PVA primer - a practical solution for budget repairs

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

PVA glue as a primer is often used for painting and wallpapering

Plastering, plastering and painting of walls and ceilings, finishing them with wallpaper or tiles require preliminary surface preparation, one of the stages of which is priming. In this article we will tell you how to make a primer from PVA, as well as about the features of this budget tool.

Advantages and disadvantages of a homemade primer

PVA glue is an aqueous emulsion of polyvinyl acetate. There are several varieties of this adhesive that are used in construction, furniture, carpentry, office and other industries mainly for gluing materials. When dried, it forms a thin film on the surface.
It has some properties of professional primers:

• Improve adhesion - the ability of the surface to adhere to the subsequent layer;
• Creates additional protection of the basis against moisture.

Such protection cannot be considered reliable enough, but it is in any case better than if you do not use a primer at all.
Unfortunately, the adhesive primer does not have other operational advantages. But its price is much lower compared to special formulations. And in the case when the issue of economy is acute, its application is fully justified.
Now about the disadvantages:

• The PVA-based primer is not able to penetrate the thickness of the material and strengthen its structure;
• It does not have antibacterial and antifungal (seeAntifungal primer - purpose and characteristics of the material) properties, does not protect against mold;
• There is a risk of peeling of the layer applied to the surface together with the primer under its own weight;

For reference. This may occur due to non-compliance with the preparation technology of the composition.

• The PVA primer may turn yellow over time. If the layer of decorative finishes covering it is very thin and light, yellow spots will begin to appear through it.

Yellow stains on the wallpaper - the result of poor-quality preparation of the walls

Knowing all the pros and cons of this tool, you can decide whether to use it or still use a professional primer with certain properties. If the repair is planned to be as budget-friendly as possible - with inexpensive paper wallpaper or painting the walls in the utility room, then PVA can be used instead of the primer.
If the design project provides for an expensive finish decorative plaster, tiles or heavy wallpaper, save on quality surface preparation is not worth it.

Preparation and application

Did you weigh the pros and cons, evaluate your financial capabilities and decide to make your own primer? Then carefully read the information below and try to follow it exactly.

Preparing a primer

The process of manufacturing an adhesive primer is very simple, but you need to approach it responsibly so as not to be disappointed with the result.
Instructions on how to make a primer from PVA:

• Prepare clean water, a container of the right volume, a mixing tool, and PVA construction glue. Although carpentry can also be used to process wooden surfaces;
• Pour the glue into the container, and then start pouring water into it with a thin stream, while vigorously mixing the mixture with a wooden spatula and making sure that it turns out to be homogeneous, without a watery film on the surface;

Tip.It is very convenient to use a construction mixer or a special nozzle on a drill for mixing. This will speed up and facilitate your work, will allow you to achieve high-quality mixing.

Primer preparation

• The standard proportions are two parts of water per one part of glue. But sometimes more water is needed. How to determine this, we will tell a little below;
• To improve the quality of a home-made primer, a little liquid resin or chalk crushed into powder can be added to it during the mixing process.

The PVA-based primer loses in quality over time, so you need to cook it just before application and exactly as much as you can or have time to use. This should be done at room temperature, away from open sources of fire.

Trial application

To check the quality of the PVA primer, make sure it does not peel off the surface, first apply it to a small area. The trace should have a clear whitish color. If it is too thick, add a little more water, again thoroughly mixing the mixture.
When the primer leaves a normal mark and absorbs well into the surface, let it dry completely, then try using a fingernail or with a spatula to pick up the edge. If the film is peeling off, additional dilution with water is required; if not, you can start work.

If the primer peels off easily, the coating on the wall will not stick.

Surface treatment

Priming with PVA glue is carried out in the usual manner: first, corners and hard-to-reach spots are passed with a brush, then the main plane is processed with a short-haired roller. If the soil is completely absorbed, wait for it to dry and apply another layer.

The whole process is well shown in the video. It is very convenient to use a special bath with an inclined ribbed surface. When rolling a roller over it, excess liquid is squeezed out of it, and there are no drips or drops on the wall and floor.

In the photo - the same paint bath

Conclusion

It can not be argued that the PVA primer is a reliable protection for walls and a high-quality substrate for subsequent finishing. She does not have those properties that special compounds fully possess. But when carrying out budget repairs, this is an indispensable tool for surface preparation, which allows a decent save.