Primer that doesnt raise the grain

[jacko555]

Is there a primer that doesnt/minimises raised grain on pine?

Long story with damage during transit and quick replacement, I have all new unprimed pine skirting boards fitted.

I'd like to minimise the effort painting these and if there's a primer that won't raise the grain (much/at all) please let me know?

Plan is/was acrylic primer and satinwood paint (water based, not oil based).

Many thanks

 

[Notch7]

I would use a decent primer like Dulux quick drying undercoat which is water based, then denib with some 240g or 320g grit sanding pads

like these

Sponge Abrasive Pads 220G (Fine) | Toolstation

Double sided silicon carbide. Will adapt to most contoured surface shapes. • Ideal for denibbing and sanding • Can be used wet for dust control • Ideal for sanding intricate profiles

www.toolstation.com

It doesnt matter what paint you use, painting wood always means denibbing -even if you used a solvent based product, because the wet material picks up bits of dust and stuff in the grain of the wood and leaves it rough when dry.

 

[Chivas69]

It will only take a few minutes to give it a quick sand

 

[jacko555]

Downstairs alone is 70 or 80m of skirting...
Hey ho, room at a time

 

[Chivas69]

The primer is meant to raise the grain a bit. You then give it a light sand and put your top coats. I hate to tell you but it'll probably need two top coats of satin.
A bit of advice is not to worry if the furst coat if satin doesn't go on very good. Add a touch of water (obv if water based) and don't work with it too long. Just get it on and don't keep going iver it or it will start pulling off.

 

[opps]

The grain is already raised by the time the skirting is fitted.

I use the inferior quality Leyland Trade Acrylic primer because it is a dream to sand back, most other waterbased primers, including the Dulux Trade stuff clogs my abrasives. That said, I then use oil based undercoat, which does not raise the grain again. I use the Leyland coat as a visual guide, once 80%(?) of it has been sanded away, I know that the grain is now level.

Unfortunately in your case as soon as you apply your water based finish, the grain will raise (slightly) again. Even if you were to sand it flat again, the next coat will do the same thing (to a lesser degree each time).

If you have a skirting with a profile, consider using one the mesh type abrasives- eg Abranet. They are extremely flexible.

Rather than adding water to the finish coats, I would add Floetrol. It will help maintain a wet edge without actually thinning the paint.

As mentioned by @Chivas69 you will probably need two top coats. If you try to get away with one, you will see a difference in sheen levels around knots.

For significant dinks or mitred edges, I would use 2pack filler (with 80/120 grit sandpaper), for minor blemishes that will be safe from vacuum cleaner impacts, I would go for either Toupret RedLite or RedDevil Onetime (with Abranet paper). The latter is extremely easy to sand.