Primer is usually known as the pre-paint step that covers surface imperfections and gives your paint a surface to adhere to properly.
Usually available in varying shades of white and gray, it’s no wonder how some might have the question, “Can this be used to paint my ceiling?” – ceilings are most often some shade of white, after all.
Thankfully, these two products can be used in other ways!
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Primer Vs. Ceiling Paint
Primer is exactly what you expect it to be – a way to prime your walls before applying paint. It has the benefits of sealing and protecting whatever surface you plan to paint as well as providing a smooth, even base coat to the paint.
Ceiling paint has many similar properties to primer. It is most often a latex-based paint that is a thicker viscosity formulated to prevent drips. It also has its own sealing properties.
Most of these paints come with slight color-changing abilities. This means they go on as one color (usually pink) and dry white. This helps you to see exactly where you’ve painted since it can be difficult to determine sometimes.
Can You Use a Primer as Ceiling Paint?
With these two products being so similar, you would be correct in assuming that one could be used in the absence of the other. Primers can give you the same kind of coverage and finished look as a ceiling paint.
Just as with any sort of painting prep, make sure you thoroughly wash your ceiling before applying the primer.
The best part? If you decide to eventually paint your ceiling with ceiling paint or want to leave the option open for the future, step one is already done!
Select a High-quality Primer
If you plan to skip the paint and use only primer, spend your time and money to select a really good one. Cheaper primers won’t cover as easily and may require more than two coats.
Most paint manufacturers have a “premium” option that would be sufficient. Choose one with a low VOC (to reduce odors) and a thicker viscosity. Opting for a higher quality primer provides better coverage of any stains and will dry more evenly.
Apply Two Coats
Two coats (at minimum) will ensure that each area of your ceiling is thoroughly protected and covered. Work diligently when applying the primer, taking extra care if the ceiling is highly textured.
Some premium quality primers boast a “one coat” application, but two coats are still recommended if you want optimal protection.
Potential Problems
Allow each coat to dry thoroughly before applying any more on top. Too many coats (especially too quickly) can lead to drips which, if not taken care of, can spread pretty quickly as gravity does what it does best.
Since the main difference between primer and ceiling paint is that ceiling paint dries to a smooth latex finish, it has the advantage of repelling most dirt and grime. Using primer alone may lead to more dust particles sticking to your ceiling & needing to be cleaned more often.
There is also less protection against moisture if you use primer alone as compared to primer and paint together.
Primer also does not have the color-changing properties as most ceiling paints, so it can be harder to determine where you have already placed primer and where you have missed.
Can You Use Ceiling Paint As a Primer?
Ceiling paint can make a suitable replacement for primer. If you’ve got some leftover paint from your ceiling, it can seal and protect your walls in much the same way as a primer.
The only time this isn’t recommended or might not work as well is if you use ceiling paint on fresh drywall. The drywall will soak up a lot of the paint, requiring more coats to get the correct sealing and protective qualities.
If you are painting over an already painted wall, however, it will work just fine as long as you put the same amount of care into prepping the wall beforehand.
You could even use ceiling paint on top of regular wall primers as your top coat. The only downfall with this is that your color options are limited since most ceiling paints only come in certain shades of white.
