Best Bare Metal Primer in 2023 (Review & Buying Guide)

Sometimes it might be quite difficult to find the best bare metal primer. With every niche market offering so many different products, it makes sense that this is the case.

Unfortunately, this very fact can make it incredibly difficult to find the item that best suits your needs, which is why we’ve put together this bare metal primer buying guide.

Our Favorite Picks:

#	Preview	Product
1		Rust-Oleum 7582838 Professional Primer Spray Paint, 15 oz, Gray Primer	Check Price
2		Eastwood High Build Self Etching Primer Gray Aerosol for Bare Metal True Acid-Etching Formula	Check Price
3		U-POL 0741V Acid#8 Etch Primer Gray Aerosol, 13 Fl Oz.	Check Price
4		Rust-Oleum 7780502 Stops Rust Protective Enamel Paint, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 1), Flat Whtie Clean Metal...	Check Price
5		Custom Coat Self Etching Acid Etch Primer - 12.9 Ounce Spray Can - Gray - Automotive and Industrial...	Check Price
6		SEM 39683 Grey Self Etching Primer - 15.5 oz.	Check Price
7		SEM 39674 VOC Black Self Etching Primer - 1 Quart	Check Price
8		Rust-Oleum 7769830 Stops Rust Spray Paint, 12-Ounce, Flat Rusty Metal Primer	Check Price
9		Custom Shop Premium Gray Self Etching Primer, 1 Gallon - Ready to Spray Paint, Excellent Adhesion to...	Check Price
10		SEM 39681 VOC Grey Self Etching Primer - 1 Gallon	Check Price
11		Custom Coat Self Etching Acid Etch Primer - 12.9 Ounce Spray Can - Gray - Automotive and Industrial...	Check Price
12		Rust-Oleum 286793 Automotive Universal Bonding Primer Spray, 12 oz, Flat White	Check Price
13		Rust-Oleum 2089830-6PK Stops Rust Automotive Spray Primer, 12 oz, Dark Gray, (Pack of 6)	Check Price
14		RUST-OLEUM K7781402 Voc Gray Metal Primer	Check Price
15		Custom Coat 1K High Build Direct to Metal Primer - 12 Ounce Spray Can - Grey - for Automotive and...	Check Price

The 15 Top Bare Metal Primer Reviews:

SaleBestseller No. 1

Rust-Oleum 7582838 Professional Primer Spray Paint, 15 oz, Gray Primer

• Ideal for use on ferrous, non-ferrous metal, wood, concrete, masonry and other such surfaces to prepare surfaces for painting, provide rust protection and a tough finish that withstands weathering
• High quality, durable oil-based formula maintains consistent, corrosion-resistant color despite the elements and provides twice the protection of paint alone
• Covers up to 14 sq ft, dries to touch in 15 minutes and ready for immediate topcoat application ; Indoor/outdoor
• Commercial, industrial paint formula features a high output tip that can be sprayed at any angle
• Primer provides a base for excellent adhesion and withstands demanding, heavy-use environments

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Bestseller No. 2

Eastwood High Build Self Etching Primer Gray Aerosol for Bare Metal True Acid-Etching Formula

• Fill-In Imperfections As They Prepare Bare Metal For Non-Epoxy Topcoats.
• Etches And Primes Bare Metal In 1 Step
• Strengthens Adhesion, Durability, And Color Hold-Out
• Use With Non-Epoxy Primers And Topcoats
• Made In The Usa

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SaleBestseller No. 3

U-POL 0741V Acid#8 Etch Primer Gray Aerosol, 13 Fl Oz.

• Primes bare metal surfaces
• Promotes paint adhesion to difficult substrates such as galvanized steel and aluminum
• Flash point: 41.0
• Included components: Aerosol
• Promotes paint adhesion to difficult substrates such as galvanized steel and aluminum

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Bestseller No. 4

Rust-Oleum 7780502 Stops Rust Protective Enamel Paint, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 1), Flat Whtie Clean Metal Primer, 12

• Weather and corrosion resistant primer bonds tightly to exterior/interior surfaces like wood, metal, concrete, masonry and more to provide excellent adhesion for top coat
• Oil-based formula provides a durable protective coating with excellent rust prevention
• Dries to the touch in 2-4 hours and covers up to 90 sq. ft.
• Primer provides a base for excellent adhesion and withstands demanding, heavy-use environments
• Creates a flat white finish that can be covered with any topcoat

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Bestseller No. 5

Custom Coat Self Etching Acid Etch Primer - 12.9 Ounce Spray Can - Gray - Automotive and Industrial Primer - Great for use on Bare Metal Areas Before applying Truck Bed Liner

