Before you start painting on any surface you must consider what is the best primer to use. Ask yourself:
- What kind of surface/material are you trying to paint on?
- What kind of action is the surface subject to? (I.e dancing, heavy handling, etc.)
- Does it need to be durable outdoors or indoors?
- Do you need a primer with low odour?
- Do you need it to dry quickly?
- Does the primer need to be clear or opaque?
On surfaces like metal, you must clean it before applying the primer. This can be cleaned with a de-greaser or methylated spirits. On plastics, varnished or painted wood you may have to sand the surface prior to applying the primer this will provide a ‘key’ to help with adhesion. On surfaces such as plywood or MDF, a vinyl matt paint can be appropriate as your primer.
The prices shown here are accurate as of early 2017. You may find other suppliers or products that work better or are cheaper. Always check the price before you quote it to a production manager, designer, client.
Water-based primers
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 is a universal interior and exterior, waterbased, primer-sealer. It offers low odour application, quick drying convenience and excellent adhesion to glossy surfaces. It offers excellent adhesion without sanding to hard to stick surfaces.
Bulls Eye 1-2-3 also prevents rust formation when applied over clean steel. Bulls Eye® 1-2-3 is great for blocking stains. It permanently and completely seals graffiti, grease spots, tar and asphalt — inside and out
Drying Time: It has a 35 minute touch dry time and is recoatable in just 1 hour.
Coverage: 10 m2 per litre
Colour: White
Price: £59.69 (ex VAT) for 5L, £15.50 (ex VAT) for 1L from Flints
Flints Multi Purpose Primer
This product will provide a long lasting protection for steel. The surface of the material should be free from grease before application. Like other water based products it takes longer to cure than solvent based products.
Low odour.
No fire risk during use.
Environmentally sound.
Also available in black which can also be used for masking out the back of BP screens. It adheres well and provides a completely opaque covering.
Drying Time: It has a 35 minute touch dry time and is recoatable in just 1 hour.
Coverage: 10-12 square metres per litre.
Colour: White or Black
Price: £51.84 (ex VAT) for 5L from Flints
ROSCO Tough Prime
Tough Prime can be use on: PVC pipe, aluminium and plastics, as well as muslin, wood and foam core.
It dries to a tough, durable coating that can be over painted.
Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Drying Time: Although touch dry in half an hour, this paint will require between 24 and 48 hours to fully cure to its maximum strength.
Coverage: 9 – 10 square metres per litre.
Colour: White or Black
Price:£55.70 (ex VAT) for 3.79L from Flints
ROSCO Colour Coat
It is ideal backstage for painting lighting bars, truss, steel handrails etc which would otherwise need hazardous etch primers. Even when applied with a budget brush the finish looks like it has been sprayed or powder coated. Very good adhesion to aluminium.
While Colorcoat can be used on most interior and exterior surfaces where maximum durability is required it is not suitable on soft or flexible substrates.
Rosco recommend Colorcoat for use on floors and scenery which endure heavy handling. It is waterbased, so brush cleaning is easy.
Clear Colorcoat can also be used as a heavy duty sealer over all Rosco paints.
Drying Time: Touch dry within 30 mins
Coverage: Coverage 7 – 8.5 square metres per litre.
Colour: Clear satin and gloss. Black gloss and flat
Price (ex VAT): £41.40/3.79L from Flints
Covent Garden Primer
Designed for the Royal Opera House for priming vacuum formed plastics, this water based primer can be tinted and is ideal for difficult surfaces such as dance floor, PVC, clear plastics, and rubber flooring.
Covent Garden Primer is formulated to be a first coat prior to conventional painting although adding 20% to your scenic paint will normally make it stick to dance floor materials.
The best water based primer for vacuum formed plastic sheet.
Aids adhesion of water based paints to difficult substrates.
Drying Time: Touch dry within 1 hour
Coverage: 8 square metres per litre.
Colour: Clear with a glossy finish
Price (ex VAT): £18.25/1L, £35.20/2.5L, £64.25/5L from Flints
Vinyl Matt Paint
This applies to Macphersons Vinyl Matt paint, prices can vary for similar products from Johnstones, Dulux, B&Q etc. The ideal choice for interior surfaces where a flat matt finish is required. Ideal for surfaces such as plywood, MDF and canvas. This can also be used as a top coat over other primers.
Spirit based primers
Shellac
This product is handmade from the villages around Calcutta and is less refined than machine made products, however this gives added strength.
Its golden colour will help the appearance of certain woods such as walnut.
It is often used to seal stains and prevent migration of fireproofing chemicals. A quick drying primer for metal and a very good primer for wood.
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