Paint and primer in one may work for some painters, but others prefer to use separate products because it offers better results in some specific situations. The main objective of the paint primer is to prepare the surface for a new coat of pain.

Primer is a base coat used to help treat a surface before applying a topcoat. Accordingly, primer is formulated to ensure maximum adhesion. Better paint adhesion means your paint job lasts longer. Likewise, primer acts as a sealer for porous surfaces that would otherwise absorb the first few coats of paint.

The advantage of Clark and Kensington paint is that it's formulated as both a paint and primer, saving you time and money for every step of your project.

Paint provides color, hiding, sheen, scrub resistance and protection against the elements. Primers seal the substrate, help provide uniform coverage, provide adhesion (between the substrate or wall and the paint) and block stains. In other words, a primer prepares the wall you are about to paint.

In most situations, a good rule of thumb is to use a primer plus two coats of paint. If you use this rule, you may do one more coat than needed but this won't hurt the final product. There are few situations where this rule of thumb will result in doing too few coats though which is why it is prevalent advice.

The Behr Marquee is still our top overall pick for best interior paint, but when our experts considered both value and performance, the Behr Premium Plus Paint & Primer emerged as a superb bet. It went on smooth in our tests, with few brushstrokes or roller marks, and its one-coat coverage was among the best.

two coats In most situations, a good rule of thumb is to use a primer plus two coats of paint. If you use this rule, you may do one more coat than needed but this won't hurt the final product. There are few situations where this rule of thumb will result in doing too few coats though which is why it is prevalent advice.

2-3 coats You will want to use 2-3 coats of primer to ensure there is a good bond between the new paint and the wall, and also to cover up any previous colors, especially if they are red, orange, or a strange outdated color. In short, you will typically need 2 coats of primer for most painting projects.

The major reason why primer is used before painting is to hide the damage in the wall and a shellac primer is the most suitable option to do so. Shellac primer is the best choice for hiding water damage and smoke damage on the walls and preparing them for a new coat of paint.

Interior walls usually don't need priming except in the case of stains, repairs or a paint color that's drastically different. Interior painted woodwork usually needs spot priming with wood primer at a minimum. Exterior paint takes such a beating that it almost always needs priming with an exterior paint primer.

Shellac has been used for centuries to seal wood and other surfaces. Good for interior paint jobs, shellac-based primers are possibly the best stain-blocking primers, working well on severe water and smoke damage to walls and surfaces - they even seal in smells from smoke damage.

Most latex primers dry to the touch in 30 minutes to one hour. But for best results, don't paint until the primer completely dries - which can take up to 3 hours, depending on temperature and humidity. Once the primer is completely dry, it's prime time for painting.

Primer only covers 200-300 sq. ft. per gallon, so you'll need slightly more primer than paint. Take your earlier total area and divide that number by 300 to get the minimum gallons of primer you'll need for one coat.

two coats In most situations, a good rule of thumb is to use a primer plus two coats of paint. If you use this rule, you may do one more coat than needed but this won't hurt the final product. There are few situations where this rule of thumb will result in doing too few coats though which is why it is prevalent advice.

Best Face Primer Picks for Every Skin Type

• Best Overall Face Primer: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.
• Best Drugstore Makeup Primer: NYX Professional Makeup Angel Veil Skin Perfecting Primer.
• Best Primer for Long-Lasting Makeup: Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer.
• Best Makeup Primer Spray: Iconic London Prep Set Glow.

Before painting, most primers can stay on a surface for anywhere between a few hours and 30 days.