 Hi, I'm Ty Pennington, and this is another one of Ty's tips. To prime or not to prime? That is the question so many weekend warriors ask. Listen to me, please. It's always worth it to prime. Priming makes any job easier and can even make hard-to-paint surfaces like metal or laminate less of a challenge. There are several different kinds of primers on the market. Some are designed to cover and block stains, others are good for hiding existing colors and patterns, and some just do it all.