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Universal primers are basic surface preparation products which most painters keep on the truck for frequent use. . These primers are known as "universal" primers, which means that they are good for almost any priming situation. Most univeral primers process the following qualities:
Universal Primers
part 1
Fast drying
One of the qualities that makes the universal primers so useful is the fast dry, quick recoat capability. Same day priming and painting is a must for most painting projects (at least for professional painters), and the quicker the recoat, the better.
Bonders
They are usually “bonding primers” used for adhesion to hard to grip to surfaces. With many of the universal primers sanding is not always required -providing that the surface is clean. Sanding will improve the adhesion with all of the universals, and is recommended, unless there is some reason it can’t or shouldn’t be done prior to priming.
Stain blockers
Stain blockers lock in stains and prevent them from migrating into the finish paint. The stain blocking capabilities of each of the universal primer types is different with the different types of stains. Water based stain blockers do not work well with water soluble stains, whereas shellac or oil stain blockers will seal water soluble stains effectively.
The three types of primers
There are three types of universal primers. oil based , water based and shellac based versions, each type processes the universal primer attributes, but they have different strengths and weaknesses.
Shellac Primer
Some of the benefits of shellac primer (which is a favorite of mine for a variety of reasons), are it's quick dry and strong adhesion. Shellac primer will dry in about 15 - 30 minutes, making for very quick recoating.
Shellac primers are re-coatable with latex or oil paints. Brushes and tools can be cleaned up with amonia and water (see How to Clean a Paint Brush). Shellac is the best of the universal primers for sealing porous substrates and the best for enamel "hold-out" and providing sheen uniformity. Shellac is probalbly the best stain blocker too. A limitation of shellac primers is that they lack exterior durability and are suitable for interior priming only, spot priming (only) of exterior knots is the only exception to this. When used as a knot sealer, I like to re-spot prime over shellac with an oil primer. The oil primer protects the shellac and provides for a second stain seal over the knot also
Shellac also has very good adhesion to glossy surfaces but unlike oil which is a little forgiving , the surface must be very clean in order for shellac to develop adhesion. Another point to remember with shellac is that is will not "wet the surface" or adhere if the surface is a little dusty, I don't use shellac for spackle spots for this reason as oil will wet the surface better (never paint directly over dust, either vacuum, or wipe off with a rag or dusting brush to remove all dust first before priming ).
My Favorite Universal Primers
Zinsser is my favorite brand of universal primer. Zinsser makes an oil (Coverstain), latex (123 Bullseye) and shellac (BIN) universal primer versions.. Zinsser primers are known for their excellent adhesion, fast dry and good stain kill properties.
Another brand of high performing universal primers is Xim brand. Known for their exceptional adhesion when used according to the manufacture's label and instructions. This brand will probably cost a bit more than Zinsser but for high performance needs - this is the brand I use in these situations.
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Sealers
They prevent the finish paint from soaking into the raw or unsealed substrate. Sealing the substrate ensures sheen uniformity, and prevents the paint from drying off too quickly, which can lead to lap marks and poor leveling. The good sealing properties of the universal primers, makes them a preferred choice as an enamel undercoat. The best leveling of the universals are shellac and the new waterborne primers. The smooth leveling is a requirement for smooth enamel work.
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