June 2025

Painting fresh drywall might seem simple—just roll on your favorite color and call it a day. However, skipping primer almost always leads to blotchy walls, wasted paint, and a finish that won’t last. This article covers why primer is so important for new drywall, how it works, and how to pick the right one. Why New Drywall Soaks Up Paint Drywall (sometimes called wallboard) consists of a soft, absorbent core wrapped in paper. When it’s first installed, the seams and screw holes are covered with joint compound (that white “mud” you see) and tape, then sanded smooth. Even after the compound dries, the underlying board still soaks up water and paint unevenly. If primer is skipped and finish paint is applied directly, lighter and darker patches will likely appear where the drywall absorbed different amounts of paint. Hiding those patches often requires two or three coats of paint instead of one—spending more time and money than necessary. A single coat of primer seals the surface so that paint goes on evenly. How Primer Prepares Your Walls Primer is a special coating that soaks into drywall and creates a uniform base. Here’s how it helps:

Painting over peeling or flaking paint may seem like a quick solution, but it almost always leads to a poor result and more work later. When old paint is loose or peeling, new paint cannot stick properly. This article explains why you need to remove loose paint before repainting and how to get a smooth, long-lasting finish. Why Paint Peels and Flakes Paint can start to peel or flake because of moisture, age, or poor preparation before the first paint job. If water gets under the paint—from a leak or high humidity—it breaks the bond between the paint and the wall or siding. If the old paint was applied on a dusty or dirty surface, it may never have stuck well in the first place. Over time, exposure to sun and temperature changes also causes cracking and peeling. Why New Paint Won’t Stick to Loose Paint If you apply new paint over peeling areas, it will only stick to the loose layer below. That loose layer will keep breaking away, and the fresh paint will come off with it. Even small patches of peeling will spread over time. The result is an uneven, patchy finish that fails sooner than a properly prepared surface. How Proper Preparation Makes a Difference A smooth, long-lasting paint job starts with a solid base. Removing loose paint and preparing the surface ensures new paint can bond firmly. Proper preparation: Without this work, even the best paint cannot hide loose layers beneath it. Instead, it highlights the problems. Steps to Remove Loose Paint and Prepare the Surface What Happens If You Skip Preparation Choosing to paint directly over peeling paint leads to several problems: Benefits of Proper Preparation Taking time to remove old paint, sand, clean, fill, and prime adds a day or two to your project, but you get: Conclusion When you see peeling or flaking paint, resist the urge to cover it with a fresh coat. Properly scraping, sanding, cleaning, and priming the surface is essential for a lasting, high-quality paint job. By doing these steps, you create a secure base so your new paint can stick and stay looking good for years.