• Provides excellent Anti-Corrosion Properties and is Fast Drying Etch and enables you to primeand protect bare metal in one step
• Custom Coat Super Acid Etch Primer - Promotes excellent paint adhesion to difficult substrates such as galvanised steel and aluminium. Creates an anti-corrosive barrier that prevents steel from rusting and Aluminum from corroding. Phosphoric acid etch formula promotes paint adhesion to difficult Metal substrates
• Super smooth finish - can be directly Top Coated with no sanding required
• Flat fan high atomization nozzle offers a large fan pattern and excellent coverage
• Custom Coat Super Acid Etch Primer is the ideal Primer to use on truck beds on exposed metal surfaces before applying Truck Bed . Works great under all major brands of truck bed liner like Custom Coat, UPOL Raptor, and Gator Guard.

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SaleBestseller No. 6

SEM 39683 Grey Self Etching Primer - 15.5 oz.

• Part Number: 39683
• Country Of Origin: United States
• Package Dimensions: 6.35 L X 6.35 W X 23.622 H (Centimeters)
• Package Weight: 0.567 Kilograms

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SaleBestseller No. 7

SEM 39674 VOC Black Self Etching Primer - 1 Quart

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SaleBestseller No. 8

Rust-Oleum 7769830 Stops Rust Spray Paint, 12-Ounce, Flat Rusty Metal Primer

• Use to prime exterior or interior heavily rusted metal surfaces only
• Oil-based formula provides a durable protective coating with excellent rust prevention
• Dries to the touch in 15-30 minutes and covers between to 10-12 sq. ft. per can
• Primer provides a base for excellent adhesion and withstands demanding, heavy-use environments
• Creates a surface that topcoats can easily adhere to

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Bestseller No. 9

Custom Shop Premium Gray Self Etching Primer, 1 Gallon - Ready to Spray Paint, Excellent Adhesion to Bare Metal, Steel, Aluminum, Fiberglass - Use on Automotive Car Parts, OEM Industrial Coating

• 1 Gallon (3.8 Liters) Can of GRAY - Custom Shop Premium Self-Etching Acid Etch Primer. Gray primer color. It etches and primes bare, rust-free metal in just one step.
• Premium Self-Etching Acid Etch Primer is a ready-to-spray, self-etching primer with tremendous adhesion and flexibility properties. It provides excellent adhesion to the following properly prepared substrates: steel, aluminum, fiberglass, previously painted surfaces, wood, and some plastics.
• It's a super primer with anti-corrosive properties, which makes it ideal for use over bare metals such as aluminum and steel. It’s a perfect primer for fleet and OEM manufacturers.
• This coating is fast drying and is sandable after 60 minutes. It also improves color holdout, gloss retention and has excellent inter-coat adhesion.
• Ideal for use on properly prepared truck beds before the application of truck bed liner coatings. This primer works excellent under all major brands of truck bed liner coatings like Custom Coat, UPOL Raptor, and Gator Guard.

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SaleBestseller No. 10

SEM 39681 VOC Grey Self Etching Primer - 1 Gallon

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Bestseller No. 11

Custom Coat Self Etching Acid Etch Primer - 12.9 Ounce Spray Can - Gray - Automotive and Industrial Primer - Great for use on Bare Metal Areas Before applying Truck Bed Liner (Pack of 3)

• Provides excellent Anti-Corrosion Properties and is Fast Drying Etch and enables you to primeand protect bare metal in one step
• Custom Coat Super Acid Etch Primer - Promotes excellent paint adhesion to difficult substrates such as galvanised steel and aluminium. Creates an anti-corrosive barrier that prevents steel from rusting and Aluminum from corroding. Phosphoric acid etch formula promotes paint adhesion to difficult Metal substrates
• Super smooth finish - can be directly Top Coated with no sanding required
• Flat fan high atomization nozzle offers a large fan pattern and excellent coverage
• Custom Coat Super Acid Etch Primer is the ideal Primer to use on truck beds on exposed metal surfaces before applying Truck Bed . Works great under all major brands of truck bed liner like Custom Coat, UPOL Raptor, and Gator Guard.

