By Cynthia ChallenerCoatingsTech

Contributing Writer

Self-priming paints have become increasingly popular in the U.S. over the last five years. An explosion of products has hit the market, largely targeted at do-it-yourself (DIY) customers looking to repaint their home interiors. Carefully crafted marketing efforts by the paint manu-facturers have played a significant role in the success of these products, although many in the industry are skeptical of some performance claims. There is, in fact, a wide range of quality, with some products only based on reformulations of existing coatings with adjusted rheology and added titanium dioxide (TiO2). However, the true “paint + primer in one” products, which are based on new resin technologies that provide real added performance, do make it possible to coat with two layers of one product instead of a primer plus two coats of a topcoat. The trick for consumers is to learn the difference.

The big driver behind the growth of self-priming paints is the potential time savings that these products provide. “One of the main aspects of the marketing campaigns around these paints is that for many people today time is valuable, and any opportunity to save time will provide a real benefit,” notes Michael D. Brown, a managing partner with TZ Chemicals. But some companies have pushed their marketing efforts in slightly different directions. “Valspar’s approach—which refers to its paint + primer in one coatings as ‘high definition’—uses language generally associated with consumer electronic products, thus bringing a whole new way for consumers to look at paint,” he observes.

Benjamin Moore has found that consumers like the idea of simplicity. “It’s hard enough to choose a paint color and finish without having to then figure out a primer to go with it, including how much primer of what type,” notes Carl Minchew, director of product development for the com-pany. “Self-priming paint simplifies the painting process in most cases, and the results are excel-lent because the self-priming paints generally have much better hiding than primers,” he adds.

Convenience is definitely valued by consumers today, agrees Paul F. Wilson, technical director for architectural coatings at PPG Industries. “The majority of consumer applications are repaints. The customer is changing a color or redecorating so the function of the primer is to cover new patching compounds over nail holes or minor repairs to existing drywall, plaster, or trim. In a remodel, perhaps there is new drywall or plaster or new trim, doors, chair rails, or crown moldings. It would be convenient, particularly for smaller jobs, for the customer to be able to use the same paint for both priming and painting.”

Self-priming paints have, in fact, been on the market for 15–20 years, and are widely used for exterior applications in Australia, where they are referred to as “direct-to-substrate” paints, according to Rusty Johnson, field marketing manager for architectural coatings with Dow Coating Materials. In North America, the focus is largely on products for the interior, because this seg-

Paint +Primer in One:

A Mixture of Marketing and Technological Success

May 201248 COATINGSTECH

ment is much larger, and DIYers are more likely to tackle interior projects. The majority of exterior projects, on the other hand, are completed by professional painters.

The do-it-yourself segment is targeted because con-sumers that are inexperienced with painting are likely to benefit from the time savings of only needing two coats, and possibly only one if coating over a similar color. There is also the added benefit of easier cleanup (only one roller or brush) and the need to store only one can of excess paint, points out Alan Maurice, an R&D fellow with Dow Coating Materials.

Contractors, on the other hand, are experienced and efficient, know primers very well, and know when they are required, according to Wilson. “In addition,” says Johnson, “professional painters are concerned about avoiding call backs, and therefore it takes quite a long time for them to develop a level of trust in newer products.” Even so, there are some contractors using self-priming products, and they are using them on both interior and exterior jobs. As self-priming paints become established in the marketplace, there is some expecta-tion that their use by professionals will increase.

Focus on Formulation

The products on the market claiming self-priming properties vary significantly in terms of the resin type, additives (particularly rheology modifiers), and level of TiO2. Products that are based on vinyl acrylic chemistry, for example, that are formulated with higher levels of titanium dioxide (as much as 30% in some cases), and designed to go on thicker will provide better hiding than conventional paints, but they will not have improved ad-hesion and barrier properties, and the coverage can be measurably lower.

