Primer for walls for wallpaper

In order for the wallpaper to look impressive, reliably kept on the wall, two conditions are necessary: ​​it is the maximum smoothness of the surface and its high adhesion to the finishing material. Therefore, before taking on the wallpaper sticker, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work, which usually includes five steps: selection of the material, cleaning the walls from old coatings, surface treatment with special antiseptic compositions, then repairing the identified defects, bringing to perfect evenness putty and soil treatment.

Primer for walls for wallpaper is made on the basis of different materials. Therefore, in order not to make a mistake with the choice of the composition, you must first familiarize yourself with their characteristics.

What is a primer?

Gruntoor, as it is sometimes called, the primer, in fact, is an auxiliary material, but it is he who ensures the success of the finishing works, including the wallpapering.

The formulation is a homogeneous liquid or thick suspension without odor. It can be transparent or have one or another shade( most often - milk), be made in a ready-made or diluted water with concentrated form. After soaking and drying, the composition forms a transparent film on the surface. The primer composition can include organic resins and adhesives, film-forming components made on different bases - silicate, acrylic, silicone, latex and other copolymers. In addition, the solution is usually supplemented with various additives and fillers that increase the efficiency of the material and make it easier to work with it. Occurs on sale and a primer in the form of a dry powder.

Typically, primer formulations are packaged in plastic buckets or bottles. On the packaging the manufacturer necessarily places information on the following parameters:

• proportions and method of breeding the composition;
• solution consumption per 1 sq. M.m;
• way of applying the material on the surface;
• the drying time of the applied solution;
• warranty period of validity;
• production date.

The primer should have the following properties:

• Large penetration depth in the treated surface.
• The ability to increase the adhesion of materials.
• Properties of strengthening the surface structure of the material.
• Antiseptic qualities - the ability to give a surface resistance to the emergence and development of various forms of microflora - fungus, mold, etc.
• Sufficiently short period of complete soaking and drying.

When choosing a primer, the application conditions affecting the processing efficiency must be taken into account:

• The material of the surface to be treated is plaster, gypsum board, wood, brick or concrete, etc.
• Room humidity, where the primer will be applied;
• Type of decorative finish, under which the surface treatment of the wall is carried out with a primer - liquid or ordinary wallpaper;
• The density of the wallpaper selected for the label.

What is a primer for?

Due to its specific properties, the primer solution can bring the wall surface in order and create a reliable basis for the application of the adhesive composition:

• The deep penetration of the primer into the structural structure of the wall material contributes to the filling of micropores and cracks, fixes the remaining dust, thereby strengthening the surface.
• Antiseptic additives disinfect the wall material and make it resistant to biologically aggressive media.

• . The primer provides excellent adhesion of the wallpaper paste to the wall and finishing material, preventing the detachment of wallpaper patterns at the corners and joints.
• The film formed on the surface does not actively absorb the wallpaper glue in it, which significantly reduces its consumption.
• Primer significantly level the tone of the wall, which is very important when gluing light wallpaper.
• The solution is able to mask small flaws on the surfaces and make them smooth, which simplifies and speeds up the gluing of wallpaper.
• After coating with a primer, the surfaces remain "breathable", that is, capable of letting off vapors - this is extremely important for creating a favorable microclimate in the apartment.

Basic types of primers

All existing primers can be divided into three categories - by solubility, by the material on which they are made, and also by design.

According to the type of solubility, the primers are separated:

• Primers based on organic solvents, based on alkyd resins( glyptal), polyurethane and latex.
• Water-soluble primers, deep penetration. These include acrylic, latex, silicate and silicone compounds.
• Mineral materials produced on the basis of lime, gypsum and cement.

