We’ve all done it, we’ve decided that we just have to repaint something – be it a wall, or a whole room or a piece of furniture – and we immediately grab our brushes and our emulsion and start slapping it on. Then, maybe after a few coats you get something that looks decent, if you’re lucky. If you’re not lucky though you might find your paint peeling, or those stains you’d hope to cover up bleeding through. That’s because you’ve forgotten the one key, but often overlooked step in painting – priming.
Priming is essential for a good quality paint finish, a good primer not only provides a nice, even colour as a base it also seals in stains and provides a key for paint to stick to, even on surfaces it may not be designed to stick to. Be aware though, no primer is suitable for every job; you should make sure you buy a suitable primer for your project to ensure the best quality finish. Currently we stock a range of Zinsser primers: these primers are some of the best on the market and are highly regarded by professionals and hobbyists alike.
Bulls Eye 1-2-3 is Zinsser’s classic acrylic-based all-purpose primer, sealer and stain-killer. It’s suitable for use on a wide variety of substrates, boasting excellent adhesion even to glossy surfaces and can’t be used on both interior and exterior surfaces.
Bulls Eye 1-2-3 dries quickly to a smooth, tight, water-resistant film helping to protect metals, such as iron or steel, from rusting. As well as protecting from rust, Bullseye 1-2-3 contains a biocide that helps to protect the film from fungal degradation, making this primer well suited for use in high-humidity areas such as the kitchen or the bathroom. The water-resistant film also makes Bulls Eye 1-2-3 highly effective at sealing stains, completely sealing graffiti, grease spots, tar and asphalt and stopping them them ruining the paint laid on top.
The quick dry formulation gives Bulls Eye 1-2-3 a 30 minute drying time with a 1 hour recoat time.
Zinsser B-I-N is a shellac-based alternative to Bulls Eye 1-2-3 and is perfect for interior priming or for exterior spot priming. It’s high adhesion shellac formula seals porous surfaces with excellent enamel holdout, as well as blocking the usual stains such as marker pen stains and water stains it will seal oil stains, bleeding knots and sap streaks. Along with sealing the stains B-I-N permanently blocks every kind of odour including smoke and fire damage and pet and nicotine odour.
B-I-N is perfect for interior ceilings, walls, doors and related paintable surfaces and spot priming on exterior metal, trims, PVC and wood and dries in just 15 minutes and is recoatable in 45 minutes!
Zinsser Cover Stain is the only interior / exterior primer, sealer, stain sealer and bond coat that dries for recoat in only two hours.
On interior surfaces Cover Stain drives quickly and has great hiding power – any and all stains are sealed away permanently, keeping topcoats blemish free. Cover Stain is especially effective on nicotine and water stains.
On exterior surfaces Cover Stain has a unique formulation that delivers full penetration and flexibility on all surfaces, including wood panelling that may warp due to heat and weather. Cover Stains unique oil-based formulation resists cracking and peeling and is compatible with all decorative top coats. Cover Stain is undoubtedly one of the best exterior wood sealers in the business.
Cover Stain is touch dry in 35 minutes and recoatable in 2 hours.