Every once in a while I'll read or hear someone mention using a particular primer color to help "set off" the base coat color. What are the guidelines on this? Is one color primer better than another for light base coat colors as opposed to dark base coat colors?

If you want a dynamic bright white what should the primer color be? If you want a cherry red that pops, what should the primer color be?

By the way, I'm not talking candy colors here (although I'll bet there are some real variations there).

kdlp

 

On a standard basecoat, the primer should have no influence of the final color. It's just that it may take more film thickness of the base to cover the primer if it's dark over light or light over dark.

 

So there's no merit to the guy on the boob tube saying he used brown primer under the cherry red base coat "to really make the red pop?"

By using a darker primer he'd have to spray a heavier coat(s) of red base and that would make it pop? I guess I don't understand why he doesn't use a lighter color of primer and fewer coats of base.... unless he wants to be sure to have enough paint thickness to work out orange peel or other imperfections...

kdlp

 

Roger has a good point in most instances if the color is a solid color but you can have the primer work for you as well. I generally start off with DPLF 90 that is black and then use either a yellow or grey high build primer. When I block and hit the black I know to stop and reprime, because the black coat is my adhesion coat and I do not want to break thru that coat. Then for instance on my latest project which is candy apple red I mixed my own sealer so I could stay light in color on the sealer coat. I was using a tri-coat candy system so I did not want the film build anymore than necessary. If I was to use a dark sealer or primer then I would have to use more of the basecoat to get the proper color because I would have to hide the dark by painting several coats (due to the fact the the paint has a natural translucency). If you take a true translucent paint (such as many metallics) and paint over a dark primer it wil be quite different than the same number of coats over a light color. In most cases the metallics or pearls or candies will pop a bit more over the light colors. It also depends on the effect you are going for. If you are just laying down a bunch of color and a good deal of film build is not objectionable then primer color is not so important. If you are playing with colors or effects or watching your film build think about which primer will help you achieve your objective. I find it another way to make the paint process more rewarding-Jim

 

That is true with dupont chromabase being the exception. Using yellow chromabase over gray primer doesn't work very well. They have a valueshade system which is 7 shades of primer ranging from white to black. The recommended shade of primer is on the paint label.