The Best Epoxy Primer (Review) in 2020

When you’re looking for the best epoxy primer, you want a product that’s both reasonably priced and works well. A quality primer also needs to dry quickly and offer a smooth finish and long-lasting protection. But is a typical large bucket primer for you or is an epoxy primer spray can better? As with all things, this mostly depends on your own needs and preferences. Not sure about those? No worries, in this buying guide we cover everything you need to know about epoxy primers, including different types of primers and what to look for when making purchasing decisions. The more you familiarize yourself with these super-versatile and useful products, the easier it will be to pick the right one for your needs.

What is an Epoxy Primer?

To pick the best epoxy primer for your needs, you first need to understand what an epoxy primer is. To put it simply, it’s a type of a sealer or filler that can be applied to a wide range of surfaces for protection or to fill in imperfections. For instance, it’s typically used on cars and boats to fill in dents, cracks and rust and to offer a long-lasting, non-porous smooth finish with anti-corrosion properties. This finish surface is solid and very hard, so it can be sanded with a sander for an ultra-smooth finish that is easy to paint. Speaking of paint, with a quality epoxy primer, you can paint your vehicle more uniformly (as all dents and cracks are smoothed out), resulting in a better-looking and more professional paint job. Also, a good-quality epoxy primer provides durable protection that doesn’t degrade over time (at least nowhere near as fast as the surfaces would degrade without a primer).

Although most epoxy primers are super-easy to apply and quick to dry, exactly how easy and quick they will be, will depend on the product itself. Some primers need to be applied only on perfectly clean, dry and sanded surfaces with a brush, while others can be simply sprayed over imperfect materials such as rusty surfaces. There is no better or worse here - what’s important is to pick a product that works best for you.

What to Look for in Epoxy Primer

With the basics out of the way, let’s talk about the specific things you should look for in epoxy primers. Granted, there are a number of great epoxy primers available nowadays, but to simplify the search for the right one as much as possible, it’s a good idea to pay attention to certain things/features no matter the brand you’re eyeing.

• Corrosion resistance

Because one of the main advantages of epoxy primers is their ability to offer protection against corrosion and rust, this should be the first criteria for the best epoxy primer. Look for products that offer high resistance to corrosion, damage and deterioration. If your vehicle is often in/around water, also look for proper moisture-blocking capabilities.

• Ease of application

Another important factor to consider is how easy and quick the application of the epoxy primer is. Ideally, you want a product that is easy and simple to use and that doesn’t require a ton of surface preparation beforehand. Some primers need to have their contents mixed with other solutions, while other primers come in sprays you only need to shake well before using. What this really comes down to is the purpose you’re using a primer for, as well as your own preferences.

• Surface application

Yet another important thing to consider is what surface(s) a primer can be applied to. This at least is easy – just take a look at the material you need to work on and purchase an epoxy primer that can be used for that particular material. This is important to consider because although many primers can be applied to a huge number of surfaces, including various types of metals, aluminum, plastic and so on, some primers have specialty uses. If you purchase a primer not intended for a certain material, it simply won’t adhere.

• Reasonable price

Although epoxy primers are not particularly expensive products, some are priced unreasonably high. To purchase the best epoxy primer, look for products that offer the best value for money: proper corrosion-resistance properties, good adherence to various surfaces, easy application and affordable price. Obviously, what’s affordable for some people may not be at all for others, so ultimately, what matters most, is to find a product that checks all your boxes without costing too much.

Why You Should Use Epoxy Primer

Using a quality epoxy primer comes with various benefits, including:

• Ultimate protection

If you want the best protection, the first primer should always be an epoxy primer. This product forms non-porous, solid surface when cured, providing excellent protection against rust, corrosion and various other damages, including moisture-caused damage. This becomes especially important if you live in a damp climate.

• Excellent adhesion properties

The chemical makeup of epoxy primers allows them to adhere to various materials, including bare metal surfaces, making them perfect for base coats. They smooth and even out any surface, which not only makes the job of sealers and topcoats much easier, but a painting job too.

• Promotes surface longevity

Because a quality epoxy primer will fill in all the cracks, dents and minor damages on a surface, it will actually help repair damaged portions of the material. Take Interlux Interprotect 2000E epoxy primer as an example – not only does this primer offers excellent protection against water absorption, it also helps repair gelcoat damaged by osmotic blistering.

Types of Epoxy Primers

To purchase the best epoxy primer, it’s important to pick the right type for your needs. While there are numerous different primers on the market, there are only two main types: sprays and bucket epoxy primers.

• Spray/Aerosol Can Epoxy Primer

If you’re after convenience first and foremost, spray cans are for you. An aerosol can epoxy primer has a spray nozzle that quickly, easily and evenly applies the product on the surface of metals. With a typical spray can, all you have to do is shake it and spray it. That’s literally it! Because they’re so easy to use, spray primers are ideal for absolute beginners, although many professionals like them too.

The only downside? Limited content. Usually, for bigger projects, one can is not enough, so it’s advisable to purchase spare cans if you're set on this type.

• Large Bucket Epoxy Primer

Typically in a bucket or bottle, this type of an epoxy primer comes in two parts: the primer and the hardener. To use it, you need to mix the two as per instructions. Although a bit more complicated to use than the spray epoxy primer, this type is the more popular one. And it’s no wonder why: it’s usually better priced (you get a much more product here), easier to store, plus gives more control over the amount that you can mix.

The flip side, of course, is that you need to carefully and thoroughly mix the two components.

Our Top Pick

To pick the best epoxy primers for our Top List, we’ve spent two days researching and testing each product. And while all 6 epoxy primers are quality, reasonably priced products, we believe the Speedokote SMR-260G/261, Epoxy Fast Dry 2.1 Primer & Sealer takes the crown. This versatile epoxy paint for metal and other materials comes with a lot of product, is simple to use and quick to dry. Even more importantly, it offers durable and long-lasting protection against corrosion and deterioration, making it the best epoxy primer currently on the market.

Sources:

1. How to Prep a Car for Paint - Wiki How
2. How to Prepare for Car Painting - Do it Your Self