Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with primer

Please help me repair natural slate tile.

rinosaur — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:48:45 -0800

Please help me repair natural slate tile. Some white oil-based Killz primer was absorbed by our (NEW) unsealed dark, natural-slate floor during our bathroom remodel. Buffing/sanding/wire-wheeling has not had the desired results since the paint seeped deep in to the porous slate.

My next best idea is to mask it with art-grade oil paints before sealing, unless the Hive can come up with a better solution.

Thoughts? Thanks so much, AskMe!

Sharpie on the ceiling, need primer

docpops — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:55:28 -0800

Need recommendations for a primer that covers Sharpies on a white ceiling - experienced users only... I used a Sharpie to mark a template for an in-ceiling speaker instead of a pencil, since it was available and I was too tired to go upstairs. Inevitably my cutout was over a joist and I had to move it three inches so now I have about a 100 degree arc of dark purple adjacent to the speaker. 2 coats of a latex Kilz I found in the garage isn't doing it.

Anyone go through this that can tell me what to spend my money on for two minutes of painting?

Painting wood furniture for an even, durable finish.

jroybal — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:56:58 -0800

I'm going to be making this Parsons side table of poplar and MDF soon (Popular Mechanics link). How can I get the painted finish like the one in the picture? The top is MDF and the rest is a series of 3/4" thick lengths of poplar. I like how the one pictured on the linked page looks so monolithic with a very even and slightly glossy finish. I've gathered from a few web pages that I should use several coats of an oil-based primer, especially along the edges of the MDF, and several coats of an oil-based paint. Oil-based products apparently level out better. Yes or no? A few more specific questions:

1. What sandpaper grit should I use between coats?
2. What level of gloss/type of paint should I use? I leaning towards semi-gloss.
3. What about some sort of clear coat protectant finish? Polyurethane? Would that make it more durable, which would be helpful since this will be living room furniture?

Tips, tricks, critique, advice would be much appreciated!

Please degrease me!

thisjax — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:47:52 -0800

What are your picks for mattifying moisturizers/primers for oily skin? My skin is mostly very oily, but due to a little bit of uneven texture and dryness, I like to use a bit of moisturizer under my powder foundation (MAC Studio Fix). I'm looking for a mattifying formula that isn't too drying. I'm not breakout-prone so I don't necessarily need anything medicated. Bargain picks are especially welcome (if they are available in Canada), but I'm open to all suggestions.

NB: If you were about to suggest it, yes, I've tried the Kiehl's Blue Herbal moisturizer and found it rather sticky feeling.

Photography primer

aeighty — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:25:13 -0800

Can you guys recommend a photography textbook? Last year I took an intermediate photography class at a local college. It was fun, but regular assignments were a drag. I just couldn't force myself to go out shooting [often at night in february weather]... I'd like to try a structured program, but on my own time. The technical aspect of the course was really what I appreciated. I'd love a tutorial book. Any suggestions?

Craming for a Concert

EatTheWeak — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:40:47 -0800

Please help me prepare for a Dead Prez show this week. Hi AskMe! Dead Prez is playing my school on the 14th, and I've heard enough praise for this group to want to catch the show. I liked what I heard when I saw them on Chapelle's Block Party, but that's my only exposure to the group. I was hoping any of you MeFites who were also Dead Prez fans could catch me up on the group's essential works, and maybe recommend some personal favorites.

Thank you!

What type of primer is best?

demiurge — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 20:04:17 -0800

For a previously wallpapered wall, what type of primer is the best to use? For a wall that has just had the wallpaper removed prior to repainting, which type of primer would be the best? The wallpaper has been removed, but there might be some residual glue in spots. Would an oil or water-based primer be the best base for a new coat of paint?

Help Me Learn About Design

rossination — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:26:27 -0800

I'd like to learn more about print design and typography (I think. I'm not sure if these are the right terms). I have an immense casual interest in design for print (and to a lesser extent, for the Web). By "casual", I mean I'm clueless about it, but I appreciate good design and I am happy when I am able to make things that look nice. For instance, when our office needs a quick "bathroom out of order" sign, I enjoy firing up Publisher (a complete noob program, I know) and printing up a sign with a classy, simple border and judicious use of Georgia, as opposed to Times New Roman. Also, I enjoy (trying to) use LaTeX for papers, because I like how it looks. In general, I have no idea what I'm doing, but it's fun.

