primer.

    But factory "primer" is usually worthless, in my experience.

    1. CCI | Jun 02, 2005 03:56pm | #8

      The primer came off even in areas where I did not spackle.  Actually I used the same spackle to fill the nail holes in some mdf wainscotting that was also preprimed.  This was fine and the primer on the mdf seemed harder - almost like a "plastic" coating.  Now this gets me thinking - should I prime over the primer on the mdf as well?  Is the primer on the mdf past its "prime" (sorry, bad pun).  I really hate painting but this is a small powder room and I can't hire someone to do a 4' x 5' room.

      1. DanH | Jun 02, 2005 05:27pm | #9

        My take is that factory "primer" isn't really primer. It's a protective coating designed to protect the surface until the piece gets painted, and designed to hide things like finger joints that would make you pick a different product otherwise.It really should be sanded and re-primed. Unfortunately, it will still be the weak link, and you may not be able to get a good paint bond until the next paint job, when you scrape down to bare wood and re-prime.

  3. User avater
    jhausch | Jun 02, 2005 05:51am | #6

    I saw a TV show where they were giving a tour of a preprimed trim factory.  The trim was shot through a couple of arc-ing waterfalls of primer.  The speed of the line and the flow of the primer was sync'd to give thick, but not runny coverage.  After it shot out of there it was kept moving as it quickly dried.  I can't see how that would ever get any tooth into the wood.  Looks like you've confirmed that.

    1. reinvent | Jun 02, 2005 03:15pm | #7

      How hard would it be to have some rollers push the paint into the wood? Geez!

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