Type of primer	Application material for surface application	Drying time( h)
Alkyd	Metallic, concrete, reinforced concrete and wood surfaces	10 ÷ 14
Acrylic	Plastered, wooden, particleboard, fiberboard, brick.	2 ÷ 4
		Plaster, gypsum board, brick, wood, concrete and aerated concrete, as well as other porous surfaces.	1 ÷ 2
Silicate	Calcareous, concrete, mineral, etc. Do not apply to gypsum-containing substrates.	24
Mineral	Plastered, concrete, brick.	24

Qualitative preparation of walls will be provided, if all materials for it will be made by one manufacturer. They, having good compatibility, with each other, will give an excellent final result.

Classification according to the purpose of the primer mixes:

• universal water-based;
• specialized - anti-corrosion and antibacterial;
• deep penetration - up to 10 ÷ 15 mm;
• antifungal;
• insulating;
• concrete contact.

For covering walls for pasting with their wallpaper, the following primers are most often used, realized in ready-made form or requiring dilution:

• universal;
• latex;
• acrylic;
• alkyd;
• wallpaper adhesives.

Primer choice for consistency

The primer can also be divided into cover or deep, that is, by its property to remain on the surface of the wall, creating a film and leveling flaws, or penetrating deep into the structure and strengthening it. Therefore, it is worthwhile to figure out which is better to choose a primer in the consistency - this property will directly depend on how it will work.

Primers are manufactured in the form of a liquid, transparent and thick white solution. Each of them has a certain purpose, its advantages and disadvantages.

• Liquid deep penetration solutions are designed to strengthen the outer layer of the wall and the binding of dust. Some of these primers have in their composition special substances that can quench alkali.

surface. The positive qualities of liquid primers include their affordable price and the ability to penetrate the wall structure 25% deeper than thick ones can.

Negative qualities of such a solution is their transparency, possible heterogeneity of the application, as it is difficult to apply layers without overlap. As a result, the surface will have glossy and opaque areas, which means that they will become slightly different in adhesive capacity.

• Thick primers with a white color are not only designed to strengthen the surface of the wall and bind the dust - they are able to close small flaws of the wall, creating a smooth surface. Some of these primers also have antiseptic and quenching additives in their composition.

The positive properties of thick primers can be called their ability to fill the micropores of the surface with the formation of a white substrate for decorative decoration. In addition, the composition can even out the heterogeneity of the porous surface, leading it to ideal smoothness.

To the negative moments in the application of a thick primer can be attributed only to its significantly lower penetrating power compared to liquid.

From the above, it can be concluded that, no matter how much the primer is bought, it is better to choose its thick version, as it creates ideal conditions for gluing wallpaper.

Experienced masters often use both options - the first layer is applied a liquid primer of deep penetration, and the second - dense, which brings the surface to the ideal.

How do primers of different types work?

To make the right choice, you need to know how different types of primers work when they are applied to the surface of walls.

Acrylic primer

This kind of primer is made using polymer binders on a styrene-arylate dispersion. Acrylic primer is well suited for the preparation of internal surfaces for finishing works. The material does not give sharp unpleasant odors, quickly enough dries and is suitable for applying under any kind of wallpaper.

In this case, such a primer facilitates the work and gives the walls necessary for further finishing quality:

• Reduces the hygroscopicity of the surface.
• New cracks are prevented.
• The life of the decorative coating increases.
• The film formed by the soil, is able to protect the surface from mechanical damage( especially important for drywall), and also to make it resistant to temperature changes.
• The consumption of adhesive composition is greatly reduced.

Concentrated composition is very easy and without any loss of its qualities is diluted with water.

Acrylic primer, depending on its physical qualities, can be divided into five types:

• With the effect of deep penetration into the wall structure - it is usually used for "weak" and porous surfaces.
• Adhesive, reinforcing the adhesion of the decorative material to the substrate.

• A universal compound used for any type of surface and giving it a high moisture resistance. Used for interior work.
• Impregnating primer, capable of leveling loose surfaces or smooth out small flaws.
• A special solution designed for a particular kind of material.

