You Can Paint Practically Anything

A fresh coat of paint can quickly change the look of any room in your home. While painting some surfaces can be fairly easy, there are challenges when painting many others. But don't worry - any project can be easy if you have the right tools. Take the advice of the primer experts at Zinsser when painting the following hard-to-paint surfaces:

Painting a light color over dark colored surfaces

Apply a coat of a high quality primer-sealer before you paint to hide previous colors and prevent them from showing through your new paint job. Quality primer-sealers, like Bulls Eye 1-2-3®, are formulated to completely block even the darkest colors, including deep reds and dark browns, so they won't bleed through, or change, the color of your new paint job.

Painting over glossy surfaces

Don't expect a paint to do a primer's job. Ordinary paint won't stick to slick surfaces, like glossy paint, clear finishes, metal, Formica®, cabinets, paneling or tile. By applying a quality primer to the surface first, your paint will not only stick to the surface, but your paint job will last longer and won't crack, peel or blister over time. Tip from the Pros: Want to eliminate sanding from surface prep? Use a primer like Zinsser's B-I-N® or Bulls Eye 1-2-3. They're formulated to stick to all surfaces without sanding.

Painting porous surfaces like builder's flat paint and new drywall

Porous surfaces absorb paint unevenly and often result in an inconsistent color and sheen that requires multiple coats of paint. A good primer will seal the surface so paint spreads more evenly and easily for a better-looking finish with less paint. Tips from the Pros: For best results, tint your primer toward the color of your paint. Research shows that one coat of tinted primer and one coat of paint will give you a better paint job than two coats of paint.

Covering crayon, marker or water stains

Everyday life is bound to produce a variety of stains on your walls including crayon, lipstick, water stains or grease. With a Zinsser primer in your toolbox, you can block and seal stains permanently and prevent them from bleeding through your new paint job.

Here's a prime notion for painters: tint your primer toward your paint color.