I finally stopped listening to that guy at the hardware store about primer

So there's this older fella who works at the Home Depot on 99 Street, always giving out advice like he's a pro. Last time I was there buying paint for my living room, he told me I didn't need to use primer over my old oil-based trim because 'paint sticks to anything now.' I figured he must know his stuff since he's been there for years. Well, three weeks later, the paint started peeling off in big sheets every time I bumped the trim with the vacuum. I had to sand it all down, buy two gallons of bonding primer, and start over from scratch. Cost me an extra $60 and a whole Saturday I could have spent relaxing. Now I just ignore that guy and look up stuff online before I listen to random store advice. Has anyone else had bad tips from those hardware store experts?

2 comments

2 Comments

white.grant1mo agoMost Upvoted

That "paint sticks to anything" line is exactly what gets people in trouble. I read somewhere that paint manufacturers put all those instructions on the can for a reason, and skipping primer on old oil based paint is basically asking for it to fail. Your trim probably had that hard, glossy surface that new latex paint just can't grip onto without something to bite into first. I've learned the hard way too that those guys are just guessing based on what worked twenty years ago, not what the actual science says now. Better off trusting the label or a building science website than some guy who stocks shelves.

wendy_wilson1mo ago

Read an article from a building science site that said modern paint chemistry assumes you're using primer to get proper adhesion, even on old paint. That fella probably confused "paint sticks to anything" with "paint will stick for a while until it doesn't." Saved me from the same headache since I just follow the label now instead of listening to store chatter.