The acrylic primer is usually applied in one to two layers, depending on the condition of the surface, using a paint roller. Hard-to-reach places, such as corners and areas around radiators, are treated with a soft brush with artificial bristles.

Drying of the surface occurs two to four hours after the application of the composition, after which it will be possible to proceed to the wallpapering of the walls with wallpaper.

The advantage of this type of primer is its versatility, as it is suitable for processing any quality surfaces, even dilapidated ones.

If the wallpaper is to be glued to a wall lined with plasterboard, the primer is applied twice - before coating it with putty and already on the putty surface. Such a method of preliminary wall preparation will not allow, with the future removal of the wallpaper, when it's time to replace them, to remove them together with the GKL cardboard layer, thereby keeping the surface unharmed.

From the wall treated with acrylic primer, the old wallpaper will easily go away after being treated with warm water or a special agent, without damaging the putty layer.

The consumption of acrylic primer can vary - it depends on the component composition, the material of the construction of the walls, the quality of the surface, their porosity, and so on. On average, the consumption is from 150 to 250 grams per square meter.

Latex primer

Latex is a natural component derived from rubber tree juice. It has such qualities necessary for finishing materials as waterproofness, elasticity, strength, good resistance to stretching and compression.

Natural material is quite expensive, and today in building materials a synthetic substance is used that has the properties of natural latex. It is also used in the production of latex primers. This type of primer is often an opaque liquid substance, which when dried, creates a thin film on the surface of the wall, which provides good adhesion of the wall to the decorative materials.

Latex primer evenly lays on the surface and dries quickly, but has a lower adhesive capacity than acrylic. Primer is used to strengthen loose and deteriorating surfaces of walls - gypsum board or old plaster, and contributes to improving their waterproofing qualities.

The latex primer falls well on wood and fibreboard, any kind of concrete and natural stone and is excellent for wet rooms, since it creates the conditions for resisting damp surfaces.

The consumption of this material on average is 350 ÷ 500 grams per square meter.

Alkyd primer

Alkyd type primer has the properties of paint, forming a surface of a different type of film. Such a composition falls perfectly on wooden and concrete surfaces, filling the pores of the upper layer of the structure of the material. This prevents the swelling of the wood and the penetration of moisture into the concrete walls.

Alkyd primers make the surfaces moisture resistant and resistant to the formation of mold or fungus colonies. Often this kind of material is used as a base for the second latex or acrylic primer layer or for acrylic based paint.

Alkyd compounds do not have the qualities of a deep penetration into the wall materials, but perfectly prepare the surfaces for further processing. They are often used to cover reinforced concrete structures - they make them more susceptible to decorative decorative materials. In addition, the primer perfectly blocks rust from metal impregnations, which can be found in concrete slabs. Rust over time can manifest through the pasted wallpaper and ruin the entire appearance of the decorative finish.

Plastered plaster, plaster or plasterboard surfaces can not be fixed with alkyd primers, so it should be provided by purchasing this material.

Alkyd primers are produced in metal and plastic packages, ready for use. Apply the material in one or two layers with a roller and brush, the thickness of the layer can be 1 ÷ 2 mm.

If necessary, dilute the thickened primer, use xylene or white spirit.

The consumption of the alkyd primer is 100 ÷ 150 grams per square meter. The complete drying of this material usually occurs 24 hours after its application at a temperature of not less than 20 degrees.

It should be noted that this material has quite affordable price compared to other primers. Use a similar primer under the wallpaper can only be a last resort, and it is better to use primers made on other substrates that will strengthen the surface of the walls and create higher adhesive surface qualities.

Universal primer

This type of primer is suitable for strengthening all types of surfaces, not excluding shabby and crumbling. The universal primer is based on acrylic copolymers with the addition of resins, which enhance the quality of the material. This primer is diluted with water and has a property of deep penetration into the structure of the processed materials, making them moisture resistant and adhesive with any finishing materials.

