Deep Base Primers

The latest trends in color are more complex, "designer" colors, which tend to be very saturated and clean due to their higher chroma values.

These popular colors are best revealed when tinted in a deep or clear base with a minimal amount of white pigment, which promotes hiding.

Benjamin Moore offers several tintable deep base primers specifically made for use with more saturated or darker colors, which help reduce the number of coats necessary to achieve their full depth and richness. The Aura product line offers a Foundation in a Red and Yellow base.

The example to the right shows the advantages of using a deep base primer with a darker color. In the panel at right, no primer is used. This leaves the gray stripe underneath visible when the topcoat is applied.

In the panel at left, the deep base primer helps hide the gray stripe and makes the color clean and rich.

Deep Base Primers
Deep Base Primers are available in the following products:

Exteriors

• Fresh Start® Moorwhite Penetrating Alkyd Primer (100)
• Fresh Start All Purpose Alkyd Primer (024)

Interiors

• Fresh Start Alkyd Enamel Underbody (217)
• Regal® First Coat (216)
• Benjamin Moore Fresh Start All Purpose Alkyd Primer (024)
• Aura® Color Foundation (520) 
• Fresh Start 100% Acrylic Primer (023)

Colors that require deep base primers have a [triangle] designation in the Classic Colors® system and a 'P-#' designation in our Color Preview® system. 

As designer colors become more popular using our tintable deep base primers bring out the maximum quality and color clarity from topcoats.

To achieve the look you want with paint finish, surface preparation is vital. With many surfaces, problems from porosity to stains to poor adhesion are common. Benjamin Moore primers are formulated to handle the most difficult surface problems, saving you time and money.

For more information, view our technical bulletin on Interior Surface Preparation .

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