TYPES OF PRIMER
Published October 2026
WHAT ARE YOU PRIMING OVER?
Use
Water-based drywall or all-purpose primer
Seals joint compound and paper so the finish coat does not flash.
The three primer bases: water, oil and shellac
Every primer on the shelf is built on one of three bases, and the base decides what it can block, how fast it dries and how you clean the brush.
| Base | Good at | Watch out for | Cleanup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water-based (acrylic) | New drywall, previously painted walls, mild stains, low odor | Can let tannin and water stains bleed through | Soap and water |
| Oil-based (alkyd) | Exterior wood, tannin-rich wood, many stains | Slow dry, strong odor, can yellow indoors | Mineral spirits |
| Shellac | Severe stains, knots, smoke and water-damage odors, fast recoat | Strong solvent smell; check exterior limits on the label | Per the label (often denatured alcohol) |
Primer types by job
| Primer type | Use it for | Example (SW list price, Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose water-based | Previously painted walls and trim, minor patches | ProBlock Premium All-Purpose, $44.49/gal |
| Wall and wood | Interior drywall and bare wood in one product | Premium Wall & Wood Primer, $71.99/gal |
| Stain-blocking water-based | Water marks, marker, light smoke without solvent odor | Extreme Block, $59.99/gal |
| Shellac | Heavy stains, knots, sap, smoke and odor sealing | White Pigmented Shellac Primer, $88.49/gal |
| Bonding | Tile, laminate, glossy paint, PVC, prefinished surfaces | Extreme Bond Primer, $90.49/gal |
| Peel bonding | Chalky or lightly peeling paint after scraping | PrimeRx Peel Bonding Primer, $81.49/gal |
| Masonry | Concrete, stucco, block and brick | LOXON Concrete & Masonry Primer/Sealer, $89.99/gal |
List prices from Sherwin-Williams' website in October 2026, when its paints were shown on sale. Other brands make an equivalent in every row.
Which primer for which surface
- Wallpaper you are painting over: shellac or oil-based, so the water in latex cannot loosen the paper. See how to paint over wallpaper.
- Kitchen cabinets: a bonding or shellac primer after degreasing and scuffing. See how to paint kitchen cabinets.
- Tile: a bonding primer made for glossy surfaces. See painting tile floors.
- Wood paneling: bonding or stain-blocking, depending on the finish. See painting wood paneling.
- Concrete, stucco and brick: a masonry primer that tolerates alkalinity and lets the wall breathe. See concrete, stucco and brick and stone.
- Old oil-based trim: clean, degloss and use a bonding primer. See oil-based vs latex paint.
- Peeling exterior paint: scrape, fix the moisture source, then a peel-bonding primer. See how to fix peeling paint.
How much primer to buy
Primer is one more coat, so measure it the same way as paint: wall area minus openings, divided by the spread rate on the primer's label. Bare drywall and raw wood soak up more than painted surfaces, so use the low end of the label's range on them. Spot-priming patches and stains takes far less than a full coat; a quart often covers the patches in a room.
The paint calculator handles this if you set it to one coat at the primer's spread rate.
Tinting primer for strong colors
Going from a light wall to a deep red or navy, or the other way, a white primer can leave you chasing coverage for an extra coat or two. Many paint stores will tint primer toward the finish color or to a gray shade that suits it. Ask at the counter when you buy the topcoat, and check the primer's label for how much tint it accepts.
Five primer mistakes that cause callbacks
- Water-based primer over a water stain. The stain bleeds back through. Use shellac or a stain-blocker.
- Ordinary primer on gloss or tile. It peels off in sheets. Degloss and use a bonding primer.
- Priming over chalk or loose paint. Scrape and wash first; primer cannot glue down a failing coat. See how to fix peeling paint.
- Skipping primer on fresh patches. Patched spots flash through the finish as dull or shiny blotches.
- Topcoating too soon. Follow the recoat time on the primer label; cold and humid days stretch it. See painting in cold weather.
When you can skip primer
On clean, sound, previously painted walls going a similar color, a quality paint usually needs no separate primer. The interior wall paint guide covers which paint-and-primer products earn the label. Budget the primer coat on everything else: the paint calculator counts it as an extra coat.
Primer: common questions
What are the main types of paint primer?
By base: water-based (acrylic or latex) primers, oil-based (alkyd) primers and shellac-based primers. By job: drywall primers for new walls, stain-blocking primers, bonding primers for slick surfaces, peel-bonding primers for chalky or peeling paint, and masonry primers for concrete, stucco and brick.
Is shellac primer better than oil-based primer?
For the worst stains, knots and odors from smoke or water damage, shellac primer is the classic choice: Zinsser's data sheet for B-I-N describes it as a primer-sealer and stain blocker that seals knots and odors from water and fire damage. Oil-based primer is the slower-drying alternative, often preferred on exterior wood. Both need solvent cleanup.
Can I skip primer with a paint-and-primer product?
On clean, sound paint of a similar color, usually yes. Paint-and-primer products are not a substitute for a dedicated primer on bare drywall, raw wood, stains, glossy or slick surfaces, masonry or chalky exterior paint.
Do I need a special primer over oil-based paint?
Latex over glossy oil-based paint tends to peel unless the surface is cleaned, deglossed and primed with a bonding primer made to grip slick surfaces.