Difference between sealer and primer?

[Robin]

Can someone tell me what the difference is, if there is a difference? I just planned on sanding, then primer, then painting. Is that enough or are there more steps to be concerned with?

[Minis On The Edge]

I know a primer is a sealer which will help keep moisture out and help things to not warp. I prime everything after I build but some do it before they start to assemble the house

I hope this helps you. I have never used the other sealer that is discribed in the instructions. Hubby always told me to just use a paint sealer and it always worked for me

[Lisa_F]

Is the primer a special product or can regular house paint be used as a base coat/primer?

So far I've just used some leftover regular house paint to give my houses a base coat - but now I'm wondering if I should use something else?

[Gramma Kathy]

Can someone tell me what the difference is, if there is a difference? I just planned on sanding, then primer, then painting. Is that enough or are there more steps to be concerned with?

There are different kinds of primers and there are different kinds of sealers. Which one you need to use depends on what you want your final finish to look like. They both seal the surface but the final finish won't be the same.

A primer seals the surface and gives a good surface for paint to adhere to but it probably won't fill in the grain of the wood and will leave a bit of texture to the surface.

A sanding sealer fills in the grain of the wood and gives a very smooth finish. A sanding sealer is what you use to get a very smooth finish for painted furniture. Typically with sanding sealer you use two or more thin coats and sand between with 0000 steel wool.

Kathy