Is primer necessary for painting over dark colors, or can it be skipped entirely? In this article, we answer common questions about covering dark colors without primer and explain effective methods for doing so.
Painting over Dark Color without Primer
The most effective way to cover dark colors is by using a primer. If you have the time during the painting process, we highly recommend applying a primer first. Primer not only makes it easier to cover dark colors but also improves paint adhesion and reduces the amount of paint needed.
Using the right primer is the easiest and most effective approach to covering dark colors. A high-hiding primer designed for this purpose is the best choice, but if that’s not available, a general-purpose primer can also work.
There are also ways to cover dark-colored walls without primer. If you’re determined to skip primer, the following methods will help.
How to Cover Dark Colors without Using Primer?
1-Do Not Thin The Paint
Many types of paint are sold ready to use. But some paints require a small amount of thinning. Water-based, latex, synthetic dyes, etc. Whatever paint you use, do not add thinners to your paint. The thinner makes the paint easier to apply but reduces the coverage of the paint.
2-Allow The Paint Coats to Dry Well
Do you know that you can’t cover dark colors even if you apply five coats of paint every 5 minutes? The covering power of paint depends on two things. The quality of the paint and the waiting time between coats.
The waiting time between coats is written on the box of each paint. This is approximately 5 hours for acrylic, latex, and water-based paints and one day for synthetic dyes. A long waiting time between coats of paint helps to cover dark colors without primer. “Related post: When to apply second coat of paint.”
3-Use a Quality Roller
Quality rollers do not shed their threads, do not leave marks on the wall, and can absorb a lot of paint. The excessive paint absorbed by the roller ensures that the paint layer is thick and helps to cover the dark color. “Related article: How to paint with a roller without streaks?”
4-To Paint without Primer, You Need Quality Paint
The key to covering a dark color on a wall without primer is applying a generous amount of paint. To avoid excessive coats, it’s essential to use high-quality wall paint.
If the paint you choose is not high quality, you may regret skipping the primer. You might end up applying so many coats that you lose track. Additionally, the cost of the extra paint could exceed the price of a primer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need Primer for Dark Paint?
Depending on how dark the paint color is, you may need to use a primer. Primer is required in order to cover dark colors such as black, navy blue, red, dark gray, anthracite, etc. Otherwise, you have to apply too many coats of paint.
Can I Paint over Dark Colors without Primer?
Yes, you can paint over dark colors without primer. But you’ll waste a lot of paint. Primers are usually cheaper than paint. Using primer instead of paint, you can easily cover the bottom color and not consume much paint.
Do You Need Primer for Black Paint?
Yes, you should use several coats of primer for black paint. Otherwise, it is difficult to cover the black color. (Black is a difficult color to cover, even with primer.)
Do You Need a Dark Primer for Dark Paint?
No, you don’t need a dark liner to cover a dark color. You can use a white primer or mix some of the paint in your primer.
Can You Paint over The Red Color without Primer?
Painting over red walls without primer is laborious. You need to use a lot of paint. We recommend using a primer to cover the red color.
