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Primer & Undercoat

You will never have a perfect coat of paint on the wall without a good primer or undercoat on there first. They’re the difference between a job done OK and one done perfectly. At The Paint Shed, we have an unrivalled selection of primers and undercoats for any paint job inside and outside, with top brands like Johnstone’s Trade, Zinsser & Dulux Trade in stock.

Find your ideal primer or undercoat now, and if you need it in a hurry, we have a click & collect service available from your nearest Paint Shed location.

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  1. Johnstone's Trade Aqua Water Based Undercoat Brilliant White
    Johnstone's Trade Aqua Water Based Undercoat Brilliant White
    From £15.32 £12.77
  2. Recommended

    Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer
    Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer
    From £10.61 £8.84
  3. Recommended

    BIN Primer
    Zinsser Bin Primer
    From £18.76 £15.63
  4. Recommended

    Cover Stain Primer
    Zinsser Cover Stain Primer
    From £8.53 £7.11
  5. Recommended

    Johnstone's Trade Joncryl Water Based Primer Undercoat White
    Johnstone's Trade Joncryl Water Based Primer Undercoat White
    From £18.96 £15.80
  6. New

    Farrow and Ball Wood Primer & Undercoat
    Farrow and Ball Wood Primer & Undercoat
    From £26.00 £21.67
  7. Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water Based Satin White
    Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water Based Satin White
    From £18.61 £15.51
  8. Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Primer Undercoat White
    Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Primer Undercoat White
    From £12.78 £10.65
  9. Farrow And Ball Wall and Ceiling Primer and Undercoat
    Farrow and Ball Wall And Ceiling Primer And Undercoat
    From £41.00 £34.17
  10. Colour Match

    Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Satin Solvent Based Tinted Colours
    Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Satin Solvent Based Tinted Colours
    From £24.82 £20.68
  11. Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water Based Satin Black
    Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water Based Satin Black
    From £10.82 £9.02
  12. Armstead Trade Undercoat White
    Armstead Trade Undercoat White
    From £19.96 £16.63
  13. Jotun Visir Primer Clear
    Jotun Visir Primer Clear
    From £23.68 £19.73
  14. Macpherson Undercoat White
    Macpherson Trade High Opacity Undercoat White
    From £8.34 £6.95
  15. Recommended

    Smith and Rodger Blockade Primer
    Smith and Rodger Blockade Primer
    From £20.95 £17.46
  16. Macpherson Trade Acrylic Primer Undercoat
    Macpherson Trade Acrylic Primer Undercoat
    From £11.48 £9.57
  17. Little Greene Intelligent All Surface Primer
    Little Greene Intelligent All Surface Primer
    From £25.00 £20.83
  18. Dulux Trade Undercoat White
    Dulux Trade Undercoat White
    From £14.14 £11.78
  19. Johnstone's Trade Professional Undercoat White
    Johnstone's Trade Professional Undercoat White
    From £14.77 £12.31
  20. Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water Based Matt White
    Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water Based Matt White
    From £18.61 £15.51
  21. Dulux Trade Quick Drying Wood Priming Undercoat
    Dulux Trade Quick Drying Wood Priming Undercoat
    From £22.82 £19.02
  22. Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water Based Matt Black
    Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water Based Matt Black
    From £18.61 £15.51
  23. New

    Johnstone's Trade Aqua Guard Primer Undercoat Brilliant White
    Johnstone's Trade Aqua Guard Primer Undercoat Brilliant White
    From £20.03 £16.69
  24. Armstead Trade Quick Dry Wood Primer Undercoat
    Armstead Trade Quick Dry Wood Primer Undercoat
    From £11.90 £9.92
  25. Colour Match

    Johnstone's Trade Aqua Water Based Undercoat Tinted Colours
    Johnstone's Trade Aqua Water Based Undercoat Tinted Colours
    From £23.30 £19.42
  26. Colour Match

    Dulux Trade Weathershield Quick Dry Exterior Undercoat Tinted Colours
    Dulux Trade Weathershield Quick Dry Exterior Undercoat Tinted Colours
    From £38.58 £32.15
  27. Dulux Trade Super Grip Primer White
    Dulux Trade Super Grip Primer White
    From £28.75 £23.96
  28. Johnstone's Trade Ultra Primer Sealer Brilliant White
    Johnstone's Trade Ultra Primer Sealer Brilliant White
    From £23.24 £19.37
  29. Recommended

    Benjamin Moore Insl-X Stix Primer
    Benjamin Moore Insl-x Stix Primer
    From £31.25 £26.04
  30. Armstead Trade Undercoat Dark Grey
    Armstead Trade Undercoat Dark Grey
    From £11.59 £9.66
  31. Colour Match

    Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Primer Undercoat Tinted Colours
    Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Primer Undercoat Tinted Colours
    From £17.52 £14.60
  32. Colour Match

    Dulux Trade Undercoat Tinted Colours
    Dulux Trade Undercoat Tinted Colours
    From £21.20 £17.67
  33. Crown Trade Full Undercoat (White)
    Crown Trade Full Undercoat White
    From £23.95 £19.96

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FAQs

Primer is a type of paint product which creates an initial coating on a surface. This surface allows for the paint you want to use to adhere as best as possible. To avoid any confusion, if you’re looking to paint a bare surface for the first time, you’ll want to use a primer.
An undercoat is a chance to give your surface a natural base before you apply new paint, i.e. it is a preparation product to go on already painted surfaces. You want to use an undercoat when you are looking to avoid existing colours from bleeding through.
Yes and no at the same time. An old turn of phrase is “undercoat is always primer, primer isn’t always undercoat”. They have the same function of helping a wall take a fresh coat of paint, but primers are only to be used when you’re painting a surface for the first time.

We tend to think of primers and undercoats as something you place over existing paint or a sanded surface to ensure that the first coat gets the best chance possible to stay on. If you’re working with a new surface, be that a re-plastered wall or exterior wall which hasn’t seen a lick of paint before, you’ll want to get a product specifically formulated to help create a strong bond. Some of the most notable would include Crown Trade New Build Acrylic Primer and Crown Trade Stronghold Undercoat White.

You may know the phrase “the floor is lava”. You’ll want to remember “the wall is water” when deciding whether to choose water or oil-based primer/undercoat. Water-based undercoats are great for larger surfaces like your wall and ceiling, as they’ll also tend to use water-based paints. Conversely, with doors and skirting boards needing oil-based paint, an oil-based primer/undercoat is your best option.

We have over 50 types of metal primer in stock. We would recommend you look at some of the differences in products before deciding on one. For example, Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Satin can be used on most exterior metals without having to sand, while Coo-Var Red Oxide Metal Primer is a good primer for ferrous metal.

Most primers and undercoats should give you good coverage with just one coating. When you’re working with a bumpy/porous surface for the first time (wood/masonry), you may need two coats of primers. If you’re using an undercoat and you can clearly see colours peeking through after the initial coat has dried, it will need a second coat.

Double-check you have everything you need before using a primer by visiting our tools & accessories section. It has everything you need to get the job done right. 

Don’t forget that The Paint Shed also has a price promise in place to show that our customers get the best deals possible when shopping for paint primers and undercoats, be that online for delivery or click & collect from your nearest Paint Shed location.