# Go to primer?



## ElTacoPaco (Dec 11, 2015)

What is everybody's go to primer and why? For example a lot of painters love the Universal Primer from SW 
I just want to know why you prefer to use. That over others


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## Crackshot (Dec 29, 2015)

exterior zinsser coverstain, interior zinsser bin


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Zinnser 123


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## I paint paint (May 4, 2014)

My primo one-N-done. CA will back me up.


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

All depends on substrate and the topcoat. No one primer fits the all in one bucket. I'm a huge waterborne or latex guy but still use oil primer often . Doing a set of oak cabs right now we experimented with couple latest WB primers , went back to oil.


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## loaded brush (Dec 27, 2007)

Glidden Gripper for adhesion on cabinetry, varnished woodwork
Zinnser 123 or Kilz 2 for general priming
Oil for bleed through stains, silicone caulk, preventing wallpaper paste bleed through in case ya didn't wash it all off.


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## DynaPLLC (Oct 25, 2013)

BIN or Coverstain on cabinets. If you feel like spending 50$+ on a gallon of primer, and wait for it 2 days to dry, Benjamin Moore Fresh Start 217 oil primer is the way to go.
I've done 150+ doors and drawers and cabinet boxes in it and top coated with Satin Impervo oil. That primer sands like nothing I've sanded before. Great primer for super high end stuff. 

For exterior, tinted XIM PeelBond for spot paint and filling in alligator skin paint job. 
Gripper or Loxon for cement boards and the like . 

I agree, there's not one primer for everything. Gotta play with a few and stick to what works.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Like thinkpaint said, depends on what I need it to do. I consider primer to be like a tool, I use what I need to get a particular job done.


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## Lakesidex (Oct 9, 2011)

Been using the SW Prep Right Pro Block for rolling walls and ceilings with a lot of patches/skim coat and for extreme color changes. I like the product but thinking it may be similar to 123, which I haven't really used. 

Coverstain over poly trim, for oil to latex conversion or bare wood that needs to be coated quick.
Slow dry oil outside for bare wood.
Fresh Start 046 for woodwork that isn't oil.

Always on the lookout for better performing primers that won't break the bank.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

loaded brush said:


> Glidden Gripper for adhesion on cabinetry, varnished woodwork
> Zinnser 123 or Kilz 2 for general priming
> Oil for bleed through stains, silicone caulk, preventing wallpaper paste bleed through in case ya didn't wash it all off.


Gardz works well for this avoiding the oil mess.

and a big THANK YOU for saying paste.:thumbsup:


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## Crackshot (Dec 29, 2015)

I paint paint said:


> My primo one-N-done. CA will back me up.


thats labeled as primer, but states "seals drywall and plaster".. ? so its a sealer? u dont need to prime drywall/plaster... its porous.

prime = get your application to stick to what ever
sealer = porous surface / stop stain etc - seal the deal
undercoat = to promote a clean / uniform finish and also something to sand, most undercoats double as a primer because they have excellent adhesion and dry harder than a sealer.. 

sealer on trim/door/frames = bad = soft. even though I am always paid to seal the lot... its dumb. dont do it. use undercoat . imagine enamel on soft sealer... eeek dent-city


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## journeymanPainter (Feb 26, 2014)

I'm a Behr kinda guy. Priming as I paint. Painting as I prime. 2 birds with 1 stone.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

journeymanPainter said:


> I'm a Behr kinda guy. Priming as I paint. Painting as I prime. 2 birds with 1 stone.


I can smell the sarcasm from way over here on your far right.

Bull 123 guy here. I know folks on here have said the quality has gone down over the past 10yrs. I haven't noticed that myself. Still have lots of trouble getting it off my hands and cleaning brushes at the end of the day, which is a good thing. I'd like it if they cut the sheen down a smidge, but I can live with it the way it is.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

journeymanPainter said:


> I'm a Behr kinda guy. Priming as I paint. Painting as I prime. 2 birds with 1 stone.


What the heck do they pay you for? Doesn't that stuff apply itself too?