Anyway, I'd like to learn more about design and typography, especially for things such as simple signs and handouts (for instance -- I am a music education student, and would some day like to be able to make the coolest middle school band concert program). I'd also love to learn more about the field in general, not as someone looking for a career but just as someone looking to "geek out" a bit on the subject.

FWIW -- I use a Mac at home, a PC at work. I'm not really looking to buy any programs, but general tips on software, etc. are appreciated. I have access to lots of fancy programs through school, though, in the event that I get really into this kind of stuff.

Red walls to white in one coat of paint?

sprocket87 — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 09:12:03 -0800

Does one-coat paint really work? Or: What's the fastest and cheapest way to paint a red room white? We're moving from our apartment at the end of the month and per our contract must return all walls to white. The living room and hallway area is currently painted a deep reddish color, with some lighter reddish-orange wash effect on top of that.

My landlord said there is no specific paint or variety we must use as long as it is white. So I'm trying to find the absolute fastest, and preferably cheapest, way to cover these red walls with white.

I've read that some one-coat paints are quite effective at covering most anything in one coat if the instructions are followed exactly (proper saturation and coverage, etc). Can anyone tell me what brand / variety to look at, and what the odds are of me getting it done in 1 coat?

I've also heard that you have to primer the walls first for it to work - is that true for one-coat paints? The walls were painted red just over a year ago, if that makes a difference to their porousness or ability to retain paint. Since we're not required to anything but get it white, I'm not concerned about using a paint that is super-durable or anything, just as long as I don't have to do several coats.

Thanks all!

4 night SQL primer?

horseblind — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 13:16:34 -0800

Can you help me with a primer on SQL? I am a techie going on an interview for a new job. Mostly I work with end users, but I have some server and network experience. I have been at my current job for 6 years now. It's time to go.

My resume was requested for higher level support position that may lead to programming, which is what I would really like to do. I was just called with my interview time and date today after submitting resume yesterday. I was told to get a primer on SQL before the interview (9:00 AM Tuesday 22nd, August.) Eventually there will be some SQL skills needed for the job. They will know that my only SQL experience is configuring DSNs (yes, a monkey can do that.) The idea is NOT to dupe them into thinking I have vastly more SQL experience than I do. The idea is to allow me to go in and be able to converse intelligently about SQL to some degree and to let them know that I have started looking into skills needed for the position; showing them that I am eager and ready to learn whatever skills the job takes that i don't already posess. I am trying to learn in 4 nights what can reasonably be learned about SQL in that amount of time.

Again, I am not trying to fool them here. They will be aware of my level of experience. I am trying to show initiative and have something akin to an intelligent conversation regarding SQL.

So, what should I read or do to get something of a SQL primer in 4 nights?

Primer Primer

notbuddha — Sat, 17 Sep 2005 11:28:30 -0800

How is using a coat of primer before painting different than just using an extra coat of paint? We just had our fifty-year-old house painted, and, unfortunately, did not get a detailed breakdown of what would be done. They power wahsed the worst of the old paint off, and did a little scraping, but then just put the paint straight on the resulting surface, with no primer. Is this bad?

Everything I could find on google stresses the importance of starting with primer, but I'd like to know how that's different from just using an extra coat of paint.

Primer: what happened?

timeistight — Tue, 19 Jul 2005 10:31:02 -0800

I saw Primer on the weekend. I really liked it, but uh… what happened? [Spoiler inside (I hope)]

Can you help me understand the movie "Primer"?

gottabefunky — Mon, 01 Nov 2004 10:21:20 -0800

Have you seen the movie Primer? Did you understand what the heck was going on? Could you explain it to me? {more inside, including possible spoilers} OK, OK - very impressive feat, especially for only $7,000. Definitely entertaining. I'll give it that. But I HATE feeling like a five-year-old at a David Lynch workshop.

I get the basic time-travel thing, producing doubles of each guy, and not wanting to screw up the continuum or whatever.

But when things start to go "wrong" - i.e., trust breaks down between the friends, things get screwy, what the heck is going on? What is the "failsafe device"? What about that woman's father in the car behind them?

And the ending? Please hope me.