Painting wood

If I make a couple small tables and paint the bottom of them. Would I need to prime them first or just go straight to coats of paint? The top would remain natural with coats of clear.

What I am kicking around are some shaker style tables as holiday gifts. It started out small, but the list keeps getting added to. If the list gets any longer, I may have to contract the job out.

Picture and free plan here, http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/projects/pages/free-bookcase-plans.aspx

Primer will hold the paint, provide you a consistent color. I think it is worth the extra step. Now do I follow my advice all the time? Nope, but when I don't, I find myself using extra paint and it has light and dark areas in it.

If you use milk paint you will probably be fine

Seriously though. Some of the paints I have used advertise that they are "self priming". well....
I would prime as it seals the wood and gives you a quicker build with your finish coats. Tinting the primer the color of the finish coat helps a lot too. Especially when you get into the reds.

Rich Soby said:

If you use milk paint you will probably be fine

I would prime as it seals the wood and gives you a quicker build with your finish coats. Tinting the primer the color of the finish coat helps a lot too. Especially when you get into the reds.

Click to expand...

Steve if you just painting for the effect, most undersides of tables were just primed with a rust red.

Dave, would that "rust red" you referred to be the same as red oxide?

Thanks.