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## jr.sr. painting (Dec 6, 2013)

We prefer SW multi purpose for most priming especially skim coats. It seams to seal very uniformly and allows the topcoat to dry nice and slow not to mention the past two years my local sw has ran a promo for 17.99 a gallon so we buy 30 gallons and that seems to hold us over for interiors for a year. Any stain gets bin and oil to latex conversion gets coverstain.


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## Boco (May 18, 2013)

Smartprime is decent for the get it done in a hurry jobs. It can be used on drywall or wood and dries in a hurry. Works great for smokers or candle burners.


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## journeymanPainter (Feb 26, 2014)

Wildbill7145 said:


> I can smell the sarcasm from way over here on your far right.
> 
> Bull 123 guy here. I know folks on here have said the quality has gone down over the past 10yrs. I haven't noticed that myself. Still have lots of trouble getting it off my hands and cleaning brushes at the end of the day, which is a good thing. I'd like it if they cut the sheen down a smidge, but I can live with it the way it is.


I was really hoping a newbie would call me out and start using the hack term. Haven't been called that in awhile


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Depends on the situation, different primers for different purposes. 

We carry SW, *Multisurface Primer*, all the time. It sticks to pretty much anything (metal, some plastics, pvc, drywall, wood, etc.) For touch-ups and odd ball things here and there. 

For interior primer on drywall mud we use *Wall & Wood* from Sherwin. Put on thick, covers well and seals it up. Plus it can also be used on wood and sands very nicely. 

Lastly, I think I might start carrying around a gallon of the *Extreme Bonding Primer* from Sherwin. I plan on using this stuff very sparingly because the multipurposes does such a good job of priming pretty much anything it touches, but just for that rare scenario or if we run into an issue where adhesion might be in question...will break this stuff out.


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## Exactoman (Mar 28, 2013)

another great post! bullseye 123 guy here. love the ben 046 too. but I'm like everyone else here, in that there's a different primer for each unique surface.


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## Lakesidex (Oct 9, 2011)

woodcoyote said:


> Depends on the situation, different primers for different purposes.
> 
> We carry SW, *Multisurface Primer*, all the time. It sticks to pretty much anything (metal, some plastics, pvc, drywall, wood, etc.) For touch-ups and odd ball things here and there....
> 
> ... the multipurposes does such a good job of priming pretty much anything it touches, but just for that rare scenario or if we run into an issue where adhesion might be in question...will break this stuff out.


So is the Multisurface the same as the Multipurpose which is also the same as the Preprite(or so I've heard?)


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## Gymschu (Mar 11, 2011)

Wish there was a "PRIMER Superstore" that carried all brands and all versions so you could do a one-stop shop for your priming needs.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Gymschu said:


> Wish there was a "PRIMER Superstore" that carried all brands and all versions so you could do a one-stop shop for your priming needs.


Good idea, but the folks working there would just wander around muttering "Always the bride's maid, never the bride" all day long.


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

Wildbill7145 said:


> I can smell the sarcasm from way over here on your far right.
> 
> Bull 123 guy here. I know folks on here have said the quality has gone down over the past 10yrs. I haven't noticed that myself. Still have lots of trouble getting it off my hands and cleaning brushes at the end of the day, which is a good thing. I'd like it if they cut the sheen down a smidge, but I can live with it the way it is.


We used to paint allot of banks back in the day. Stripped lots of commercial wall coverings and then reinstalled . B-123 was the hangers choice primer as he always double cut and said that stuff dried hard as a rock. Stuck like glue. But it does have odor issues especilly in HO"s home. Anything beats the cover stain hebegeebeees.....


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## Lakesidex (Oct 9, 2011)

thinkpainting/nick said:


> We used to paint allot of banks back in the day. Stripped lots of commercial wall coverings and then reinstalled . B-123 was the hangers choice primer as he always double cut and said that stuff dried hard as a rock. Stuck like glue. But it does have odor issues especilly in HO"s home. Anything beats the cover stain hebegeebeees.....


