Primer for Krylon Spray Paints

[midlineqb]

What is the best primer for using Krylon spray paints? I've heard they are too hot to use directly on plastic models and I had bought about a dozen different colors before i heard this. Some of the cans say paint + primer on them.

[Fat Brian]

Yeah, Krylon paints are pretty hot, even the "paint plus primer" ones. Duplicolor white is my favorite primer but you'll still have to work in thin coats. 

[slusher]

I put Tamiya white and grey primers under it. I have had no problems..

[Sledsel]

I use Duplicolor on my kits without issue. Yes, Krylon and Rustoleum are both pretty hot directly on plastic.... learned the hard way.

Edited December 15, 2023 by Sledsel

[Farmboy]

Had the same happen to me using Krylon clear but why?  Same Krylon clear I've used forever it seems.  Then I compared the small print.  Both read the same till it gets to the cleanup part.  The old reliable Krylon clear said to use mineral spirits, the new Krylon clear said to use lacquer thinner.  I see that as the issue.  Dammit Jim, I'm a modeler not a chemist!  I bought a spray bomb of Rustoleum clear that said cleanup with mineral spirits.....problem solved. Pain in the a** this new important change wasn't noted separately on the main picture label.  Hope this helps.

[yh70]

i use Rustoleum Primer under Krylon  with no problem...

[bobss396]

I started using Mr, Hobby primers a few months ago, good stuff but $9.99 a can. Duplicolor, you cannot miss with that. I have also used some SEM and Transtar auto body primers with lacquers.

[peteski]

8 hours ago, Farmboy said:

Had the same happen to me using Krylon clear but why?  Same Krylon clear I've used forever it seems.  Then I compared the small print.  Both read the same till it gets to the cleanup part.  The old reliable Krylon clear said to use mineral spirits, the new Krylon clear said to use lacquer thinner.  I see that as the issue.  Dammit Jim, I'm a modeler not a chemist!  I bought a spray bomb of Rustoleum clear that said cleanup with mineral spirits.....problem solved. Pain in the a** this new important change wasn't noted separately on the main picture label.  Hope this helps.

Let's face it:  unless the instructions on the paint can state that the paint is designed to be used on plastic, all the bets are off.  The paints all of you use are general-purpose spray paints, usually used on metal or wood surfaces.  Using them on plastic is like playing a game of Russian Roulette. You might get away with those paints on certain models (maybe some specific plastic formulations), then BAM, one model gets ruined.  And as mine states, paint companies do change their chemical formulations.  Again, check the label for compatibility with plastics.

[Farmboy]

Looks like it should work, it always did.  Oh well, there are plenty of paint lines out there.   I do think a change to one's go-to spray paint that can now potentially ruin someone's project (model builders not withstanding) should be noted somewhere else besides the side in the small print.  

[Classicgas]

I use Duplicolor exclusively.

[Lunajammer]

7 hours ago, peteski said:

Let's face it:  unless the instructions on the paint can state that the paint is designed to be used on plastic, all the bets are off.  The paints all of you use are general-purpose spray paints, usually used on metal or wood surfaces.  Using them on plastic is like playing a game of Russian Roulette.

Pretty much every general use, hardware store spray paint states it's safe to use on plastic unless it's a specialty, limited use paint. A quick search of every general use brand I can think of states it's safe to use on plastic. Yet here we are.

[Dave G.]

7 hours ago, Lunajammer said:

Pretty much every general use, hardware store spray paint states it's safe to use on plastic unless it's a specialty, limited use paint. A quick search of every general use brand I can think of states it's safe to use on plastic. Yet here we are.

The best I can say to that is there are many types of plastics. Household plastics vary but at that they probably/most likely are not like the styrene in modern models. The can says plastics but it's not specific, the first thing that comes to my mind is lawn or deck furniture or plastic trim pieces around the house,flower pots etc. Not model kits at any rate.

Now that said, when my kids were young and we did a bunch of model train kits I used a lot of Krylon primers back then. But Krylon has changed formulation at least two times that I know of since then. Never had an issue with the old Krylon primers on kit plastic in model trains at any rate.

[oldcarfan]

Another vote for Duplicolor. I use their sandable primers exclusively. They come in white, grey, red and hot rod black which is a really dark grey. I've never had a problem with it under any kind of paint. It does build up and can be grainy, so you need to wet sand it with really fine sandpapers, but it gives an excellent surface.

[T-Ray]

 

On 12/12/2023 at 1:08 AM, Sledsel said:

I use Duplicolor on my kits without issue. Yes, Krylon and Rustoleum are both pretty hot directly on plastic.... leaned the hard way.

Important disclaimer, this is just what I have seen in my experience, don't take this as gospel, I have not had any problems with Rustoleum's 2X paint but at the same time, I decant my paints to go through an airbrush. 

[midlineqb]

On 12/11/2023 at 9:55 PM, Fat Brian said:

Yeah, Krylon paints are pretty hot, even the "paint plus primer" ones. Duplicolor white is my favorite primer but you'll still have to work in thin coats. 

Thanks Brian

[midlineqb]

On 12/12/2023 at 12:02 AM, slusher said:

I put Tamiya white and grey primers under it. I have had no problems..

Thanks Carl

[midlineqb]

On 12/12/2023 at 12:08 AM, Sledsel said:

I use Duplicolor on my kits without issue. Yes, Krylon and Rustoleum are both pretty hot directly on plastic.... learned the hard way.

Thanks Andy

[midlineqb]

On 12/12/2023 at 5:19 AM, Farmboy said:

Had the same happen to me using Krylon clear but why?  Same Krylon clear I've used forever it seems.  Then I compared the small print.  Both read the same till it gets to the cleanup part.  The old reliable Krylon clear said to use mineral spirits, the new Krylon clear said to use lacquer thinner.  I see that as the issue.  Dammit Jim, I'm a modeler not a chemist!  I bought a spray bomb of Rustoleum clear that said cleanup with mineral spirits.....problem solved. Pain in the a** this new important change wasn't noted separately on the main picture label.  Hope this helps.

Never thought of that.

[midlineqb]

Thanks to everyone and their respones to my topic. You've all been very helpful in choosing a primer.

[Straightliner59]

I use Krylon's primer. It's worked well, no matter the plastic, or the top coat. I do a couple of light coats, first, then finish with a good one to fill it out. I've been using their products for 50 years, and every time something went wrong, it was something that I did. Every. Single. Time. Following the directions on the can, you can prime and paint a model in a day. Using Parafilm as a mask, I wouldn't shy away from a two-color scheme, in a day. It's good stuff! This is not, by any means a paid endorsement!?