Top 7 Best Exterior Primer Paints | How to Choose the Right Paint
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For many homeowners, painting is a side project they feel competent tackling to improve the look of their home. However, if you are looking for results that turn out professional and last longer, there are some things that you have to know before going about it.
You’re looking to give your home a fresh new look, but you don’t know where to start. Exterior primer paints are vital for preparing surfaces before applying other types of stains or coating them with brush strokes because they provide support against weathering factors like humidity which may otherwise ruin quality work.
If you’re thinking about painting your house, one of the first things to consider is what type of paint will work best for you. We’ll walk you through the top seven exterior primer paints on the market and how to choose the right color based on your needs.
The best way to choose what type of paint is right for you is by looking at the surface you’re painting. It is essential to properly prepare the surface of any project to have a better result. With exterior primer paint, anyone will be able to get their desired look with an even smoother finish and longer-lasting results.
There are so many different types of paint on the market that it can be hard to choose which one is right for your needs. We’ve found seven of the best exterior primers and will tell you how to see what’s right for you.
Our list includes a variety of brands with different price points and features, so there should be something in here that works for everyone! Check out our top 7 picks below!
Best Exterior Primer Paints | Compared
CLICK any image to see Ratings and Reviews on Amazon
| Image | Title | Buy | Walts Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Top | KILZ L211101 Adhesion High-Bonding Interior Latex Primer/Sealer | Buy Now | 4.9 / 5 (Best Overall) |
 | Zinsser 02004 Bulls Eye 1-2-3 All Surface Primer | Buy Now | 4.8 / 5 (Best Value) |
 | KILZ Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior Latex Primer | Buy Now | 4.7 / 5 |
 | Liquid Rubber Multi-Purpose Primer | Buy Now | 4.6 / 5 |
 | XIM Products UMA Acrylic Bonder and Primer/Sealer | Buy Now | 4.5 / 5 |
 | INSL-X AQ040009A-01 Aqua Lock Plus 100% Acrylic Water-Based Sealer Primer | Buy Now | 4.7 / 5 |
 | MAD DOG MDP100 Exterior Primer | Buy Now | 4.4 / 5 |
Best Paint Primer | Reviews
1. KILZ Adhesion High-Bonding Exterior Latex Primer/Sealer (Best Overall)
- A bonding primer is essential for ensuring that topcoats will adhere to tough-to-paint materials. This adhesion latex primer has a long working time and can be used on exterior surfaces with slick textures, such as vinyl siding and fiberglass, with great success. With high adhesion, it will bond securely on any surface to guarantee your topcoats adhere professionally.
- In most cases, a primer is an absolute must for the paint to stick securely. In this case, the KILZ Adhesion High-Bonding Exterior Latex Primer is not only a great choice but also is highly versatile with bonding properties that ensure its success on things like metal and wood - even if theyre chalky or glossy!
- The one-gallon container of KILZ Adhesion High-Bonding Exterior Latex Primer/Sealer covers up to 300 square feet per gallon.
- KILZ is the choice of professionals who demand high-performance adhesion for long-term, durable finishes. It bonds to wood, metal, masonry, and rough surfaces - any surface ready for paint or varnish and offers sensible protection from the blistering heat, cold, insects, and fading UV rays. This versatile product provides excellent grip with safe margins of quality control.
2. Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 All Surface Primer (Best Value)
- Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 All Surface Primer is a water-based formula that you can use interior and exterior. It seals uniformly, even on surfaces like drywall and concrete, and will stick to them without sanding.
- Zinsser 1-2-3 All Surface Primer is a great product for painting over any surface. The primer dries to the touch in 35 minutes and can be topped by a topcoat within an hour while still being durable enough to shield from stains. It covers up between 87-112 sq ft per quart, so it's easy on your wallet too!
- Best of all, Rust-Oleum Zinsser primers are paint and stain-blocking-resistant, making this great for big jobs. You can use this primer with any oil or latex topcoat, which has a breathable, flexible finish that resists blistering and peeling. At the same time, its high solids content gives it excellent coverage.
- It is ideal for application on alkaline surfaces such as steel, aluminum, zinc, and more! And with its rust prevention formula, which inhibits rust on new metal, this primer paint is the best value pick available.
3. KILZ Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior Latex Primer
- This product improves the appearance of new walls, brings an old room back to life, and can help create a new look for almost any space.
