Hey everyone. I’m ready to paint my backdrop which is 1/8" Masonite. Is primer a requirement or can I paint right onto the Masonite? I hate to be cheap, but I really don’t have much backdrop to paint and would prefer not to buy primer along with blue and white paint for a mere 8 square feet of backdrop. If primer is necessary, has anyone used it in place of white paint to blend into the blue? Thanks!
The white primer will be perfectly ok to mix with your blue. Prime it first and it’ll last for many years.
Mike
Welcome to the forums.
I agree, prime your masonite. One thing I would recommend is to use laytex paints. Later you can use the white to modify your “earth” color as well. You may find other uses for it around the house too.
Good luck,
Thanks for the info, that was the response I was expecting to hear. I was planning on using latex paint, I’ve done a little research and think I’m headed in the right direction with paint selection and technique I’ll use. Just wasn’t sure about the primer. Thanks again!
I applied two coats of white latex primer to ensure complete coverage. Then mixed white paint with a blue to resemble sky. Less white the darker the blue sky, more white the lighter the sky. If it does not quite turn out like you want, just paint over in white and try again. Third time was a charm
Primer is a good idea; however, your finish coats should be a finish paint, not primer. Not that primer won’t “work,” but primers are not as resistant to scuffing and cleaning as finish paints. There are now paints marketed as self-priming (e.g., Behr at Home Depot). I have recently used the Behr successfully, but the application was on a previously painted surface of a different color, not on unpainted Masonite.
Dante
Nonsense.
There is no need to prime the Masonite board.
I used blue latex paint applied with a roller 7 years ago on my Masonite board, and it still looks good as new. No cracks, no chips, no fading.
Rich
I like Rich did not prime my Masonite backdrop, even where I taped it, and have had no problems. Having said that, I was dissatisfied with the first coat – too solid a blue – so it has two coats of latex paint. Maybe that is the constructive equivalent of priming? [*-)]
The backdrop is not subject to any particular wear and tear. I might think differently about a Masonite fascia. That might benefit from priming. I see lots of scratched and worn fascias during layout tours.
This may sound odd (and OT) but has anyone ever tried using the nubby side of Masonite for their fascia?
Dave Nelson
Sure!
There was an article in the December 2008 MR called Building A Backdrop by David Popp. To quote Mr. Popp: “The surface of tempered hardboard varies between manufacturers. Some are quite porous and will soak up a lot of paint. Others, however, are much harder, making it difficult for ordinary latex wall paint to adhere properly. Coating the hardboard with primer will produce a surface that promotes good paint adhesion.”
I primed mine because I was told it would make it much harder to chip if banged. Originally I thought Naaa I’ll be careful. WRONG! Splines, track, foam, you name it have wapped my backdrop. No chips, sometimes just a mark that was wiped off. I am glad I listened.
A good friend who teaches such things at a trade school also said it is very important to use primer where ever joint compound was used. Even if you don’t prime anywhere else.
They say as bad as you want to get those trains running, do your Backdrop first, it will make life easier. I’m glad I listened. And I’m glad I primed.[:)]
Brent
Although I stand by my earlier statement that priming is unnecessary, based upon my own experience over an 8 year period, here is what an art supply web site says about painting Masonite.
Masonite is a trademark brand name of a type of dark brown fiberboard which is made from sawdust fibers and glue. It is mainly manufactured as wallboard for use in insulation and paneling, but can also be used as a surface for oil and acrylic painting.
There are two types of Masonite boards, tempered and untempered. The untempered is the preferred board for painting as the surface is not oily and is therefore more suitable for the application of gesso/primer.
The Masonite boards are easy to cut to the desired size using a saw. When used as a painting surface, it is recommended to use some sandpaper on the smooth side of the board before priming. This to make sure the primer adhere to the masonite surface.
The board should always be primed before painting. Three coats should be sufficient, and sanding between layers is also recommended for a smooth finish.
To save time, Masonite boards can also be purchased pre-coated with gesso from an art supplier.
FWIW I primed my masonite after testing on some scrap showed that I wasn’t getting good enough coverage with blue only. Maybe my paint was too cheap, but I figured it was worth the extra step, since it would need a second coat anyway.
I did the wet blending thing for the blue coat - here are some samples:
Hi!
I used to believe in the saying “real men don’t prime - they just paint two coats”, but have changed my tune over the years.
Good primer will probably not go to waste, but if you have FLAT white paint, you could use that and - for your purpose - be just fine.
The thing is, everyday you go into that layout room you are going to see that backdrop. So I would do what should help make it as good as it can be.