Paint and primer are two different things - even though advertised as "paint and primer in one", you can't kill both those birds with one stone. Experts and pros can no doubt explain better than me, but I'll give it a go (and hopefully get corrected so I can learn in the process). Primer prepares the walls for painting - whether you are going over brand new drywall texture, or covering up neon blue. Depending on the surface, primer can provide better adhesion between paint and wall. I don't know much about tinting primer - I always rely on my paint store to help with that decision. I'm not sure if tinting is necessary when going to a light color, but when I painted a hallway hunter green, they tinted the primer a medium gray (I was going over white walls). Primer (Zinnser 123) $20/gallon Benjamin Moore Aura: $67/gallon One coat of primer does not equal one coat of paint! If the coverage is better because of the primer, you save paint.

I pretty much agree. I think if you are using flat paint on any ceiling and you have some patching that you did up there, either use the actual flat paint to prime the patches or prime the entire ceiling. Spot priming on a ceiling with an actual primer is just asking for a flash because now you have sealed that area and the rest of the ceiling is not sealed. Aside from the patching issue, if you are going for the perfect looking ceiling, you will want to prime the entire ceiling and then apply one coat of flat. The primer will give that flat paint the extra open time that you need on a ceiling, plus it is just easier to paint over a primer than it is to paint over another flat paint layer. All of this is particularly true for a novice painter. Priming just makes everything easier.

No need to reprime unless you are using the primer as a tinted base coat to achieve a color. As with most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for: find a paint store that sells better brands and you should be good to go.

1. Wash it throughly, especially around the handset and deadbolt. 2. Dull it with #200 sandpaper and wipe it down again. 3. Prime it with a quality acrylic latex primer. 4. Apply two coats of 100% Acrylic Latex enamel. thin coats work best on doors, or spray them. Michael