Primer and putty before painting: what should the quotation specify?

“Putty, primer and paint” does not describe the preparation included in a quotation. Ask whether filling covers the whole wall or selected repairs, and which primer suits the substrate. These details make quotations comparable.

Illustrative photo of LED worker uniqueness wall putty on the wall repair area before painting — AI-generated illustration, not a photograph of a completed Almusaileem project.

Primer and putty serve different purposes

Primer prepares a substrate for the paint system. Its function depends on formulation and intended use: some promote adhesion or resist alkalinity on cement-based surfaces. Jotun’s cited waterborne primer is an example, not a universal specification.

Putty or filler smooths appropriate surface irregularities within its permitted application thickness. Interior acrylic fillers and cement-based levelling materials serve different requirements, as illustrated by Jotun’s coarse cementitious product. Confirm the locally supplied product and its technical data sheet.

Let wall condition determine preparation

New plaster or an unpainted surface

Record readiness, unevenness and any defects requiring separate treatment. The cited Jotun instructions require a sound, clean, dry surface free of dust and grease, with defects addressed. Include these steps explicitly.

Previously painted walls

Ask why full filling or local repairs are proposed and how the primer requirement was established. A room with removed shelves and a room with sound paint may need different scopes.

Gypsum board and mixed repairs

Identify substrates and repair locations. State whether joint and screw-head treatment is included and which materials will be used. Agree a compatible preparation and coating system for the different surfaces.

Does primer go before or after putty?

Follow the chosen product system. Jotun’s cited Basic Stucco sheet illustrates a primer-then-filler sequence and notes that other systems may be specified for different uses. This is an example; the applicable local technical sheet governs the selected products. Request the sequence in writing rather than applying one recipe to every material.

Five details to record

Manufacturer and name of primer, filler and final paint.
Included walls, ceilings, rooms and exclusions.
Full-surface filling or identified local repairs, with defect-treatment boundaries.
Layer sequence and coats for the proposed system, including sanding and dust removal.
Approval of additional treatment found during inspection or preparation before it is carried out.

Compare the same area, preparation standard and specified materials. Send overall and close-up photographs and say whether the substrate is new plaster, old paint or gypsum board. Inspection completes the information needed to agree the work.

Related guides and references

For painting, gypsum board and flat wall-cladding work in Kuwait, send your area, drawings and site photos to Almusaileem Paints & Decor. Enquiries: 56510526.