A primer is typically used to provide a uniformly-sealed surface so that subsequent coats of paint have an even, uniform appearance, according to Minchew. Therefore, a paint and primer in one product must pro-vide these adhesion and barrier properties along with the qualities of a good topcoat. Without the barrier properties, tannins from wood trim or housing exteriors and stains on walls (water, marker, etc.) will eventually come through the paint, including ones with good hiding properties. An effective self-priming paint provides these properties in a formulation that offers the same coverage as topcoats that are generally applied over a separate primer.

“Premium self-priming paints are, first and foremost, great finish coats that offer excellent hiding, flow and leveling, and durability, as well as great adhesion,” says Minchew. That good adhesion must be for a variety of substrates, and the paint must provide good sealing over bare wood, drywall, and plaster, for example, accord-ing to Wilson. “Thorough testing as part of the product development is critical for confirming these performance properties,” he notes. In general, adds Wilson, the self-priming paints require the first coat as a prime coat.

Depending on the nature of the area being primed (the extent of the repairs) and the color, a second coat of the same material may be needed to provide that seamless finish with the unrepaired area of the job.

A true paint and primer in one has a combination of adhesion, barrier, and resistance properties built into the resin, according to Maurice. “The top quality self-priming paints are based on advanced resin technologies that incorporate stain blocking, hiding, and adhesion charac-teristics while still being designed to perform at typical coverage levels of 350–400 sq ft/gal.” Johnson adds that effective formulations do ultimately depend on the right choice of binder, additives, dispersion package, and inorganic pigments. Particle size, particle size distribu-tion, and choice of surfactant help determine adhesion, for example. “As a result, at Dow we take a systems ap-proach to developing resins for self-priming paints that results in latex systems that offer stability, good resis-tance, and adhesion,” he elaborates.

Specific products that Dow has developed include its AVANSETM resins and EVOQUETM Pre-Composite Polymer technology. The AVANSE technology provides better dis-persion of TiO2 in the film. If too much inorganic pigment is used, channels are formed throughout the film that allow stains to migrate through. The new polymer tech-nology helps evenly disperse the TiO2, so a lower loading level provides the same hiding, and the channels are eliminated, which results in improved barrier properties. The EVOQUE technology is also related to TiO2 dispersion, and provides higher hiding and better barrier properties at the same film thickness using less inorganic pigment.

Professional painter Daniel Conte, owner of Conte Painting in Jamison, PA, has used self-priming paints over the past four years for both interior and exterior residential jobs, including products from most of the major manufacturers. “I have found that the paints do cover better and are actually much more durable than conventional formulations,” he says. While they are in general thicker and do not flow quite as well (which means more care is required for precise work), the coverage is actually similar to conventional paints.

“Even for covering very hard colors like red and deep blue, two coats are enough. There is definitely a differ-ence when compared to conventional products. For exterior projects, with the right product, no primer is needed for bare wood, even for wood decks, because the adhesion is so good.” In the four years that he has been using paint + primer in one products, Conte has not had a call back com-plaint, and the paint jobs are holding up well. “I definitely recommend that other contractors try the premium products from the leading manufacturers,” he concludes.

A Contractor’s Point of View

COATINGSTECH 49May 2012

reading the label

Regardless of how the self-priming paints are formulated, they are typically priced at a premium of $5.00–$15.00 per gallon over conventional architec-tural paints. Depending on the approach (basic resins in a thicker formulation or stain-blocking technology), there can be numerous caveats and limitations on these paints that consumers need to be aware of, according to Wilson. Johnson agrees. “Anyone interested in self-prim-ing paints needs to read the labels and make sure that they know for which applications a particular product is suited, what the coverage will be, and its expected level of performance.”

Wilson also warns that consumers need to be careful of claims that sound too good to be true, because they probably are. “‘No prep no prime’ claims are not realistic. For products that make excessive claims like that, it is important to read the disclaimers. These products tend to have very narrow descriptions of use with many exclu-sions, and won’t be warranted for any applications that fall out of that limited range of uses.”

