Are you searching for the best stain-blocking primer online?
Don't stress, we already researched for you!
In this ProPaintCorner.com guide, you will learn:
- The best stain-blocking primer for your next paint project
- Pro tips on how to paint your house like a pro
- Safety tips to help you stay safe while on the job.
And much more!
Using a stain-blocking primer is necessary for sealing out mildew and mold.
Plus, stain-blocking primer as a basecoat does a great job at covering up crayon marks, and it also seals in bare wood effectively on a new paint job or recoats.
Below is a quick list of all our top products.
Keep scrolling to learn more about how to choose and use the best stain-blocking primers on the market.
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Top Pick
| Our Top Pick | Kilz Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior Latex Primer
|
| View on Amazon |
| Best Budget
| Best Budget | Boomerang Eco-Friendly Interior Primer
|
| View on Amazon |
| Best High End
| Best High End | Kilz Restoration Maximum Stain And Odor Blocking Interior Latex
|
| View on Amazon |
|
| Zinsser Cover Stain Interior/Exterior Oil Primer
|
| View on Amazon | |
|
| Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch
|
| View on Amazon |
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
Updated On September 22, 2023
Our favorite is Kilz Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior Latex Primer because it provides you with a high-quality solution for priming both interior and exterior surfaces.
Kilz is manufactured with low VOCs containing solvents, so that means it is less toxic than other products.
This is the perfect product to use when looking to change the color of any surface because it will work to block out the previous color(s), and give headway to a beautiful new coat of paint.
Pick up Kilz Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior Latex Primer off of Amazon in 1-quart, 1-gallon, and 5-gallon sizes.
Our Top 5 Best Stain Blocking Primers
If you're truly looking for the best stain blocker to use for your next painting project, you're in the right place!
Below is a list of our top 5 stains, keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of each one:
What Are Stain Blocking Primers For Primer?
Stain blocking primers are what you paint on for the first coat to help cover up the surface below and prepare it for the color coat.
Why apply a stain-blocking primer?
Because the color you are painting with might not completely cover up the previous color, and you should always prime drywall before painting for the best results.
Also, you'll end up using significantly less of the finish coat if you fill in all the small pores with primer beforehand.
Here's a helpful video:
What Are The Different Types of Stain Blocking Primers?
Interior primer
Some paints are made specifically for indoor use.
This means that they don't have additives that block out the elements. You might get away with spending less money on an interior primer because it won't include additives that are necessary for exterior paints.
Interior/exterior primer
Other paints are designed to flourish in either indoor or outdoor environments.
Water-based/latex primers
Most paints sold these days are water-based and less toxic when applied.
If you are painting your whole house, you'll want to use latex because it is less toxic, lasts longer, cleans up easier, etc.
Oil-based primer/sealer
Oil-based primers are a good solution for smaller projects for a smooth finish.
Be careful with oil-based primers when painting over the top of latex paints.
Read More >> What Are The Best Paint Primers To Use On Interior Walls?
How Do You Prep Your Surface For Stain Blocking Primers?
Priming your paint job goes fast after you have spent the time prepping.
Here are some tips to prep your paint job correctly to avoid mistakes:
Outdoor prep
Before priming outdoor surfaces like siding, fences, decking, etc, the best thing to do is power wash the surface to remove all the dirt and loose debris from the surface.
After power washing, let the surface dry almost completely.
You might even want to use a pole sander to sand the surface you are painting, but it really depends.
A quick pass with the pressure washer usually does the trick.
Indoor Prep
Prepping for primer indoors can be as detailed as you want.
For example, if you are using a paint sprayer, you will have to mask off other surfaces with a paint masker to avoid getting paint on them.
Lightly sanding wood and drywall is also a good idea. Just make sure the surface is smooth and clean.
Below we'll go over a few tools you will need for prepping and priming your next paint job!
Read More >> What Are The Best One-Coat Paint/Primers To Use?
What Supplies Will You Need To Use A Stain Blocking Primer?
Paint sprayer
Painting with a sprayer is easier than ever.
You can buy a cheap paint sprayer off of Amazon these days for only a small additional cost to your paint job.
And you don't have to buy the nicest paint sprayer on the market, either. You could try a handheld HVLP paint sprayer that costs under $100 and still get great results when painting(and you'll also get the job done faster in a lot of cases)
How much primer should you buy? Remember that each gallon of primer will cover around 100 square feet, and you'll need more than one gallon to get the job done.
Sandpaper
Sanding is necessary before and during the painting process.
All of the drywall mud has to been sanding flat before painting with a sanding pole, and you should also sand the walls in between prime coats with 120-grit sandpaper to make for the best quality paint job.
You'll also want a sanding sponge to help you get the job done.
Sanding sponges work really well for sanding spackle spots and smoothing up trim work like baseboards and doorways.
Drop cloths/paint masker/masking material
When prepping for a paint job(especially spray painting), the best thing you can do is cover up surfaces that you don't want to get paint on.
You'll also want some painter's tape, and some masking film/paper to attach to the paint masker.
Trust us, using a paint masker makes paint prepping 10x easier.
Stir Stick
Don't forget that you'll need to stir the primer before applying it.
Razorblade
A razor blade will help you cut the tape accurately on the corners.
Spackle and dye
Use spackle to cover up small imperfections in the wall or whatever it is that you are painting.
You can also buy a blue dye that leaves your spackle a different color so that you don't forget to sand it before painting it.
Caulk/caulk gun
Caulking is necessary for indoor and outdoor painting projects to help seal in the cracks and keep water and moisture out.
Nail set
Use a nail set to knock all those finished nails that didn't quite go into the trim work.
