How Many Coats of Primer? Answered.

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How many coats of primer does it take to cover beige, grey, or any other light to medium color?

Two after you remove any stickers. Even if you roll on a solid coat there will be holidays spots where one coat doesn’t quite cover due to the nap roller sliding, texture creating air bubbles, etc. You will also see lap lines where the roller goes over the same spot multiple times. Two coats gives you a consistent coverage ready for the first color coat.

How many coats of primer does it take to cover dark purple?

Three.

How many coats of primer does it take to cover bright red?

A frustrating three when one wall in three bedrooms and two walls in the kitchen have it.

How many coats of primer does it take to cover copper?

Three.

How many coats of primer does it take to cover pearlescent light purple?

Three.

How many coats of primer does it take to cover stencils?

Three.

How many coats of primer does it take to cover pinstripes?

Three, especially if half are pearlescent.

How many coats of primer does it take to cover a faux window?

Definitely three.

How many coats of primer does it take to cover harlequin diamonds?*

An ungodly four.

All of these photos are from the first house I bought as my primary residence.

Technically, the house didn’t need anything. Aesthetically, it needed A LOT of paint.

At this point the house might be held up with paint more than framing. It certainly seemed that way as we painted both the walls and vaulted ceilings. Gallons of Kilz 2 All Purpose primer later (REALLY all purpose AND all colors!), I have a deeper appreciation for crisp, white and bright ceilings and normal colored walls.

A normal color requires two coats of primer. If you have to think about it a little more, it probably takes three coats of primer. This definitely includes anything shiny, glossy, dark, or a combination of colors. Plan on four if you are looking at something with crisp lines and disparate colors. If you end up painting less, it is your lucky day. Go buy yourself a lottery ticket.

Another consideration is the next intended color (I chose to use the word ‘intended’ because how often do we put something on a wall and think, “That’s not exactly what I thought it would be?!?”). Depending on the color you choose next–if it is a medium shade or dark–one layer less of primer could be good enough.

Here is layer 3 or 4. You can still see some diamonds peeking through. Knowing we were painting a medium brown over the top may have made this good enough if it was layer 4.

There are also a couple other kinds of primer that will change how many coats of primer you need depending on the situation:

1. new drywall
2. paint-and-primer in-one

In the case where you have new drywall, regular primer will absorb into the texture compound and the drywall paper surface. It will need more than two layers of your normal Kilz to properly adhere. This is when you should use two layers of new drywall primer. The different consistency allows the first layer to soak in, seal and thus prevent further prime or paint layers soaking in. The second layer evens out your new drywall, preparing the surface for the first coat of color.

A combined paint and primer in one type paint is a different manufacturer’s take on an attempt to cut out an extra layer or two. It is not really primer–it is paint with a thicker consistency resulting in a thicker coat of paint. As with many house projects, successfully using paint and primer in one depends on the situation. It should not be used on new drywall as this more expensive paint will soak in and need additional coats.

*Who would paint harlequin diamonds on the LARGEST WALL IN THE HOUSE?!? You can’t miss it. It punches you in the eyeballs as soon as you walk in and trip on the entryway step. The vaulted ceiling and large living room was massive in comparison to some of the homes we had previously viewed during our house hunt. However, the harlequin diamonds stole the show.

A lack of harlequin diamonds is also now on the “what I don’t want in the next house” list. I will say they were well done–the lines were straight and it was stunning. 

It also ended up hosting a great housewarming party! Everyone that walked through the door could not believe the harlequin diamonds. It was really fun when guests attempted to compliment the wall, assuming it was a work in progress of yours truly instead of the state it was before purchasing the house.

Layer 1. One more picture just because this wall was truly epic. Showcasing the harlequin diamonds has been a long awaited post I was looking forward to writing when I first started the blog.