- While primers are typically used before painting on top of them, this product is a tear-resistant, water-resistant, mildewcide-free primer that protects surfaces from mold and mildew concerns. It also minimizes surface imperfections for high porosity or texture differences.
- It has excellent adhesion for most exterior surfaces, making it perfect for covering up stains on walls or sealing previously painted trim. Significantly more robust than wall paint sealants found in big box stores, KILZ primer will change your design game forever!
- KILZ Premium stain blocking primer protects against unwanted coloration caused by failures in the finish, paint age, nicotine stains, water damage, or past aging. You can apply this high hide formula under Latex or oil-based paint to prevent bleed-through for an uninterrupted primer/finish coat that looks professional and lasts for years.
- Its low-VOCs, soap, and water cleanup process without harsh chemicals makes it safe for your family and the environment!
4. Liquid Rubber Multi-Purpose Primer
- Liquid Rubber Multi-Purpose Primer is a premium primer thats easy to apply with the help of any roller or brush. It lays down a highly durable adhesive from wood to concrete, ensuring your topcoat will stick to the base coat every time, even in the harshest conditions - including snow and heat.
- Don't let your hard work go to waste. Liquid Rubber Multi-Purpose Primer is made for deck stain coatings. This reduces bubbling and peeling paint on topcoats, saving you money in the long run.
- Liquid Rubber Multi-Purpose Primer is the ultimate product to get that long-lasting protection on all surfaces. This primer will cover any imperfections, seal up the surface, and form a solid barrier for your next coat of paint.
5. XIM Products UMA Acrylic Bonder and Primer
- XIM Advanced Technology UMA White is a high-performance water-based bonding primer that has both primer and adhesive-like properties. The product can be used for indoor and outdoor applications and with Oil/Alkyd, Latex, Urethane, Epoxy, and Lacquer topcoats.
- Finally, a bonder and primer that works on your unpaintable surfaces. XIM Products UMA Acrylic Primer bonds hard-to-paint surfaces like freshly textured walls or windows quickly, efficiently, and with minimal sanding. An excellent product for tough-to-paint surfaces. You can use it on glass, tile, Formica, metals, plastics, and anything challenging to paint. It is made in the USA!
6. INSL-X Aqua Lock Plus 100% Acrylic Water-Based Sealer Primer
- INSL-X Aqua Lock Plus is a must for any do-it-yourselfer. An easy-to-use, water-soluble primer-sealer that can be used on all interior & exterior surfaces. Let this product take the worry out of your paint job by providing excellent adhesion and coverage on interior and exterior surfaces!
- INSL-X is the sealer and primer in one. It lays down a rigid water base and helps your paint adhesive stick better over it. Once completed with Latex or oil-based top coatings, your painting will be more durable and easier to clean.
- This water-based acrylic primer dries quickly at 30 minutes with an improved tack-free time of 1 hour without the need for sanding first! It covers 300 to 400 square feet per gallon on various surfaces, including brick, ceramics, galvanized metals, and wood.
- With superior sealing qualities, it's time to start doing things right - INSL X Aqua Lock Plus will transform your old painting project into a professional quality finish you'll be proud of!
7. MAD DOG Exterior Primer
- If you need an exterior paint primer that is versatile, easy to use, and inexpensive, look no further than MAD DOG Exterior Primer! Extremely thin, this product penetrates old coatings and stabilizes peel plastering, galvanized metal, or rusty metal surfaces. It's also great at making cracked stucco more durable, penetrating deep to help it dry quicker.
- MAD DOG Exterior Primer is a high-performance water-based primer that can be used as an exterior product before any topcoat to seal out dirt and pollution without any concerns about being toxic or lead-acid. The earth-friendly wood primer outperforms other low-quality primers, making it an environmentally-conscious option for those frustrated by the lack of safe choices in the past.
- MAD DOG also decreases your environmental footprint from manufacturing choices alone with its non-toxic formula and no need for a respirator when applied. MAD DOG also reduces your ecological footprint from manufacturing options alone!
Video: Priming Bare Wood
Exterior Primer Paint Buyers Guide
When you need exterior primer paint, there are a few key things to look for. The best exterior primer paints will provide the best possible base to paint over and ensure your color lasts as long as possible. These include proper surface preparation (such as cleaning, sanding), adhesion properties, toxicity levels, type of paint topcoat needed, and recommended temperature for application. This buyer’s guide will go over all of these things so you can choose the best exterior primer paint for your project.