Paintbrush/paint roller/spray gun
Last but not least, you'll need the right paint applicator for the job.
For small jobs, a paintbrush or roller may be all you need. For larger surface areas, you might want to purchase a paint sprayer for quick results.
Step-By-Step Guide For Applying A Stain-Blocking Primer
(Click any of the links below to jump straight to that step!)
- Clean And Prep Surface
- Sand And Caulk/Spackle
- Apply A Coat Of Primer
- Sand The First Coat Of Primer/Apply A Second Coat
- Finish Coat
Step 1 - Clean And Prep Surface
The first step to any painting project is the paint prep. We have gone into detail above for prepping indoor and outdoors.
If you are spraying indoors, you'll want to use a vacuum to eliminate any dust that will kick up onto the walls, and outdoor paint jobs usually require a spray down with a pressure washer.
Don't forget to use the paint masker to help you quickly mask off large paint jobs!
Step 2 - Sand And Caulk/Spackle
Sanding, caulk, and spackle will help further seal in the paint job and create a completely flat surface to apply the paint to.
Step 3 - Apply A Coat Of Primer
The paint primer will block out the previous paint color, and give headway to a smooth finish coat that will require less paint compared to if you didn't use a primer.
Step 4 - Sand The First Coat Of Primer/Apply A Second Coat
For projects like softwood, you might want to apply two coats of primer.
You should be able to get away with just one coat of primer for surfaces that are flat and take the primer well.
Lightly sanding after the primer dries with 120-grind sandpaper will help the finish coat go on smoother.
Step 5 - Finish Coat
After the prime coat is lightly sanded and smooth as butter, you can go ahead and apply a finish coat.
Applying 2 coats of paint is also normal, especially on porous surfaces, so don't be surprised if surfaces like redwood require 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint when repainting.
Remember, take your time, and do a good job.
You or your customer will be looking at this DIY paint job for years to come, so it's worth the extra time to make it look good.
Good luck! And don't forget to hit us with all of your painting questions on our Pro Paint Corner blog.
Read More >> How Do You Get Primer Off Of Your Hands?
What To Look For In The Best Stain Blocking Primer For Painting?
Price
Going for the lowest price isn't exactly a bad idea when buying primer.
Sure, you don't want to buy the cheapest one, for example, Home Depot paints like Behr isn't as recommendable as others from Amazon.
The cheapest primers will be hard to apply and might clog your paint sprayer also, so just keep that in mind when evaluating the price of your project.
Quantity
Buying in quantity will assure you that you get the best deal on your purchase.
It's always smart to buy online because you can purchase in large quantities, and you will have the paint shipped to your doorstep the next day(or in a few days)
Specific uses
What are you painting? Interior or exterior?
The smartest move when buying primer for a specific project is to research which primer would be the best fit for the specific job.
Our Reviews Of The Best Stain Blocking Primers For Painting?
Kilz original is our top pick because it has thousands of 5-star Amazon ratings and works effectively to provide a good surface for painting the final coat onto.
This stain blocker has a consistency that is easy to work with, Kilz won't give you problems like paint gun clogs or frustration when cutting edges with a brush.
You'll want to pick up a 5-gallon container of Kilz Premium when priming your house because it is the best quality for the best price.
Pros
Cons
Looking for another eco-friendly option to cover interior surfaces like walls and ceilings with?
Try Boomerang because it's environmentally friendly and preps for the final coat with 4X fewer emissions.
With 2 coats of Boomerang on your interior, you will be all squared away to apply a final coat without problems.
Pros
Cons
Kilz Restoration is a water-based primer that performs as an oil or shellac paint would.
After properly preparing your desired interior surface, apply 1-2 coats of Kilz Restoration for a quality paint finish.
Pick up Kilz Restoration from Amazon in 1-gallon or 5-gallon quantities for the best possible price, and have it shipped right to your doorstep.
Pros
Cons
Zinsser Bulls Eye is an oil-based option for priming both interior and exterior surfaces effectively.
This 1-quart container of stain-blocking primer covers up stains and seals things like water, nicotine stains, and water out of the paint job.
This formula dries quickly, so it's a great option when looking to prime any surface.
Pros
Cons
Pick #5: Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch
Rust-Oleum is another great option for a paint product that has a good reputation and gets the job done at a reasonable price.
This water-based acrylic formula resists cracking and chips and has a low odor when being applied to the surface.
After sanding your surface with 180 or 200 grit sandpaper, apply a degreaser, and then throw the paint down on the surface.
Buy Rust-Oleum in either a quart, quart two-pack, half-pint, or half-pint 6 pack off of Amazon.
Pros
Cons
Our top pick is Kilz Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior Latex Primer because it is the best deal and the best quality.
This is the best primer(in our opinion) to use when painting a laundry room or the whole house.
Drop $100 for a 5-gallon bucket of Kilz Premium High-Hide Stain Blocking Interior/Exterior for a fast-drying ultimate solution for any paint project.
Once you apply a coat or two of Kilz, the final coat will take less paint, so you will end up using less of the more expensive colored paint, and the topcoat will go on with better adhesion.
Pick up 1-gallon, 1-quart, or 5-gallons of Kilz off of Amazon, and have it shipped directly to your doorstep without the hassle of traveling to the home improvement store.
Final Thoughts On The Best Stain Blocking Primer
Need a paint sprayer? That's easy.
Finding a reasonably priced paint sprayer off websites like Amazon is so easy.
You can buy an inexpensive handheld HVLP paint sprayer for almost the same price you will spend on paint rollers, extensions, brushes, etc., so this is something to highly consider when working on large projects.
We've done some searching to find the best paint supplies and tools on the market, so check out our page to help you find the right goods for the job.
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