Should You Prime Before Texture?

By Viet Nguyen Written by Viet Nguyen
Updated on August 14, 2023

Painting your home is much more complicated than simply picking up the brush, dipping it in paint, and then splattering it on the wall. There are steps you must take before you paint the world in order that your paint looks great on the wall, and that it will not be damaged easily. When doing some paint work, you may ask, should you prime before texture?

One of the major questions that most people ask about this process is whether you should prime before texture. The answer is a yes, you should always prime before texture. This article will provide more context as well as information on whether you should apply a primer before texture or after.

What is priming?

Priming is a necessary step in house painting. In this step, you will apply the primer to the surface of your wall before painting it. The primer is a mixture that usually has no color, and its main purpose is to add adhesion to the surface. This means that the paint will stick much better when the wall has been primed, improving the aesthetic quality of the paint as well as its overall lifespan. 

What is texturing?

Texturing is another important step to consider. In this step, you will try to give your wall the desired texture or the “feel”, which should be the foundation for all future decorations. Texturing is an essential step because it determines how your wall will look in the future. If you want a smooth-looking wall with bright colors, texturing will help you to achieve this effect. Conversely. If you want a rougher texture, you can achieve that feel with the right texturing techniques. 

Should you prime before texture?

Yes, you should always prime before texture. This is because primers are particularly effective in increasing the adhesion of the wall, making sure that your texturing paint will stick to it without falling out. Furthermore, if you prime before texture, you will be able to avoid rough patches, which can negatively affect the overall aesthetic of your wall. 

Another reason to prime before texture is that each type of wall will react differently to the texturing paint, so unless you are a professional with past experience, it will be very difficult to guess how the paint will react with the wall. The best way to avoid this is to use primers before texturing, as the primer will make sure that the texturing paint will stick with ease, ensuring a consistent application on your wall. 

If you are an experienced painter, it is possible to prime after texture, but most experts recommend against this. 

How to choose the right primers for your wall?

Choosing the right primer for your wall is the key to a long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing paint job. Most primers will work just fine, but there are specific factors that you should take into account before you buy your primer:

  • The surface you are painting on: This is an important factor to take into account. Each surface has different properties, which can affect the overall adhesion of the paint and its consistency as well. For example, wooden surfaces typically go well with oil-based as well as latex-based primers. Meanwhile, you should only use latex-based primers for drywalls, as oil-based primers might make the grain of the wall become more apparent. 
  • Exteriors vs interiors: Exterior primers are generally more durable and more robust than interior primers, as they will have to withstand more wear and tear from weather hazards. For this reason, if you are painting the outer walls of your home, be sure to use exterior primers!

Should you prime a ceiling before adding texture to it?

Even when you are painting the ceiling, you will still have to prime the surface beforehand to make sure that the paint will not crack easily. Ceiling primers will create more adhesion for the surface, allowing the paint to stick much more easily.  If you have a drywall ceiling or a wooden ceiling, you will have to apply primers to protect the paint. However, there are certain cases where a primer is not necessary, especially if the paint is water-based. In these cases, you can paint the texturing paint on the ceiling first without having to prime it. 

Choosing the right paint for your wall

Wall paints come in various types, and each of them has its own unique set of benefits as well as downsides. Understanding which kind of paint would go well with your wall will greatly help you to improve the longevity of your paint job. 

The most important thing to consider when you are choosing your paint is the colors. The colors should match the current color scheme of your furniture to prevent mismatches. You can find inspiration for your paint colors by either using color theory or browsing through magazines. 

Conclusion: Should you prime before texture? 

Priming before texture is an important step to take during your house painting project. If you wish to create a beautiful and long-lasting paint layer for your home, always prime before texture!