I am personally vibrating from the stuff as we speak. D*mn baseboard heaters were so rusty the turned my coverstain red.


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## woodcoyote (Dec 30, 2012)

Lakesidex said:


> So is the Multisurface the same as the Multipurpose which is also the same as the Preprite(or so I've heard?)


My bad. I meant Multipurpose. 

That's what happens when you write at 3am lol.

It's good stuff for sure. Painted drywall with it then went right away and painted some PVC using the same stuff. Worked great.


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

woodcoyote said:


> My bad. I meant Multipurpose.
> 
> That's what happens when you write at 3am lol.
> 
> It's good stuff for sure. Painted drywall with it then went right away and painted some PVC using the same stuff. Worked great.


It's absolutely ridiculous the way they label and markt there primer line... Can you say confusing:yes:


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## Ruchi123 (Feb 19, 2016)

*Priming Necessary Before Painting*


Primer is an undercoat that you paint onto the wall before painting it with color. It seals the surface so the paint adheres to the surface instead of soaking into the wall.
If you’re painting drywall that’s never been painted before, prime it first.
If you have touched up a lot of cracks and filled in a lot of nail holes on a wall, prime the wall, or at least the areas you have covered with putty or drywall compound, before painting it.
 If you’re painting a wall that hasn’t been painted for a long time, it’s not a bad idea to prime it, although you also could get away with a thorough cleaning.


http://paintmywalls.in/


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

thinkpainting/nick said:


> We used to paint allot of banks back in the day. Stripped lots of commercial wall coverings and then reinstalled . B-123 was the hangers choice primer as he always double cut and said that stuff dried hard as a rock. Stuck like glue. But it does have odor issues especilly in HO"s home. Anything beats the cover stain hebegeebeees.....


Unless they have changed it, 123 is not labeled for wall paper installation.:no:


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## thinkpainting/nick (Dec 25, 2012)

chrisn said:


> Unless they have changed it, 123 is not labeled for wall paper installation.:no:


Well we won't tell Zinsser if you don't but we use lots of coatings in areas and in substrates not listed in spec. Because they work:thumbsup:


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

thinkpainting/nick said:


> Well we won't tell Zinsser if you don't but we use lots of coatings in areas and in substrates not listed in spec. Because they work:thumbsup:


I know a few hangers that use it all the time. I just never thought it got herd enough, especially to double cut over. Gardz is my go to primer, but I will throw in some 123 if I need it tinted.:shifty:, don't tell Zinnser that either


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## PRC (Aug 28, 2014)

chrisn said:


> I know a few hangers that use it all the time. I just never thought it got herd enough, especially to double cut over. Gardz is my go to primer, but I will throw in some 123 if I need it tinted.:shifty:, don't tell Zinnser that either


What do you think of Shieldz?


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## Gymschu (Mar 11, 2011)

PRC said:


> What do you think of Shieldz?


ShieldZ isn't as good as Gardz.


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## NYCitypainter (Jan 23, 2008)

thinkpainting/nick said:


> We used to paint allot of banks back in the day. Stripped lots of commercial wall coverings and then reinstalled . B-123 was the hangers choice primer as he always double cut and said that stuff dried hard as a rock. Stuck like glue. But it does have odor issues especilly in HO"s home. Anything beats the cover stain hebegeebeees.....


Try Draw Tite, much less noxious and way easier to use. dries super hard.


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## summertime14 (May 4, 2009)

I like SW Easy Sand for painted cabinetry, Wall and Wood for most interior priming, XIM Peel Bond for Exterior repaint, and always have a spray can of Coverstain, and Guardz for problem solving areas.


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## jr.sr. painting (Dec 6, 2013)

I'm trying to convince a friend to use a better primer than pva or drywall primer for his nc house. There is a lot of long walls and critical light I don't think either of those primers will give a decent finish since the topcoats will all be satin. What would you guys recommend I'm trying to get him to use pro mar 200 primer or zinsser prime coat


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## summertime14 (May 4, 2009)

SW Premium Wall and Wood, Richards #5.


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