Walmart Color Place Primer--Get It When/While You Can!

[Snake45]

For several years now I've been using--and singing the praises of--the cheap Walmart "Color Place" primers. They used to be available in the stores in white, gray, and black. Price was something like a buck for a 10 oz can. They used to be available in the stores. Couple years ago the gray disappeared, but white and black were still stocked. Within the last year the white (flat white) vanished from the shelf, though they still have plenty of gloss white (check the label--you don't want the gloss). My store still has black. 

I discovered a few weeks ago that you could order the stuff online. You can either have it sent to your house (shipping extra) or pick it up at your local store in a couple of days. I put off ordering any until two weeks ago. When I went to order, the white was showing out of stock, but gray was available, so I ordered 6 cans of that. Last week I checked the site again and white WAS in stock, so I ordered 6 cans of that, and took delivery of both orders last week. Yesterday I test the new paints on a Camaro interior I'm working on, just to make sure it was the same stuff as the old. It is. Good stuff! 

Right at this minute, only the Gray is showing on the site--black and white aren't even there, though my local store still has plenty of black. The moral of the story is, if you want some of this stuff, keep checking the website till it shows up, then order a bunch of it. (Six cans of each might last me the rest of my life.) 

Here's a link to the Gray, to show you what the can looks like. The can looks the same for all three, just the cap color is different. Current price is $1.97

https://www.walmart.com/search/?cat_id=1072864_1067617_1091547&facet=brand%3AColorPlace||brand%3AHOMESHADES||color%3AGray&ps=40&query=color+place+spray+paint&typeahead=color#searchProductResult

You can search by brand name (you want Color Place), color, or both. The gray is also sold under the name of Home Shades with a different label. It is exactly the same stuff (I tested it last year)--same color, same texture, same smell, even same SKU number. 

These are GREAT primers for model use. All three colors have been safe on every kind of plastic I've tried them on, including some of the tricky Chinese stuff that's supposed to be hard to paint. All three colors cover VERY well. I've covered notorious red plastic with one thin coat of the gray and then one semi-wet coat of the white, with NO "bleed through" of the red color. The primer is thin, sprays well right out of the can, dries fast, and can be sanded, although it doesn't necessarily NEED to be, as it actually goes on pretty smooth. 

The black is actually not black, but a VERY dark gray, like the old Pactra Hot Rod Primer some have lamented and missed. 

This is NOT a "high build" primer, so you probably won't want it to fill deep scratches or pinholes, though several coats of it might work for that. 

Is the Walmart Color Place White as good as or better than the famous Tamiya White Primer? Can't say, as I've never used the latter. Considering how well the Color Place works, and the BIG difference in price, I can't imagine that the Tamiya could be THAT much better in any way. 

I like the stuff. Try it if you can get it. If you don't like it, at least you're not out too much. 

[Deuces]

Thanks Snake!!!! I'll give it a whirl... Got a Walmart just a hop, skip and a jump from my house... ?

[OldNYJim]

Just ordered some too!  Thanks dude!

[slusher]

Color place primer is really good and have her had any issues with it...

[willieman]

Will this primer accept ANY top coat?

[Len Woodruff]

Thanks for the heads up. I have been using Plasti-Coat T- 235 for years. But the last case I bought must of changed the formula. Take longer to dry and has a tendency to clog the nozzle. Bummer for soure.

[Len Woodruff]

On 10/5/2018 at 9:09 AM, Snake45 said:

For several years now I've been using--and singing the praises of--the cheap Walmart "Color Place" primers. They used to be available in the stores in white, gray, and black. Price was something like a buck for a 10 oz can. They used to be available in the stores. Couple years ago the gray disappeared, but white and black were still stocked. Within the last year the white (flat white) vanished from the shelf, though they still have plenty of gloss white (check the label--you don't want the gloss). My store still has black. 

I discovered a few weeks ago that you could order the stuff online. You can either have it sent to your house (shipping extra) or pick it up at your local store in a couple of days. I put off ordering any until two weeks ago. When I went to order, the white was showing out of stock, but gray was available, so I ordered 6 cans of that. Last week I checked the site again and white WAS in stock, so I ordered 6 cans of that, and took delivery of both orders last week. Yesterday I test the new paints on a Camaro interior I'm working on, just to make sure it was the same stuff as the old. It is. Good stuff! 

Right at this minute, only the Gray is showing on the site--black and white aren't even there, though my local store still has plenty of black. The moral of the story is, if you want some of this stuff, keep checking the website till it shows up, then order a bunch of it. (Six cans of each might last me the rest of my life.) 

