Is it necessary to prime a white wall before painting it?

I'm about to paint my house and I've heard several dissenting opinions as to whether putting primer on a white wall is really necessary. Help!Is it necessary to prime a white wall before painting it?
I know where you're coming from...all the self help books and sites tell you all the 'rules'...but they seem to be so much work! I have broken most of the rules (alot of the time, out of laziness or impatience), and I have yet to be disappointed. And NEVER has there ever been an instance where I said, ';Crap...I wished I'd listened...'; The walls look amazing with the new colour, and I honestly can't imagine them turning out any better if I'd followed 'the rules'. Even in cases where I've painted a dark colour...I just ended up with two or three coats instead of one...





So here are the only ones that you MUST follow:





1. Prime over sheetrock or drywall if it doesn't already have a coat of paint.





2. Prime over oil if you are going to change to latex.





Good luck...and hey...its only paint! Have fun...and don't get hung up on 'the rules'.Is it necessary to prime a white wall before painting it?
If the sheetrock or other surface has no paint on it, priming is a good idea. It helps provide an undercoat for the paint, to give it an even look and texture. It also keeps material like sheet rock from absorbing the paint as it dries, and making it look ';spotty.';
if you have the money it is a good idea...but paint is expensive so I would cut cost by not priming a white wall:)
i am painting the inside of my house right now. i would prime if:





the wall is damaged, flaking off (spackle over these areas first)


the paint is shiney/slick (primer will make the paint adhere better)


the color is going to be dark (use a tinted primer first and you will get much better coverage)





otherwise go ahead and paint first. dont worry about spending time on priming first because i guarantee you will want at least two coats if you are using color and if you prime and do a good job then one of your coats will be primer and one paint. much luck. i know how great a nicely painted room can make you feel!!
yes if you dont primer your drywall, it will suck that paint up.


Primer also helps in blocking out moisture and mold. but if youre painting on top of old paint - no.
If you are going to paint a dark color over the white, then I would use a gray primer. That will save you some coats of paint on your finish color.





Another reason you might want to prime is if the wall hasn't been painted in a long time and has some surface dirt or oil. In this case, wash the walls (which you should do anyway) and then prime. A good primer will bond to the existing paint and give you a better finish.





The more time you spend on prep, the better the finished product.
if its new sheetrock you must prime. A primer will make it look better but its not necessary
a primer will seal the old paint and block any stains that may bleed through, if the walls are clean then there shouldn't be a problem painting over the white. if the old paint is a gloss or semi-gloss (usually in bathrooms and kitchens) you should use a primer .