I'm prepping to paint my house's exterior with Behr Dynasty, which I know is a 2-in-1 paint. Last year, I discovered that I needed to replace some siding and my deck boards, and after some fixes, I'm back to painting prep. I'm worried about the old paint job, which looked cheap and poorly applied. Since I'm not sure how well the Dynasty will adhere, should I go ahead and use a primer first? What do you think?
4 Answers
Using a primer can really help seal everything and gives you a smoother surface for the top coat. I had a bad experience where old paint just peeled off a bathroom wall because the previous owner skipped the primer. So, I'd recommend it!
Sounds like you've got a solid game plan with cleaning and pressure washing. Just remember, if the surface already has some gloss from past paint, priming will really help your new paint stick better—especially if you're using that thicker Dynasty.
Honestly, I think the all-in-one paint and primer products are okay, but they won’t outperform a solid primer plus high-quality top coats. I always clean, prime, and repair any issues before painting. If the old surface has any sheen, you should definitely prime.
If the base coat isn't great, I’d definitely prime first. I usually end up with two top coats anyway, even with those 2-in-1 paints. One coat rarely gives the coverage I want, especially with a dark color like you're using.
Exactly, the old color is cream and I’m switching to dark grey. I was hoping the Dynasty would cover well, but maybe it's safer to just prime.
Thanks, I was almost convinced to use primer anyway!