Here's a link to the Gray, to show you what the can looks like. The can looks the same for all three, just the cap color is different. Current price is $1.97

https://www.walmart.com/search/?cat_id=1072864_1067617_1091547&facet=brand%3AColorPlace||brand%3AHOMESHADES||color%3AGray&ps=40&query=color+place+spray+paint&typeahead=color#searchProductResult

You can search by brand name (you want Color Place), color, or both. The gray is also sold under the name of Home Shades with a different label. It is exactly the same stuff (I tested it last year)--same color, same texture, same smell, even same SKU number. 

These are GREAT primers for model use. All three colors have been safe on every kind of plastic I've tried them on, including some of the tricky Chinese stuff that's supposed to be hard to paint. All three colors cover VERY well. I've covered notorious red plastic with one thin coat of the gray and then one semi-wet coat of the white, with NO "bleed through" of the red color. The primer is thin, sprays well right out of the can, dries fast, and can be sanded, although it doesn't necessarily NEED to be, as it actually goes on pretty smooth. 

The black is actually not black, but a VERY dark gray, like the old Pactra Hot Rod Primer some have lamented and missed. 

This is NOT a "high build" primer, so you probably won't want it to fill deep scratches or pinholes, though several coats of it might work for that. 

Is the Walmart Color Place White as good as or better than the famous Tamiya White Primer? Can't say, as I've never used the latter. Considering how well the Color Place works, and the BIG difference in price, I can't imagine that the Tamiya could be THAT much better in any way. 

I like the stuff. Try it if you can get it. If you don't like it, at least you're not out too much. 

Is this a Lacquer based primer? I tried to read the can but it was to small.

[Dave Van]

The Silver spray was good too until the huffers started using it......

I'll stick with Dupli-color and Tamiya.....my local Dupli-color dealer closed so that's tough too.....

[Snake45]

2 hours ago, willieman said:

Will this primer accept ANY top coat?

It's stood up to everything I've thrown at it, including Duplicolor and Rustoleum. But I can't guarantee you won't find something that will eat it for lunch. 

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, Len Woodruff said:

Is this a Lacquer based primer? I tried to read the can but it was to small.

They call it "fast dry enamel." I thought it might actually be lacquer, but I primed my '65 Chevelle wagon with it and painted it with some kind of rattlecan blue lacquer that didn't give me the look I wanted. I stripped the body by putting it in a tub of rubbing alcohol, which took the blue right off and left the primer intact and clean. So I guess it's not lacquer. 

[Len Woodruff]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

They call it "fast dry enamel." I thought it might actually be lacquer, but I primed my '65 Chevelle wagon with it and painted it with some kind of rattlecan blue lacquer that didn't give me the look I wanted. I stripped the body by putting it in a tub of rubbing alcohol, which took the blue right off and left the primer intact and clean. So I guess it's not lacquer. 

Thanks for the information.

[Snake45]

On 10/5/2018 at 10:09 AM, Snake45 said:

Is the Walmart Color Place White as good as or better than the famous Tamiya White Primer? Can't say, as I've never used the latter. Considering how well the Color Place works, and the BIG difference in price, I can't imagine that the Tamiya could be THAT much better in any way. 

Saw the Tamiya primer at Hobby Lobby today. $11.00 for what looks like 6 ounces. Found it online for as little as $8.80 but you'd have to pay hideous shipping for it. 

The Walmart Color Place primer is $1.50 for 11 ounces. So the Tamiya costs $1.83 per ounce, and the Walmart costs 13.6c per ounce. 

I'll concede the Tamiya might be better. But I honestly don't see how it could possibly be MORE THAN TEN TIMES better. 

[Dave Van]

11 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Saw the Tamiya primer at Hobby Lobby today. $11.00 for what looks like 6 ounces. Found it online for as little as $8.80 but you'd have to pay hideous shipping for it. 

The Walmart Color Place primer is $1.50 for 11 ounces. So the Tamiya costs $1.83 per ounce, and the Walmart costs 13.6c per ounce. 

I'll concede the Tamiya might be better. But I honestly don't see how it could possibly be MORE THAN TEN TIMES better. 

$11.00 with 40% off everyday is a deal. ($6.60)  Tamyia is the best scale primer IMHO ONLY

[Snake45]

3 hours ago, Dave Van said:

$11.00 with 40% off everyday is a deal. ($6.60)  Tamyia is the best scale primer IMHO ONLY

That's still $1.10 an ounce vs 13.6 cents. And I still doubt it's eight times better. 

Don't knock the Walmart white primer until you've tried it! 

[Dave Van]

2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

That's still $1.10 an ounce vs 13.6 cents. And I still doubt it's eight times better. 

Don't knock the Walmart white primer until you've tried it! 

For everyday use I use Dupli-color #1699 sealer.  I use the Tamiya for what I'd call contest paints or were I NEED a pure white primer. 

I don't like change so I'll stick.....but it's good when you find what works for each person! 

[Mike Stem]

Just ordered the last 6 cans they had on their site of the gray