I'm not an expert but if the wall color is an off white, I say skip the priming. Now if it was red or deep blue or some other dark color, I would say prime.

My Dad and Brother were both professional painters. Both insisted on using primer, regardless of the colors involved. I have found Home depot sells Behr paint and primer combined. I'm happy with it, and I always do 2 coats. It's not cheap, runs about $25 a gallon. Daughter of a painter, Jannie

Would it improve the paint job to prime first?
No, not in my opinion, since there is existing paint on the walls, and you have cleaned them.

Could it harm the paint finish to use primer on all ready painted walls?
No, no harm. It will just be extra work and extra expense.

If a paint store tries to tell you that you 'should' prime, it is likely because they are just wanting to sell you the additional primer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Do I need to use primer?

I know zip about painting, except that once the painting is done if you need to fix anything - a picture hanger hole, a mark etc. you will need to prime the spot before reapplying the paint. I learned this after our house was painted by 2 fabulous lady painters - using BM Aura - eggshell - due to my major allergies.

Thanks, folks, for the quick responses.

I have two gallons of primer that I bought at a paint shop last year. They've never been opened. I taking them to the local hardware store and (shamefacedly) asking if they'll put them in the shaker for me. I'll offer to pay for the service, since I didn't purchase the primer from them. That will save me a 90-mile round trip back to the GF shop.

I'm going to go ahead and prime. I can hear my Grandmother saying "Better safe than sorry," and "If it's worth doing; it's worth doing right."

Jannie, I'm a "two-coat" painter, too. In my sewing room, which is an etheral "lilac vapor," I used three coats. The difference in the depth and shimmer of color between two coats and three was amamzing. I had bought two gallons of the paint and decided that the third coat couldn't hurt. I still have about one-quart of the paint left for touch-ups.

I'll probably do only two coats of the darker sage color.

No, I wouldn't. I;m sure you have quality paint. You've already gone above and beyond. I say take the primer back!

I've used the Behr paint/primer combination in both my houses--it's amazing, and mostly covers well with only one coat. Given the quality of that particular paint, and the great success I've had with it, I will never use separate primer again, not as long as that is available. I'd suggest skipping the primer, and getting a good paint/primer combination.

I would definitely use the primer first. The primer coat will help with any slight imperfections and also gives a "tooth" for the paint to adhere to.

YES use the primer! You will get a much better color with the sage green. I've painted a burnt orange,a lighter and a darker sagey/forest green and brown and even a dark tan (dark tan was outside) you will get better color with less coats by using a primer! I had the primers tinted, a gray for the darker colors and a lighter tan primer for under the dark tan. The darker colors you could be painting 3 or 4 coats without the primer. You will probably need two coats of paint after the primer.
Prime prime prime! You won't be sorry!

Hi Caroline,

Prime, prime, prime. The more you prep your walls, the better the end result will be. You will not be sorry.

Sooey

Always prime. If you use paint and primer in one you will need two coats. If you used a good primer and a good quality paint you may only need one coat.

Prime won't hurt except to build up a thicker layer of paint(s) [old + new]. The surface is already painted and that should be sufficient. Do prime any repaired spots like filled holes and cracks. These are fresh surfaces and need sealing before applying new paint. The purpose of priming new surfaces is to seal the surface and to stop 'bleed-through' of stuff soluble into the new paint. It also preps new surfaces to make a base for the new paint to adhere to. Old painted surfaces do not need this if it has been thoroughly cleaned as you have done.

Admitedly, a primer will aid to hide a previous strong, dark color like red or black. A 2nd coat of paint does the same thing.

Just my opinion.

If you plan to paint again soon, you could skip the primer. If you want it to last longer, I'd prime it especially considering you have the paint. It won't do you any good sitting in the pails. I'd use it.

When I've tried to skip priming, I've always had to do more coats. I mistakenly believed that the first coat of paint would act as sort of a primer. I learned quickly it does not. Primer, then a coat of paint. Seldom need a second coat when you clean properly and prime.

I like to use a primer tinted to the same color as the finish coat, and then one (rarely two) finish coats. I think it makes a nicer finish.