The universal primer is suitable for treating walls both outside and inside the room, increasing their resistance to different kinds of influences and increasing the life of the decorative coating.

This primer is well applied to foam and aerated concrete walls, gypsum boards, reinforced concrete structures and other surfaces.

This composition is also applied in one or two layers, and its consumption is minimal and is only 100 ÷ 120 grams per square meter of area.

Priming with wallpaper glue

Some masters believe that before wallpapering it is enough to treat the wall with wallpaper glue on a casein basis. Of course, you can use it, but such treatment, which does not have the properties of a primer, can not solve the problems of strengthening the surface, increasing its moisture resistance, acquiring antiseptic qualities and smoothing out small flaws.

Primer glue does not require special skill - it is enough correctly, according to the instructions, to dissolve the adhesive, wait until it is infused, and then use a roller to apply to the surface of the walls. To keep the wallpaper well, you need to wait about a day, and only then proceed to paste decorative sheets.

Other wallpaper adhesives can be used to cover walls. In some of them, the instructions even provide recommendations on compliance with the proportions when mixing it with water for the purpose of surface priming.

If it is decided to use this option for the preparation of walls, then when choosing the adhesive it is worth paying attention to the instructions for use. There it should be indicated that the composition can be used as a primer. If there is no such refinement, then it is better to reject this idea, since such processing can negatively affect the decorative material. In this case, the compositions on another basis should be considered.

Average consumption of wallpaper paste for priming walls will be 70 ÷ 100 grams per square meter.

Adhesive PVA as primer

PVA is a universal adhesive, and it is used for many needs, including for construction works. As a primer, it has been used since Soviet times, since it was simply impossible to find a real primer on the market. The glue is a dense emulsion of white color, produced on a polyvinyl acetate base, it is non-toxic and has no unpleasant odor.

adhesive is often used for priming. When making a wallpaper primer, it is often added chalk, gypsum, drying oil or alabaster - these components are designed to increase the strength of the primer and help fill and compare porous surfaces.

The preparation of a primer from PVA glue can be called an economical way, but this composition has one serious drawback, which can seriously damage the appearance of the decorative coating. The fact is that over time it has the ability to change the color from white to yellow. This yellowness can appear through the light thin wallpaper spots, and then you will have to completely change the entire finish.

Adhesive PVA with water in proportions 1: 2 to the consistency of liquid kefir. This process should be carried out in a warm room and with active stirring.

Prepare the primer in small portions, otherwise it quickly loses its adhesive qualities. After the development of the finished primer, the next serving is done.

Many people are attracted to the use of PVA as a primer because of its affordable price, the simplicity of making the composition and the ecological purity of the material. But if high quality expensive wallpapers are used for finishing, then it's better not to take risks and use professional priming solutions.

How to prepare the wall for the wallpaper

Before applying the primer, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work with the walls. So, if the walls still have old wallpaper, you need to start by removing them.

Removing old wallpaper

There are several ways to remove the old wallpaper from the wall:

• Use a spatula, which poddevayut dry wallpaper and tear them in small chunks. This method is the most unsuccessful, since the work will take too long, and some of the plaster or putty applied to the wall may separate with the paper.

• The second option is to soak all the covered surfaces with very warm water several times. In this case, the wallpaper will move away from the wall and will be removed from it much easier. But for a really good impregnation with water all surfaces in the room will take at least one day.

• The third option is to apply hot moist air to the finishing material. For this, an iron with a steaming function or a special tool used by builders is quite suitable.

However, due to one repair, probably, no one will spend money on such a device, so some companies offer services for doing such work. Their execution for today costs approximately from 35 to 60 rubles per square meter of the area. The price depends on the complexity of removing the old coating.

• The fourth, the most optimal option - is to purchase a special tool for removing wallpapers.

Today, several companies offer such products. The way and proportions of the composition can be found on the package, and this bottle will be enough for a large room.

