Frequently Asked Questions

Primer creates a uniform, sealed base for the topcoat. It blocks alkalinity and salts in fresh cement or plaster from bleeding through the finish paint, improves adhesion so the topcoat doesn't peel prematurely, and reduces how much finish paint the wall absorbs - which often means the topcoat needs fewer coats to look even.

If the existing paint is sound, clean, and you're staying with a similar colour and finish type, a primer coat is optional but still improves adhesion and colour uniformity. If you're making a big colour change (especially going from a dark to a light shade), covering a stain, or the wall has bare patches of plaster, primer is strongly recommended to avoid patchiness and get a longer-lasting result.

Wall putty is a thicker, cement- or polymer-based filler applied to level out surface irregularities, hairline cracks, and pores in plaster, giving a smooth base to paint on. Primer is a thinner, paint-like sealer coat applied after putty (and sanding) to seal the surface and prepare it for the topcoat. Putty smooths the wall; primer seals it - both play different roles in the same prep sequence.

Two coats of putty is the standard recommendation, applied perpendicular to each other with light sanding in between and after the final coat. This gives a smoother, more even base than a single thick coat, which tends to crack or show trowel marks once painted over.