Oil vs. Latex Primer on Ceiling

Oil Primer

• An oil-based primer can work best for wooden surfaces. Paint settles into porous wood, and this can leave an unfinished look, but adding an oil primer gives the ceiling a smooth finish before adding paint. The oil primer cannot penetrate wood with any moisture in it as well as latex does. Application with oil is fairly easy, as it flows well during application and does not smear as much as other types of primers. If your ceiling is chalky at all, though, it penetrates into the material and can take more coats to adequately cover the ceiling. Oil-based primers are also two to three times more expensive than latex primers, so for larger rooms, priming the ceiling can be an expensive job with oil-based primer.

Latex Primer

• Latex works well for any material, and generally any type of paint can go over the latex-based primer. Latex can be applied to a wet surface, and this saves time in a construction situation. Latex primer dries in about 60 minutes. Latex primers resist peeling, as they allow more moisture to flow through them than oil-based primers. As the home ages, this keeps the paint looking newer. While oil-based primers are ideal for wooden surfaces, latex is more versatile and can be used on multiple surfaces.

Considerations

• Choose a latex or oil-based primer with stain-blocker ingredients. That way, if your ceiling develops any kind of leak, mold or mildew, it does not show up through the paint. As your home ages, this protects its surfaces.

Warning

• Primers come in a variety of colors. Before you buy your primer, it is important to know what color you should paint the ceiling. If you choose a primer that is darker than your paint, the primer makes the paint appear darker. Many ceilings are white, and if yours is, look for a primer that is white and avoid colors. Both oil and latex primers can be tinted to help match your paint or left white.