Usually the solution is diluted in a bucket, then it is poured into a spray and all walls are sprayed from which it is necessary to remove the old decorative coating. The time to wait before finishing the application is also indicated in the instructions.

After this period, you can go to the removal of wallpaper. To do this, you will also need a spatula, but not to scrape off the wall of adhering paper, but simply to pick up the corner of each of the canvases. The wallpaper will be easily detached from the surface by an integral piece.

First layer of

primer After removal of the old decorative material, imperfections are found under it, which must be eliminated. If the depressions and cracks are large, they may need to be expanded and sealed with putty, and with a wide spread of defects throughout the wall, it will have to be plastered completely. However, before applying repair compounds or plaster to the identified defects or the entire wall, they must be treated with a deep penetration primer.

. The work is carried out using a roller, which is dipped in a primer, poured into a special tray. The solution is gently applied to the surface, beginning from the bottom of the wall and gradually rising upwards to the ceiling. Using this technique, you can save a lot on the primer, because if you start the application from the ceiling, most of the liquid collected by the roller will be on the floor.

Repairing the surface of the

walls After the surface has been primed and dried, all slits, "shells" and grooves are sealed with a spatula. If necessary, plastering of the entire surface is carried out.

Justification of the wall with plaster

Sometimes too large surface defects do not allow you to limit yourself to small repairs or applying a thin layer of putty. How to properly perform plastering of walls with your own hands - in a separate publication of our portal.

If it will be enough only minor repair of individual sections of the wall, and you can do without plastering the entire surface, go to the putty work. The main task is to make the surface under the wallpaper sticker as flat and smooth as possible.

The fineness of the process of plastering the walls of the

This is not such an easy task as it might seem at first glance. The separate publication of the portal is devoted to the self-leveling of the walls.

Priming of prepared surfaces before wallpapering

• When the plastered even walls are well dried, they go to priming them under the patch of the decorative coating.
• For work, a roller is again prepared with a long handle and with a "coat" made of velor, short nap or foam rubber, and also a tray-tray into which the primer will be poured.
• If it is necessary to dissolve the solution to the desired consistency, it is done in a plastic bucket from which it is convenient to pour it into the tray approximately 0.5 ÷ 0.7 liters.

• The roller is dipped into the liquid, then on the corrugated surface of the tray from the roller, it is necessary to wring out the excess to prevent unjustified loss of material. Then you can proceed to applying the composition to the walls. As mentioned above, the process is carried out from the bottom up.
• In this way, large walls are treated.
• Next, take a brush, preferably with an artificial soft pile, and it handles all hard-to-reach places - corners, the area under the windows, near pipes and radiators.
• It is very important to cover the entire surface with a primer, without missing parts, otherwise the wallpaper will move away from the wall.
• If necessary, the surfaces are covered with one more layer of primer solution, after the first one has dried completely.
• After finishing the priming work, the walls should be well dried at room temperature during the day. In the characteristics of some primers, the time for drying them is determined in 2 ÷ 4 hours, but still, in order not to create unforeseen problems with the finishing material, it is recommended to post wallpaper wallpapering for 24 hours.
• After this time, the masters advise to conduct another test, which will help to get a high-quality and durable decorative coating. Wallpaper should be glued to the well-dried surface of the walls. To determine the degree of their drying, a piece of a dense polyethylene film measuring about 100 × 100 or 150 × 150 mm is taken and tightly adhered to the wall with the help of pieces of paint tape. Under the film should be formed hermetically sealed space, and in this position the film remains until the morning. If in the morning it turns out to be dry inside, you can safely move on to wallpapering. If condensation forms under the film, then it is necessary to wait for a while and allow the walls to dry completely.

So, the process of applying a primer is quite simple. The main thing is to make the right choice of materials, and, relying on the developed technologies, to perform all the preparatory work. Only in this case, the primer will be effective, and the wallpaper will ideally lie on the surface of the walls and will not exfoliate with time.

Video: advice on the correct choice and use of primer for wallpaper