What is the best Primer for HDU

[Derf]

I just bought some Zinsser 1-2-3 primer and tested a piece on HDU and it seems to want to fish eye. Any suggestions on how to prep HDU for painting before blasting.

Thanks

[Shovelhead]

Jay Cooke's Primer

[mtmdesigns]

matthews.. works good for me

[7oaks]

Why not prime it after you blast?

Ken

[imaSIGNr]

Jay Cooks or High Build primer from Chromatic ( 1-shot ) is made for HDU

[imaSIGNr]

Why not prime it after you blast?

Ken

My experience is that you need to prime and paint before you blast so that your mask will stick to something and then you have a nice sharp separation between the blast area and paint....Is there another way to do it where you blast first ?

[Derf]

I always prime, paint, mask, Blast, Prime & paint the blasted areas, then when you lift your mask you have a great finish under your mask and a perfect finish where you blasted.

However I have always used Redwood and I have not used HDU for over ten years. as a matter of fact I have not done a sandblasted sign for over 8 years.


It's just that California has take'n most the good paint products off the market for VOC compliance.

[insignia]

we've had similar resus with Zinsser primer on HDU, not a fan. My favorite is SignFoam's SignPrime. It's kind of wierd stuff, almost seems to me like a really thin clay slurry rather than paint, but two coats of primer and a little sanding and you will have a perfect surface. If the HDU is unblasted, we pour a puddle in the middle of the board and spread it around with a foam roller, just give it a good heavy coat, as heavy as you can get on without it running off onto the floor. It may look terrible when it's wet but it soaks in quickly and levels off very nicely.

[k.a.s.]

I have never used the Zinsser primer but have used a sample of the SignPrime it seemed to work OK. I don't like Jay Cookes because I does not level out and get smooth enough. My hands down favorite primer is the 1-Shot Cromatic primer, it is pricey but worth every penny. We usally rout our signs not blast them, but when I am going to blast I prime first.

Kevin

[Rich]

I agree....I've tried many over the years and I still prefer the Chromatic

[Jackpine]

1-Shot Chromatic primer!

[Gino]

One GOOD coat of Jay Cooke's primer. If it's still very porous do a second coat. Let it thoroughly dry for a few days before putting your rubber down. After you blast… coat the blasted away areas with as much primer as you need. Give it two top coats and one final finish coat. Remove the rubber, patch any areas that might’ve lifted, top coat and then one final finish coat. If any gilding is needed… that would be next. Clear as you feel necessary.

[Sandman]

Sign Prime is that absolute best for SignFoam.

If you're using Precision Board, use their primer.

[Signguyno1]

Sign prime! Vac, blow off and prime with roller first coat, when dry sand lightly, vac and blow off and second coat, when dry sand with 320 wet or dry automotive sandpaper. Clean again and paint with bulletin color with a few drops added of Smoothie (fish eye drops) a little linseed oil to slow down the drying process so brush or roller marks flow out. You may pass over the area with a foam brush lightly if you like, overlapping each stroke to also remove any marks or bubbles.

I have also sprayed final finishes using Sherwin Williams Ultra one stage automotive finishes, but be careful to use an air fed respirator as the hardner can be deadly and or cause brain or nerve damage!

[BlueRidgeFabrication]

We never prime or paint first unless we are doing a reverse blast! We blast, prime, then paint. After we blast, we spray the entire sign with primer, sand, and repeat until there is 2-3 coats of primer. Then, we spray the entire sign with the background color, and then hand-paint the raised areas of the sign (lettering, borders, etc.).

[dswanson]

another vote for jay cooke's