Surface type
The first thing to consider when looking at which exterior primer paint you should use is the surface area it’s being applied to. Are you painting metal, brick, plaster, or exterior wood? Glossy surfaces act differently from rough ones, and all of these surfaces require different prep and application methods. The best exterior primer for metal will not be the best paint for wood and vice versa, so choose your product carefully to solve which exterior primer paint you should use.
- Bare wood: Wood is porous, so it can easily absorb fluids. To avoid this problem and protect the paint job you just finished from getting damaged by spills or dirt stains, put some oil-based primer on to seal in moisture before applying your final coat of latex/water-based paints! Both have pros, but keep this tip for future reference if working with delicate surfaces like trim around window sills, etc.
- Drywall: A latex primer will leave a smoother surface that’s ready for paint. Oil-based primers can also cause the grain to rise, so this might not be as much of an issue with oil-based paints but if you’re going for natural wood or other surfaces without any finish, then make sure there are no oils on your hands when applying it!
- Easily spoiled: Use a stain-blocking primer to protect your topcoat from staining and discoloration. Choose latex primers when you need protection against solvent-based stains like crayons while choosing oil-based ones if the color is water-based, such as smoke, tannins, etc.
- Pre-painted wood: If you’re painting on painted wood that shows chalking or even has some marks from wear and tear, then an oil-based primer is best. The best part about these products: they dry into a denser foundation, minimizing imperfections like scratches or chips.
- Metal: Some exterior primer paints are specifically designed for metal, and they have some form of rust-resistant properties. These paints are oil-based because latex paint can actively promote rust.
- High-gloss: Bonding primer, formulated to stick tightly and smoothly onto any glossy surface. Use it on glass, plastic, or tiles for an easy bonding experience!
Surface preparation
Once you know what surface you’re painting, it’s time to focus on how well it is prepared before applying any exterior primer paint. It’s best to clean the surface thoroughly with a deck cleaner but sand it down if filthy. If you’re painting over brick or plaster, consider using a wire brush to get into the tiny cracks for an exterior primer paint that will stick more effectively.
Tinting
The primer tinted to a slightly lighter shade of your topcoat will give you a richer, deeper, and more uniform color. A primer that is suitable for tinting will say so on the label, and this process is recommended when changing from a darker to lighter color or from a light color to very dark. This idea reduces the number of coats needed to cover the existing paint and ensures no primer shows through when applying the final topcoat.
Buy on AmazonDrying time
The label on exterior primer paint will give a drying time. This is the time in which the product says it takes to be both touch dry and recoat. The good part about most exterior primer paints is that they can be recoated in a few hours, so you don’t have to wait around for days before being able to use your newly painted surface!
The dry-to-recoat time for latex primer is usually much shorter than oil-based, and in some cases, it can be as little as one hour. Oil primers require about three hours before they’re ready to coat again.
Toxicity
If you are looking at environmentally-friendly exterior primer paints, look at the toxicity levels of the color you are using. Some exterior primer paints (significantly cheaper ones) have chemical components that could affect your air quality if applied in a poorly ventilated area or get absorbed into your skin while using it. Make sure to get quality paint without any of these hazardous chemicals, so you don’t expose yourself to toxins when painting.
Temperature
The recommended temperature for applying exterior primer paint will vary by the product you are using, but generally, it is between 50f to 90f. If you are spraying your exterior primer paint onto a surface, always use an appropriate spray distance and speed so that you can create an even coat without getting bubbles or puddles.
Buy on AmazonApplication type
You should apply exterior primer paint with a brush or roller to create an even and smooth texture. Depending on the product, it may be possible to use a paint sprayer, but do not attempt this without reading your specific exterior primer paint’s instructions.
Topcoats
Exterior primer paints do not have topcoats. If you want to paint a surface with a primer, you will need exterior color as the topcoat. The trick is finding one that won’t ruin your primer paintwork underneath. You should look for low-VOC or no VOC enamel paints so your primer and topcoat work together in cohesion and don’t ruin one another. Some colors will only work with oil-based primer and vice-versa, so it’s essential to check beforehand.
Buy on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
Does exterior paint with primer work?
