installation, probably the most over looked, yet most important

is the type of primer to use on each particular job. Choosing the

right primer means the difference between a job that installs well,

holds up to the test of time, and removes easily at re-decorating

time. Picking the wrong primer can mean any combination of one

or all of these qualities can break down, leading to a job that fails.

Any paperhanger with more than a week’s experience has seen jobs

where seams are lifting, and the primer and paint from the wall are

stuck to the paper, and lifted from the wall. And removal problems

have been the scourge of the industry since the introduction of

builder’s flat paint on unprimed drywall.

The National Guild of Professional Paperhangers will, over these

issues of Jobsite Magazine, take you through the maze of wallpaper

primers, wall conditions, types of paper, and the best primer choice

for most combinations. This first article will concentrate on why it is

so important to prime, and the basics of primer application. The

types of primers, types of wall surfaces

and paints to be primed, types of

wallcovering, and the how to make the

best decision of what type of primer to

use will be covered next, and the lastt

article will cover the major manufacturers

of primers and what primers

they offer in each category so that

each reader will know what primers to

use, and which brands are available in

each type. Readers will then have the

information needed to know what

primer choices to make, and what

brands are available in their areas of

the country. It is important to know

that the NGPP is not endorsing any

brand of primer, simply providing

information to help paperhangers

make the best choice of primer for

every job.

The first thing any paperhanger has to

know about primers is the fact that

there is no such thing as a universal

primer. The primer that will seal a

builder’s flat paint and bond it so that

it won’t lift years after installation of the wallpaper won’t perform as

well on a semi-gloss paint. Different traits are required on each surface

to ensure job success. The next piece of general information

that is needed is that primer and size are not the same thing.

Primers are just that, a paint-like product applied to the surface to

either seal it, or provide a surface that the wallpaper adhesive will

stick to. Size is a thinned adhesive, applied to a wall to promote

adhesion, period. There are times when both priming and sizing are

necessary on a job.

Why prime? The wall is painted, isn’t that enough? Does it cost

extra? These questions are asked by customers regularly when

paperhangers talk about priming during an estimate. Here are

some answers to help the paperhanger sell priming and the help

customer understand the importance of priming. The basic

answer is that a properly primed surface ensures three things; 1)

the wallpaper will adhere to the wall, 2) the wallpaper will stay on

the wall as long as the customer wants it there, and 3) the wallpaper

will remove easily without the wall damage so often associated

with wallpaper removal. Most customers need no more

explanation than that, since any apprehension they have about

wallpaper is probably covered in one of those three factors. As for

the cost issue, simply saying it is included in the cost of the job,

and it is not negotiable generally solves the issue. If it goes further,

simply explain that it is a basic part of any wallpaper installation,

and that it’s a step that cannot be skipped. If the customer

refuses still, it’s time to decide if you want to take on a job that

has a high chance of failure and doing damage to your reputation.

In 30 years of hanging wallpaper I’ve learned that if I am pleasantly

confident about the importance of this step, the customer

will accept it. It is important not to make priming a line item on

an estimate, with a separate cost. This will give the customer the

idea that they can eliminate that step. Simply include it in the

cost of the job. Accepting a job without priming is doing a disservice

to both the client and the installer. There are exceptions

to this, obviously, but very few.

For the paperhanger, why to prime is a bit more complex. First it’s

important to know something about the characteristics of paper

applied to a wall. The first factor that affects the wall is the moisture

of the adhesive. Keeping that moisture out of the paint and/or

drywall is a function of the primer.

Papers and most vinyls shrink slightly as they dry. This exerts a

force on the surface the paper is applied to. If the surface is not

sound and well adhered to its base, there is a chance of the bond

failing. In other words, if the wallpaper is applied to a paint that is

not bonded well to the wall, the shrinking action of the paper has a

good chance of breaking the paints bond. If the paint fails, so does

the paper. Many vinyls, especially paper backed vinyls, keep trying

to shrink long after the installation of the job is complete and dry.

You can see evidence of this when you see a job where the seams

of a vinyl have lifted and the paint is on the back of the paper, lifted

from the wall. If you try to re-fasten the vinyl to the wall, the seams

no longer come together. While there are a lot of factors that need

to be taken into consideration to prevent

this particular problem, the right primer

is a critical factor in preventing this type

of failure.

Primers are also used to lock down

weakly bonded builders flat paints.

Application of wallpaper to these paints

without the proper priming has lead to

many failures. New types of primers on

the market now can penetrate and bond

these paints to the wall, greatly reducing

the chance of failure. Removing wallpaper

applied to builder’s flat or to an

improperly primed flat has long been a

problem

Choosing the right primer aids in the

removal of wallpaper by sealing the wall

in such a way that the adhesive can be

re-wet by the removal solution, releasing

the bond of the dry adhesive. The

wet adhesive can also be washed away

much more easily on a sealed wall. By

sealing the wall with a primer the moisture

sits on top of the primer, without

penetrating the paint and drywall, so the drywall stays dry, and the

walls are do not get damaged from scraping and washing wet drywall.

One of the most important factors in priming a wall, and one of the

most overlooked, is the importance of proper application of the

primer. Far too often the right primer is used, but the application of

the product is so poor that the primer cannot perform its’ job. To

perform properly the primer must be applied to clean, dry, sound

surface. That means that new drywall needs to be dust free, wallpaper

adhesive from previous installations must be washed off,

spackled areas need to be dry, etc. Failure to follow these basic

tenets of painting only serve to weaken the bond between the

primer and the surface it is going over. It is also important to prime

the whole job. Seems like a dumb sentence, doesn’t it? Of course

the whole job has to be primed. Yet far too many times paperhangers

use a roller to prime and get as close as they safely can to the

edges, but do not cut in to the edges. These unprotected areas

stand a good chance of causing problems after the installation is

complete. Another basic rule of priming a surface that is often overlooked

is that a full, wet coat of primer needs to be applied. That

means that it is very important to keep the roller full of primer, apply

the primer liberally, and not exceed the recommended coverage for

the particular primer being used. If there are holes in the coat of

primer, the primer is virtually useless, as it cannot seal the surface.

Using quality tools is one of the best ways to ensure proper coverage.

A high quality roller cover is one of the least expensive, yet

most important tools any paperhanger can use when applying a

primer.

Priming a wall for wallpaper installation is probably the biggest single

factor in the success or failure of a job. Hopefully this article has

supplied you with the information you need to understand why. In

the next issue, look for a guide on what type of primers perform best

on the most common, and some of the less common surfaces to be

covered with wallpaper.