Want answers to your most pressing painting problems? PPC’s Ask Your ProPartner™ columnist Dennis Fiorilli is here to help. This time: get the latest word on primers.

What is the right primer for my project?

At Sherwin-Williams, we design products for specific jobs, rather than broad formulations or one-size-fits-all, and our employees are trained to help you determine the best primer for your next project. Our goal is to help you select a system that is going to give you and your customer the best long-term value.

We have developed an In-Store Primer Display to make selecting the right product easier and more straightforward. It features helpful product information, with a clear explanation of what each primer does and a listing of the surfaces it can be used on.

Actual pieces of wood, drywall, tile and other common substrates are also mounted onto the display – further illustrating primer capabilities. Visit your local Sherwin-Williams store to see for yourself.

What are the latest advances in primer technology?

Glad you asked. ProMar® 200 Zero VOC Primer is now better than ever with enhanced enamel holdout, a smoother film and improved spatter resistance. This next-generation ProMar 200 Zero VOC Primer is designed to meet the needs of commercial and new residential painters, but benefits all types of professional painters. Using it will satisfy your most demanding customers and help reduce callbacks and prevent rework.

Some of the primary benefits:

• Minimal flashing over mud: When projects involved new sheetrock or drywall repairs, the enhanced formula minimizes flashing, making it easier to achieve a seamless, uniform finish.
• Increased enamel holdout: The increased sheen of next-gen ProMar 200 Zero VOC Primer enhances enamel holdout, which helps to maintain the desired gloss level of the finish coat.
• Bright white appearance: Formulated at increased reflectivity to achieve a beautiful finish appearance, including clean, bright whites.
• Improved tactile feel – smoother film: Paint crews will have less need to sand primed walls prior to applying the finish coat, saving labor costs and achieving faster turns.

For best results with ProMar 200 Zero VOC Primer, we recommend using a Purdy® Clearcut® brush or a Purdy® White Dove™ roller cover.

What about those times when I need a higher performance primer like for jobs where there are tough stains to block?

Extreme Block Interior/Exterior Waterbased Stain Blocking Primer locks and seals common stains from smoke, fire, nicotine and tannin bleed from bare wood, helping to maintain the appearance of the topcoat and minimize repaints.

Designed for property maintenance, residential repaint and the restoration markets, the fast-drying formula will help you increase productivity and turns units faster.

Excellent stain locking lets res repaint contractors seal stubborn stains with an easy-to-apply waterbased formula that helps preserve the color and sheen of the topcoat. It can be used for priming both interior and exterior substrates, and your customers will appreciate the minimal odor.

Extreme Block Primer is available in both White and Clear. Designed to meet the needs of commercial, property maintenance and restoration companies, the clear formula remains transparent to preserve aesthetics. It can also be tinted with up to two ounces per gallon of CCE colorants.

Extreme Block Clear provides good adhesion on multiple substrates, including ceiling tiles, paneling, drywall, wood, cured masonry and previously painted surfaces. Surfaces primed with Extreme Block achieve a strong bond with the substrate and offer an excellent base for the selected topcoat.

In addition, Extreme Block Clear has Odor Block Technology to reduce disruption to occupants. With fewer than 50 g/L VOC, both Extreme Block formulas are compliant in all regulated areas nationwide.

For best results with this primer, we recommend using a Purdy® XL® brush or a Purdy® White Dove™ roller cover.

Dennis Fiorilli is Director of Product Excellence at Sherwin-Williams and PPC’s Ask Your ProPartner™ columnist. This article was originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of PPC magazine. ©2024 Fusable. For more answers to pro questions, visit the PPC magazine archive.