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Spot Prime Vs. Full Prime For Your Painting Project

 Spot Prime Vs. Full Prime For Your Painting Project

You know primer is important, but now your painter is mentioning “spot priming” and “full priming.” What’s the difference, and is one approach better than the other?

First, let’s take it back to basics with a quick primer on, well, primer.

Primer is specifically formulated to create a strong foundation for your paint to grip onto. It can also help smooth over blemishes, offer a uniform finish, and make color transitions easier. In other words, if you’re switching from a dark to light color, a coat of primer makes the process much more efficient. Be sure to take a look at all the benefits right here!

It’s an essential step, but one approach doesn’t necessarily fit every situation.

When Should You Spot Prime?

Spot priming means that you only prime specific sections of the surface that need it.

When is this the right choice?

Spot priming is ideal for covering repairs, like a patched blemish, or previously unpainted sections. For example, if you replace a rotten portion of your siding, you’d want to spot prime that fresh wood so that it all matches when the new paint is applied. Otherwise the paint is absorbed more deeply into the bare substrate, creating an uneven finish.

Specific primers are also formulated to hide blemishes, like a knot in wood. That knot will creep through over time unless it’s covered with a high-hide product.

Your painter can walk you through their thought process, but spot priming is a common practice when the rest of the surface is in good condition, and the color change isn’t drastic. Why pay for unnecessary products and time, right?

When Do You Need a Full Prime?

Here are a few of the more common scenarios:

  • Painting over previously unpainted, or very porous, surfaces (new siding, drywall, etc.).

  • A drastic color change is in the works.

  • The surface was previously painted with a higher-gloss finish, or was stained.

  • If there are extensive stains or odors to cover (in the case of interior painting especially).

  • Changing from an oil-based to latex product.

  • As part of our lead-safe painting services, we also use specific high-end, trusted bonding primers for effective lead encapsulation.

  • Before painting ultra-smooth surfaces that need a primer coat to grip onto.

The takeaway?

There’s a time and place for each priming approach! The key is to communicate with your painting company, understanding which tactic they’re choosing and why it makes sense for your project. Ultimately you need to feel completely confident in the work that’s being done.

If you have any questions about your Bay Area painting needs, please feel free to contact us at MB Jessee Painting. We’re here to help!

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Customer Reviews

“The painters at MB Jesse are top notch! Cesar's team was super friendly and helpful. They were very polite and accommodating. Their expertise in everything painting related was evident in their attention to detail and efficiency painting tricky spaces. The apartment looks brand new!”

— Adam Swisher

“The people at M.B. Jessee are great – from the painters to the office staff to Matt. Talk about leadership from the top.”

— Kevin Ames, Mark Becker Homes

“I want to express my thanks for a job well done. The rooms look great and there is no problem with any marks on the all the trim, floor, carpet, etc. The paint job is lovely. I also want to express my thanks for the level of professionalism the foreman showed in running the job. He was very attentive to any changes I needed to make, was extremely careful in getting the faux paint color and effect correct. Thanks so much for a job well done.”

— Suzan D’Arcy

“I loved working with M.B. Jessee from start to finish on a relatively small paint job that grew a bit. I felt in very good hands from the moment Matt Jessee came out to give me the estimate and talk about my job. He was very easy to talk to and he handled my changes very well. Then the actual work done by Rigoberto and Mario was impeccable. They were neat and meticulous and the paint job looks beautiful. I could not have asked for more and when I did, they accommodated me 100%. I will not hesitate to call M.B. Jessee again and to refer them to friends.”

— Nancy Kurkjian

“I just wanted to send you an email to say that John did such a great job over here today. He is truly a hard worker. He has the perfect balance of friendliness, honesty, and professionalism. I trust him. He takes the time to do the job to the best of his ability and that is what sets him (and your company) apart from the competition. He didn't make me feel rushed. He really made me feel like our job was the most important thing in the world. Thanks again!”

— Jo
Oakland

“M.B. Jessee painted the exterior of my Spanish house over 9 years ago, and they did such an incredible job that they are still getting referrals from me today. The paint is holding up perfectly -- there is absolutely no peeling chipping or any other deterioration. I still remember that my final walk-through list consisted of items written on one side of a 3x5 index card (and I'm REAL picky about my house!) However, when Matt and I did that walk-through over HALF the items were no longer an issue, as his team had noticed them first and they had already been resolved.”

— JoAnn Newcomb

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walkthrough experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3-year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch-up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua J.
Oakland, CA

“Very easy to work with, they did an outstanding job with our project of re-painting our painting our kitchen cabinets. Given the scope of the job and that our kitchen is roughly half of our upstairs living area they did a fantastic job of minimizing the mess. Workmanship was top notch, would definitely recommend.”

— Vince Scola

“Hello Matt,Just another notice of thanks to your wonderful crew, Rigoberto, Javier and John. They did fantastic work, with Rigo providing meticulous and conscientious attention to the details and excellent woodwork finishing, as evidenced by the beautiful fireplace. Javier did a fantastic job in the bathroom especially, it looks "brand new," and John always does quality work, both with the interior and exterior. I can tell they care about what they do. Rigo's "punch out" was very thorough, too. I will call again when I need some more work and will definitely recommend your company and fine crew. I also felt as a homeowner, I could leave my house in their good hands during the day and that took a lot of worry from me, they were honest, prompt and reliable. They were also very kind, respectful and clean in their work, very professional. Thank you.”

— Beth Marx & Melissa Kirsch
Oakland

“Richard and crew have been great, for sure. As much as I look forward to having the job done and my house back in order, I really enjoyed having them around. You should feel really good about how they represent your company.”

— Jessica Dodson

“Dear Matt,You must be so proud of your men! They were fantastic to have around. Polite, courteous and hardworking. I am so pleased with the outcome of our home--in fact, I couldn't be any more pleased than I am!”

— Mrs. S
San Leandro

“Our paint crew did a great job and the foreman, Gersson was exceptionally great to work with. He was always available to answer questions, good at problem-solving, very patient, kind, and highly professional with great customer service. We definitely recommend this company, and Gersson and his crew.”

— Andrea Y.
Berkeley, CA