Check Price

Bestseller No. 12

Rust-Oleum 286793 Automotive Universal Bonding Primer Spray, 12 oz, Flat White

• Primer helps bond any top coat paint to even the most difficult of automotive surfaces
• Professional grade formula seals and protects surfaces while creating the ideal surface for coating
• Dries to the touch in 30 minutes and covers up to 10-12 sq. ft. per can
• Creates a lasting bond to bumpers, trim, plastics, fiberglass, galvanized steel, aluminum and more
• Flat finish spray creates a smooth, ready-to-coat surface for superior adhesion

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SaleBestseller No. 13

Rust-Oleum 2089830-6PK Stops Rust Automotive Spray Primer, 12 oz, Dark Gray, (Pack of 6)

• Primer spray paint is suitable for use on wood, metal and fiberglass surfaces
• Oil-based paint with Stops Rust formula provides rust resistant base coat for cars, trucks and other vehicles
• Covers up to 12 sq. ft. and dries to handle (and can be recoated) in 15 minutes
• High quality spray paint ensures long lasting, durable coating
• Flat finish provides superior adhesion and works with any topcoat

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SaleBestseller No. 14

RUST-OLEUM K7781402 Voc Gray Metal Primer

• Durable and corrosion-resistant
• For indoor and outdoor use
• No need for additional top coats or touch-ups
• Model number: K7781402

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Bestseller No. 15

Custom Coat 1K High Build Direct to Metal Primer - 12 Ounce Spray Can - Grey - for Automotive and Industrial Use - Easy Sanding

• Custom Coat 1K High Build Primer - Grey - 12 ounce Spray Can - provides a High Build Primer Surfacer that is a flexible acrylic surfacer for priming steel, aluminum, fiberglass, SMC, and urethane painted surfaces in an Easy to use aerosol spray can.
• Provides superior adhesion, Excellent filling properties, Works on flexible or rigid substrates
• Easy to sand, Topcoat with most Automotive Paint refinish topcoats
• Flat fan high atomization nozzle offers a large fan pattern and excellent coverage
• Versatile: Automotive High Build primer that can be applied over many sustrates

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Last update on 2023-04-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to find the best bare metal primer?

Here, we’ll be going over a number of factors that you can use to ensure that you’re purchasing the best bare metal primer for you.

Regardless of which type of item you’re looking to buy, chances are that there are existing buying guides on the internet, all of which aim to give you good bare metal primer recommendations.

Despite these recommendations, however, it’s always a good idea to do your own research. In addition to this research, asking yourself the following questions is also super helpful:

• What features does the bare metal primer need to have to be perfect for my needs?
• What is my budget?
• Do I need to purchase a certain brand?

Once you’ve answered these questions and have a good idea of what you’re looking for and the buying process becomes much easier. Keep in mind that when looking for the best product, there’s no need to rush. In fact, very rarely are the ideal products found by choosing the first one you see or by basing your decisions on only one factor. Take your time and enjoy the process!

Now, with the answers to the previous questions in mind, we urge you to use our upcoming buying guide for bare metal primer to find what you’re looking for:

Brand

In some cases, the brand of bare metal primer is very important. For example, if you’re looking for an item that works in tandem with another, you might very well need both products to be the same brand. If this is the case, it’s vital to pay attention to this factor, as choosing the wrong product can mean the difference between wasting your money and buying a great product that functions as it should.

Features

The features in any given bare metal primer are important because they can dictate which version of an item you need and how much money you need to spend. Consider all the key features that you want your item to have and don’t settle for anything that doesn’t check at least ¾ of your boxes.

Reviews

Customer reviews about bare metal primer are crucial – especially when you’re buying a product that costs a lot of money or serves a big importance. Luckily, most products can be found online, which means that it’s common for there to be scores of customer reviews from those who have already purchased any given product.

Pay attention to these reviews. Take note of the pros and cons that they mention, and factor these into your big decision. In some cases, you’ll be forced to sacrifice one con in order to gain a particular pro, but being aware of the potential con is going to be beneficial in either case.

Quality

Of course, quality is key. You don’t want to purchase a low-quality product. If you do, you run the risk of your item breaking, not working properly, or otherwise proving to be very disappointing, as well as a waste of money.

You can compare bare metal primer quality by researching what your potential purchases are made from, contrasting the individual items against each other to discern which one is made of the best materials.

Warranty

Warranty isn’t always going to be important, but it definitely can be. This is especially true if the item in question is tech-related or expensive. A good warranty will be valid for an extended time after purchase and cover a variety of problems ranging from item defects to random accidents, water damage, and other miscellaneous events that could ruin your product.

Conclusion

The quest to find the best bare metal primer can be daunting – but it doesn’t have to be. It can be made much easier by asking yourself a few simple questions and then thinking critically about the items you want to buy. Consider their features, quality, brand, warranty, and customer reviews and you’re more likely to make a great purchase.