Do I need to prime the walls before I paint?

This is an old place, but the walls are undamaged, its just that they are all yellow, yes, YELLOW (flat)! I just want to paint it off white or something, and it isn't the brightest yellow, just a dull lemony colour, do I really have to prime?


Its only a place I am renting, the landlord doesn't care what we do with it, I am a poor student so I don't want to spend loads of money on primer if I may not need it. I intend to do 2 coats of paint.Do I need to prime the walls before I paint?
Don't bother with the primer. Unless there is water damage, two coats of paint should do you well enough.Do I need to prime the walls before I paint?
I only used primer one time in my whole life and I have to say that is you are painting a yellow wall off white you probablly dont need a primer.


Primers are only used when you are changing the color of a dark painted wall to a light color paint OR if you are painting something that is ';drinking'; the paint. (panaling is good for this).


No, you shouldn't need a primer at all to paint over a dull yellow. :) Hope this helps and good luck!
Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and have them TINT your primer an off-white color. The primer will help any dirt or oil from shining through and it will still have that off-white color you are looking for. Just remember to clean the walls and trim thoroughly first. If it is just a rental, you shouldn't be spending the money on primer and THEN two coats of paint. Two coats of tinted primer will do.
Two coats of high quality paint should cover almost anything. I'd suggest Behr from Home Depot since it's fairly inexpensive and covers very well. If the walls are like most rentals, it would be a good idea to clean them first with something that will removed oil and grease since paint doesn't stick well to these and they'll bleed through. Same thing goes for crayon on the walls.
If in doubt, prime. A coat of good primer won't be any more expensive than that extra coat of paint. More importantly, surface preparation needs to be done. Grease and dirt can bleed through light colored latex as well as preventing adhesion. If the old paint is oil base, you should give the walls a light sanding before cleaning.
You'll have to use at least two coats to cover a yellow wall. But if you prime, that will count as one of the coats, and primer is cheaper than high quality paint. I recommend Behr paint and Kilz primer.
No way ..


Primer is what it says it is; ..... primer.


If your walls already have paint on them than they already have been primed ... paint away.


Of course that isnt saying that one coat will do what you want, but I would think you should be able to cover yellow okay ...
yellow is one of the hardest colors to cover.....i would use a blocker paint, talk to the paint guy at lowes or where ever u buy it......took us 3 coats to cover yellow here.....did it agian in a remodel and used a blocker and only took one coat over the blocker.....





lic. gen. contractor
i would prime the walls , otherwise the yellow will bleed flu

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