Furthermore, it is important that users of paint + primer in one products realize that less surface prepa-

ration is needed simply because no separate primer is necessary. It is important to read the label for the direc-tions of proper surface preparation too. “Even the best purpose-made primers generally require surfaces that are free of grease, dirt, or excessive dust, and these requirements apply to self-priming paints too,” Minchew notes. That pertains to both interior and exterior paint jobs. “On an exterior project, flaking, peeling, and chalk-ing must be addressed, or no paint job will last, whether you use a primer and two topcoats or two coats of a self-priming paint,” states Maurice. “We try to make paints be as tolerant as possible to variable surface prepara-tion, but preparation is still necessary, whether a self-priming paint or a paint that requires a primer is to be used,” confirms Wilson.

Moreover, there are also some applications where self-priming paints simply are not suitable. For commer-cial buildings, for example, there are often specifications for each project and, in general, self-priming paints are not included—at least not yet. In addition, certain sur-faces require specialized, high-performing primers with special properties, such as nonferrous metals, which need a rust-inhibitive primer, and hard and glossy sur-faces that are subject to water-soluble stains, smoke damage, or tannin bleeding, according to Minchew.

As a company focused on coatings for exterior wood and concrete surfaces, Duckback Products developed its first self-priming solid stain for wood decking about eight years ago. This coating was actually a blend of an acrylic latex and an alkyd primer to form an emulsion that could penetrate into wood for good adhesion yet offer the attractive proper-ties of an acrylic. Since that time, the company has reformulated the coating by develop-ing a hybrid resin system that provides the same properties as the original blend.

The product is unique in that it is a solid color stain that penetrates effectively into both horizontal decks and vertical siding, according to Steve McGarr, vice president of sales and marketing for the company. “Lots of customers like the fact that they can use the same product on their deck and on their house, and they don’t have to worry about color matching.” Duckback even offers a five-year guarantee for decks and a 15-year guarantee for siding.

One important feature of the self-priming stain is that it can be sprayed with typical paint spraying equipment. “We specifically formulated the product so that it would be sprayable, because that is how both professional painters and DIYers prefer to apply stains,” McGarr notes. Interestingly, when the product was first introduced, it was almost solely used by contractors. Today, the ratio of contractors to DIYers is about 60/40.

Recently, Duckback added a self-priming elastomeric deck coating to its product lineup. This material is designed to give decks that have fallen into real disrepair a few more years of life. “The ‘splinter lock’ technology enables the coating to grab onto the splintered wood and keep it together. The 300% elongation of the film allows for lots of movement in the coating with the substrate. It can also be used on concrete patios that are at the end of their lifespan,” McGarr explains.

Focus on Solid Color Stains

May 201250 COATINGSTECH

reading the tea leaves

So what does the future hold for self-priming paints? Continued growth is certainly to be expected. The do-it-yourself segment in general expanded significantly during the recession, as homeowners looked to reduce the costs of maintaining or refurbishing their homes. That trend is not expected to suddenly shift in the opposite direction as the economy improves. As the pace of life contin-ues to quicken, greater numbers of consumers tackling painting projects on their own are going to be attracted to products that can help them save time and possibly save money. “Self-priming paints have definitely struck a chord with consumers, and there is no reason to believe that their grow-ing popularity over the last five years will be moderated any time soon,” observes Johnson.

Meanwhile, resin manufacturers and coating formu-lators continue to explore new alternatives and options for improving the performance of paint + primer in one

products while also addressing the continued need to reduce VOC levels. “The category con-tinues to expand,” comments Wilson. “There are not only more new entrants with paint + primer in one products, but new prod-ucts with claims that are expand-ing to include specialty primer situations or further reduction of the surface preparation require-ments. Extensive testing is key, though, to the expansion of the performance capabilities of the products.”

Paint companies are also looking for better ways to demon-strate the improved performance of high quality self-priming paints. In-store demonstrations

that will show the stain blocking ability and better cover-age of these products will likely become more common.

There is also a push to achieve even greater savings in time and money by reducing the number of coats down to just one. That goal is a longer-term one, of course.

“There are not only more new entrants with paint + primer

in one products, but new products with claims that are

expanding to include specialty primer situations or further

reduction of the surface preparation requirements.”

CT

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