Difference Between Primer and Paint

As the old saying goes, the proper tools get the job done; this goes for painting as well. The quality tools and materials make all the difference when it comes to painting. Paint is undoubtedly one of the most creative ways to give your home or apartment an exciting, appealing look, adding color and individual style to every room. While the different techniques and elements will complement a variety of room decors, the right tools determine the quality of your paint job. In case of paints, it is important to consider a base coat and a top coat. A primer is the base coat for paint which ensures adhesion of paint to the surface.

A primer appears almost identical to painting a surface because both are brushing forms applied to a substance onto a surface. Similar to paints, a primer is applied with a brush, in the same strokes as the paint to follow. It’s like a preparatory coating applied on surface before the painting so that the new surface seals the original material, preventing them soaking into the surface. Although, primers are not always necessary in every paint job, they allow paint to adhere better. Well, paint and primer both are different products with different purpose and function, though they look identical in appearance. We try to break out the differences between the two.

What is Primer?

A primer is a preparatory base coat applied to the paint surface before painting. Priming may seem identical to painting because both refer to forms of brushing a substance onto a surface. Like paint, primer is applied with a brush in the same strokes except it is used as a bonding agent between the surface and paint. A primer allows paint to adhere better, preventing them from soaking into the surface and causing an inconsistent top coat. It acts as a surface-filler with the ability to fill the voids in the surface beneath. Primers create a good bond between the substrate and the paint. Primer may be obtained in lacquer-base, enamel-base, and water-base carriers. When thinned with the proper substance, it can be used on metal, lead or plastic.

What is Paint?

Paint is a colored substance, a pigmented liquid applied to a surface which over time converts to form a protective coating. Paint is the top coat which is more like a decorative coating or performance coating. Like primers, paints may also be oil-based, alkyl-based, or water-based. Paint is like a solvent applied on different surfaces for decorative or shielding reasons. It can be better described as a dispersion of small solid particles in a liquid medium, which when applied to a surface and allowed it to dry, becomes a protective coating for the surface. It also adds a visual appeal to the surface by adding color and sheen, beautifying the interior and exterior surfaces of architecture.

Difference between Primer and Paint

Basics

– Priming is very much identical to painting because both refer to forms of brushing a substance onto a surface. Like paint, primer is applied with a brush in the same strokes except it is used as a bonding agent between the surface and paint. Primer is a preparatory base coat applied to the paint surface before painting whereas Paint is the top coat which is more like a decorative coating or performance coating. Primer is basically paint but without the pigments and it is not always necessary in every paint job to apply primers.

Composition

– Paint is composed of three basic ingredients: pigment, binder and solvent. There are two types of pigment, both of which typically come in powdered form. It is the color of the paint. The binder is the medium that binds the pigment particles together. And solvent is the thinning liquid that carries the pigment particles. A primer consists of synthetic resin, solvent, and an additive agent. Unlike paint, primers do not contain pigments. Primers may be alkyl-based or water-based or a hybrid. Some primer may contain polyethylene for increased durability.

Function

– Primer is a bonding agent that allows paint to adhere better, preventing them from soaking into the surface and causing an inconsistent top coat. The function of a primer is to hold the finish coats to the surface, creating a good bond between the substrate and the paint. It’s like a preparatory coating applied on surface before the painting so that the new surface seals the original material. Paint adds a visual appeal to the surface by adding color and sheen, beautifying the interior and exterior surfaces of architecture.

Primer vs. Paint: Comparison Chart

Summary of Primer vs. Paint

Paint beautifies as well as protects the interior and exterior surfaces of an architecture. It is applied to a surface and allowed to dry, which then forms a sold, protective film on the surface. Primer is a base coat applied to the surface before painting. On the surface, primer looks very similar to a paint, except it is a bonding agent applied to the surface allowing the paint to adhere better, preventing them from soaking into the surface and causing the gloss level to flash. Primer provides additional protection for the material being painted, eventually increasing durability of paint. In a nutshell, both are forms of brushing a substance onto a surface with the help of brush strokes.

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