Yes, it is possible to paint over almost any surface with primer. You should check the label on your particular exterior primer paint to ensure it’s suitable for your chosen surface and topcoat, but most primers can be used with a final color coat.
How do exterior primer paints work?
Exterior primer paints work by allowing the topcoat to cover them more smoothly and evenly. They create a barrier that stops the color from falling into any cracks or little gaps in your surface, so you achieve an even finish with no patchy areas. The main benefit is that it will even out porosity and ensure optimum adhesion with paint systems; however, other features might include stabilizing powdery surfaces or helping prevent stains from ruining an area’s decoration- which is all good things!
What causes house siding paint to peel?
You might think that a home’s exterior paint job is only as good as the quality of its materials, but you would be wrong. Moisture from anywhere on your property can seep into gaps between siding and buildings or cause blisters in various places on your homes’ surfaces which leads to peeling away at those beautiful finishes you worked so hard for! Make sure this never happens by making repairs before water damage sets in from leaking gutters and roofs.
What is paint and primer in one?
Paint and primer in one is a combination of exterior paint and exterior primer that let you skip the step of applying both on your home’s surface. It’s a much thicker consistency and is tinted like regular paint, so it gives you a finish in one step instead of the usual two. You should always check which surface self-priming paint is best for as some will not be compatible, metal surface for instance, but many people like to use this type as it saves them time and effort getting those tricky zones covered.
Should I prime before I paint the exterior?
Priming is an essential step in any exterior paint job that you don’t want to skip. It would be best if you primed your house’s exterior before applying color, as this will give your paint a strong base it can grip onto, making sure it won’t begin to flake off after only a few months. This is especially important if you are painting a new wall since it will need more protection from the elements while its surface is still porous and needs to be stabilized.
An exterior primer paint can work for your brick walls, floors, or any other place you want to add color. A highly-effective primer on the exterior of your home protects against moisture damage and blistering, which can ruin your home’s external appearance. They are designed to adhere well to bare or previously painted surfaces, which is why they are the perfect choice for exterior painting jobs.
Exterior paint primer works by providing a topcoat with a smooth surface to grip onto. The best primers create an even coating over your surface without imperfections or areas where paint might not stick. This allows for a more consistent and flexible color scheme while protecting your exterior from things like water damage or blistering.
What happens if you don’t use a primer before painting?
If you don’t use a primer before painting, your paint’s final color might not be uniform. It could have patches of missing pigment that aren’t easy to cover with just one coat of color. Blisters can also appear where there are cracks or slight imperfections in the area. This is because, without a good base, your finish won’t bond to the surface or well, and it won’t be stable enough to resist damage.
Conclusion
By knowing which type of paint you want and what features it has, you can ensure your house’s exterior looks as good as the day you first painted it. Primer is an essential part of your exterior paint job, so don’t skip it. It will protect against moisture damage and blistering, which can change the appearance of your home’s exterior. If you want a one-step process that lets you skip applying primer and paint separately, choose a paint and primer in one.
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Here are our favorite stainable wood fillers
CLICK any image to see Ratings and Reviews on Amazon
| Image | Model | Buy | Walts Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
Top  | Minwax (Model 42853000) Stainable Wood Filler, 16 oz | Click Here | 4.9 / 5 (Best Overall) |
  | Goodfilla Water-based Wood and Grain Filler | Click Here | 4.8 / 5 (Best Value) |
  | Elmer's (Model E914) Carpenter's Color Change Wood Filler | Click Here | 4.8 / 5 |
  | FamoWood (Model 40022126) Latex Wood Filler | Click Here | 4.8 / 5 |
  | DAP Plastic Wood Latex Based Wood Filler (Model 211442) | Click Here | 4.7 / 5 |
  | Bondo Home Solutions Wood Filler Hardener | Click Here | 4.7 / 5 |
  | Timbermate Hardwood Wood Filler 8oz Jar | Click Here | 4.6 / 5 |
  | SYNKO Interior Latex Stainable Wood Filler | Click Here | 4.6 / 5 |
  | Varathane (Model 215198) Wood Filler | Click Here | 4.5 / 5 |
  | J-B Weld KwikWood Epoxy Putty Stick Wood Repair | Click Here | 4.5 / 5 |
When I’m not testing and reviewing tools, you’ll find me in front of a hot BBQ, cold drink in hand, cooking up something big, and spending quality time with my wife and two boys. I’m also often found in my workshop working on my next project!
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