Best Paint Primers of 2025

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Paint primers are essential products for achieving a smooth and long-lasting paint finish. They are designed to create a stable surface for the paint to adhere to and can help to hide imperfections and stains on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. Primers come in a variety of types, including oil-based, water-based, and shellac-based, each with its own unique benefits and uses. Whether you're painting a room, refinishing furniture, or working on a DIY project, using a quality primer can improve the overall look and durability of your paint job.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Paint Primers
Daler-Rowney System3 Gesso Primer for Artists
The System3 Gesso Primer is designed to prepare surfaces effectively before painting. Its high-quality formulation means you can apply it directly from the pot, saving you the hassle of dilution. You will appreciate its excellent coverage, making it ideal for large areas, whether you are working indoors or outdoors. This versatility makes it a valuable choice for both professional artists and art students alike.
Sizzix Gesso Primer Paste for Surface Prep
The Sizzix Gesso Primer is an essential tool for any creative individual. Its versatile formula allows you to prime various surfaces, making it easier to apply different mediums seamlessly. You will appreciate the opaque matte finish it provides, ensuring a professional look for your projects. This high-quality product comes in a generous 150ml pot, perfect for multiple creative endeavours. Additionally, its thick paste composition allows you to create unique textures, adding depth and dimension to your artwork.
7 Artists White Acrylic Gesso Primer 100 ml
The 7 Artists Acrylic Primer is a versatile water-based primer designed to prepare surfaces for painting. It enhances the adhesion of various art materials, ensuring a smooth and uniform application. This primer is ideal for non-porous surfaces and can be applied using brushes, sponges, or rollers. Suitable for a range of painting techniques, it works well with acrylic, tempera, watercolour, and gouache paints. The durability of your artworks is assured as the primer does not yellow over time, keeping your creations in pristine condition.
scola 500ml Gesso Acrylic Surface Primer
The scola Gesso Primer is an excellent choice for preparing surfaces for acrylic and oil paints. It effectively seals semi-absorbent surfaces, ensuring your colours adhere better and last longer. You can easily apply it using a roller or paintbrush on clean surfaces like canvas or MDF. The quick-drying formula leaves a light matt finish, enhancing the adhesion of subsequent layers. This makes it a convenient option for artists looking to achieve professional results with minimal hassle.
Zinsser ZINCSP500 500 ml Enamel Primer
The Zinsser Enamel Primer is an exterior, shellac-based primer that offers excellent adhesion to glossy surfaces. This means you can confidently apply it to surfaces that may have been previously challenging to paint. Its unique formulation ensures a strong bond, making it perfect for various projects. By using this primer, you will achieve a smoother and more durable finish for your paintwork, ensuring long-lasting results for your exterior surfaces.
Pébéo Studio Acrylics Black Gesso Primer
Pébéo Black Gesso is a versatile universal primer that prepares various surfaces, including canvas, paper, and wood, for painting. Its opaque formula enhances the adhesion of acrylic paints, ensuring a smoother application. You will appreciate how easy it is to apply a thin layer using a brush or spatula on clean surfaces. With a quick drying time of less than an hour, you can swiftly get back to your painting projects without long waits. This product is compatible with all Pebeo colours and auxiliaries, expanding your creative possibilities.
Tamiya Primer L 180 ml P/M White Paint
The Tamiya Primer L is a versatile 180 ml paint primer designed to enhance your painting projects. This product is particularly useful for preparing surfaces, ensuring a smooth application and better adhesion of paints. By using this primer, you can achieve a more professional finish in your models. It is ideal for those who want to ensure that their paint job lasts longer and looks cleaner. With Tamiya Primer L, you can easily elevate the quality of your work.
Sonnet Acrylic Paint Primer 500ml
The Sonnet Acrylic Primer is an essential base for your paintings, providing the necessary density and a degree of roughness to your work surface. It is compatible with various paint types, including acrylic, oil, and tempera, and can be applied to numerous materials such as canvas, wood, and glass. This primer also protects your base material, preventing paint from penetrating porous surfaces or rolling off smooth ones. Additionally, its eco-friendly composition ensures a safe, non-toxic experience for all artists.
Daler-Rowney Black Acrylic Gesso Primer, 500ml
Daler-Rowney Black Gesso is an excellent choice for priming your surfaces before painting. Its high-quality formulation means you can apply it directly from the pot, saving you time and hassle. You will appreciate the outstanding coverage it provides, making it ideal for larger areas. Additionally, this gesso is suitable for both interior and exterior applications, allowing you to use it in various projects around your home or studio.
Granotone Acrylic Gesso for Painting
Granotone Acrylic Gesso is an excellent choice for preparing your surfaces for acrylic painting. Its smooth, non-toxic formula makes it suitable for a variety of crafts, giving you the flexibility to experiment. This gesso ensures your artwork remains vibrant and long-lasting, as it dries to a strong, flexible finish. Whether you're a beginner or a professional artist, you can apply it to various surfaces, including canvas and wood, enhancing your creative process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is there a difference in paint primers?
Exterior primers come in specific formulas for use on wood, masonry or metal. Metal primers provide a tight bond between the surface and topcoat and inhibit corrosion. Tinted primers improve the end result of your painting project; they work with the finish coat color to boost color accents for a better-looking job.
2. Which primer is best for paint?
Top 5 Best Interior Paint Primers. Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer.KILZ Original Multi-Surface Stain Blocking Interior Oil-Based Primer/Sealer.KILZ Restoration Maximum Stain and Odor Blocking Interior Latex Primer/Sealer.KILZ Premium 3.KILZ Adhesion High-Bonding Latex Interior Primer/Sealer.
3. What is the purpose of paint primer?
Think of paint primer as a base coat that creates the foundation for a flawless paint job. From cutting down the number of coats you'll need, to protecting your paint from wear over the years, priming actually makes your job easier in the long run.
4. Are paint primers necessary?
A coat of primer is recommended for almost all painting projects, whether it's new drywall, old wood, bare metal, previously painted brick, or any other surface. Primer is essentially sticky, flat paint that is designed to adhere well and to provide a consistent base for topcoats of paint.
During our paint primer research, we found 22 paint primer products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 9,208 customer reviews through our big data system to write the paint primers list. We found that most customers choose paint primers with an average price of £17.25.
The paint primers are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of paint primers, including Daler Rowney, Sizzix, 7 Artists, scola, Zinsser.

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