I thought I’d write a quick blog on how to paint bare wood, because even though it’s relatively straightforward, a lot of people get it wrong. If you use the wrong primer, or you don’t carry out the steps in the right order, then your paintwork will start to fail after a short period.
I’ll start by listing the tools and materials you need, then I’ll run through each step in order, before going into a bit more detail about which products I recommend and why.
Supplies Needed to Paint Bare Wood
Knotting solution
Sandpaper
caulk
Primer
Undercoat
Topcoat
Masking tape
Tools Needed to Paint Bare Wood
Paint brush
Paint roller
Mastic gun
Filling knife
Dust brush
Steps
Prime the Knots
Some primers contain shellac, which stops sap bleed from knots in the wood, but most don’t, and I like to treat knots separately regardless. Get yourself some knotting solution, decant into a paint kettle, and then dab it on each of the knots in your timber. Miss this step and sap will bleed though a few weeks after you’ve finished and ruin your paintwork.
Dust Down
Run a dust brush over the wood to remove any grains of dust or dirt. Doing this prevents it from contaminating your paint.
Prime the Wood
Apply a coat of wood primer to the surface of the wood, working it into every nook and cranny. The primer will penetrate the wood and seal any fibres. I’ll talk about the best primer to use further down the blog.
Fill Pin Holes and Imperfections
Now you’ve primed, it’s time to do your filling. You should use a specialist wood filler. Just get the pin holes, screw holes, mitres, and any dents. I’ll talk about the best filler to use later.
Sand Everything Down
Once you’ve primed and filled, it’s time to do your sanding. Sand in the direction of the grain and carry on until the surface is smooth. 120 grit sandpaper is best for this sort of work.
Dust Down Again
Time to get that dust brush out again! Give everything a proper dust down to avoid contamination or problems with adhesion.
Caulk
Run Decorators’ caulk along the edges and joins of the wood and smooth with a wet finger. Take care to avoid pushing too hard and getting splinters. Try and be as neat as possible.
Apply an Undercoat
The undercoat helps build up the colour. Apply a full coat with a brush, or brush and mini roller. Try to avoid orange peel and brush marks.
De-Nib
After waiting for the undercoat to properly dry, you should run some fine grade sandpaper over the wood. You don’t need to press hard, and you should avoid taking any paint off. This is just to de-nib (remove imperfections). It’s worth casting your eye over the wood at this point and rectify any misses you may have made with the filling or caulking (we all miss bits from time to time).
Dust Off
Run your dust brush over everything again.
Apply Your Topcoats
You might be using matt, eggshell, satin, or gloss, it doesn’t really matter. Apply a coat with a brush, or brush and roller, taking care to avoid defects like orange peel and roller marks. Allow it to dry, then apply a second coat.
The Best Primer to Use on Bare Wood
Now you know how to paint bare wood, I thought I’d take some time to talk about the products I use as a Decorator. Most woodwork paints specify their own primer, but I learned a long time ago that you don’t need to use what it says on the instructions.
Some primers are much better than others, and now I use the same primer all the time when painting bare wood.
That primer is Bedec All Prime. It’s fully water-based, quick drying, has fantastic flow, great opacity, is reasonably priced, and it stops knot bleed and tannins. You can even use it to block stains. So, for me, as a Decorator, it’s handy to have it in the van. It’s fantastic on bare wood and available in grey or white.
Best Filler for Wood
I thought I’d mention filler quickly. I know it isn’t the sexiest of topics, but a lot of people make the mistake of using multi-purpose filler, or filler designed for use on plaster. When painting bare wood, it’s important to use a specialist wood filler.
The reason for this is that normal filler contains too much water. So, you fill your hole, the wood absorbs the moisture from the filler and swells. Then the filler sets so you sand it and apply your paint. A few weeks down the line, the wood shrinks again and brakes your paint film. All your hard work has gone to waste!
The wood filler most used by Professional Decorators is Toupret. It comes as a ready mixed product, which is very handy and easy to use. This is the one I buy. They also make a powder version, which is good when you need large quantities of filler.
The Best Paint for Bare Wood
There are different types of paint you can use on wood. You could go for water-based, oil-based, matt, eggshell, satinwood, or gloss. It can get a little bit overwhelming if like me, you think overall finish and longevity are important.
I can give you a few examples of what I use and why, but it’s just a snippet. There are thousands of paints on the market that are suitable for wood. Some are better than others. Regardless of whether you go for one of the options I give you, or you choose something different, the most important thing I can tell you is stick to TRADE paint.
Trade paint is made to a higher standard than the retail options you find at DIY stores. That means you’ll achieve a better finish, in fewer coats, and it will be more durable.
The other thing to consider is most Professional Decorators now stick to water-based paints when painting bare wood. Well, any interior wood really. It’s better for the environment, easier to apply, and providing you choose a good product, just as good a finish.
Crown Trade Fastflow
The first paint system I’m going to recommend for painting bare wood is Crown Trade Fastflow. This is a great option in my opinion! It’s a hybrid, which means it contains a very small amount of alkyd oil but is predominantly water-based.
This means it doesn’t yellow (or yellows very little anyway), but has the flow and durability of an oil-based paint. The undercoat has fantastic opacity, meaning it covers bare wood with ease.
You get very few brush and roller marks when using this paint, and it’s cheaper than a lot of the other trade paints available. It’s a great option.
Benjamin Moore Scuff X
If you are the type of person who wants the very best, and don’t mind paying a premium for it, then Benjamin Moore Scuff X is the paint you want. It is expensive, but it’s an absolute dream to use, and the finish is impeccable.
The only real downside is that they don’t make this paint in Brilliant White, which is the most popular choice in other brands. However, they do make a series of off-whites, that all look good.
The Benjamin Moore Scuff X Satin is particularly good.
FAQs
What happens if you don’t prime wood?
The primer is one of the most important coats of paint on bare wood. It seals the timber, which traps the fibres, so you can sand it smooth afterwards. If you don’t prime, then you’ll never achieve a good finish. Plus, adhesion may be an issue, so your paintwork won’t last anyway.
What is the best paint for bare wood?
You’ll need a good-quality primer, then undercoat, then topcoat. There are several good trade brands on the market. Any of which will lead to a good finish.
How many coats of paint on bare wood?
Realistically, you’re looking at 4 coats of paint on bare wood; 1 coat of primer, a coat of undercoat, and then 2 coats of your finish product.
Can I paint bare wood with emulsion?
You can’t paint bare wood with emulsion, otherwise the fibres of the wood will fluff up and show through your finish coat. Plus, the grain of the wood will rise, and your paint may peel (depending on what type of emulsion you’re using).
Is undercoat the same as primer?
They are different products. A primer is used as the first coat. It seals a surface and handles adhesion. An undercoat builds up a colour. However, some primers can be used as undercoat.
Can I use regular paint as a primer?
Not really. It won’t seal the surface like primer does, and your grain might rise.
What do you clean bare wood with before painting?
In most cases, you don’t need to clean bare wood before painting. You’re going to cover it anyway, so you won’t see the dirt. The only exception is if there are cleaning products or grease on the surface. In which case, sugar soap or Zinsser Degreaser is the answer.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to paint bare wood! It’s straightforward really and very rewarding. Just remember, knot prime, prime, fill, sand, caulk, undercoat, topcoats, all in that order. Do that and you won’t have any problems.
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