Only a handful of products name stainless steel in their makers’ own words: Benjamin Moore HP1750 Waterborne Bonding Primer, Krylon Automotive Self Etching Primer, Zinsser B-I-N (brush) and SmartPrime, and KILZ Adhesion. That is a thin list, so we’d test a small patch first.
Primers that name stainless
| Product | Stainless line | Where | Dry and recoat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Moore HP1750 Waterborne Bonding Primer | “bonding coat on chrome, brass, copper, aluminum, galvanized metal and stainless steel” | Metal; dries to “a green translucent finish” | Touch in 30 minutes; recoat in 2 hours |
| Krylon Automotive Self Etching Primer | “bare metal, aluminum, hard plastics, fiberglass, and stainless steel” | “Interior & Exterior” | Touch in 30 minutes |
| Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer (brush) | “metal (aluminum, stainless steel, and galvanized metal)” | Interior; “Exterior uses are limited to spot priming only.” | Touch in 20 minutes; recoat in 45 minutes |
| Zinsser SmartPrime | “metal (aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized metal)” | Interior and exterior | Touch in 30 minutes; recoat in 1 hour |
| KILZ Adhesion | “Stainless Steel” in its list of hard-to-paint surfaces | Interior and exterior | Touch in 30 minutes; recoat in 1 hour |
From each product’s data sheet or page. HP1750’s data sheet says applications over Kynar or silicone polyester should be tested and approved by the buyer.
What Benjamin Moore’s guides add
Benjamin Moore’s metal guide puts stainless steel in the non-ferrous group and says to consider HP1100 for non-ferrous metal. HP1100’s own data sheet says “non-ferrous metals” but doesn’t name stainless. Its bonding-primer article says that for “chrome, brass, stainless and aluminum, Corotech® Waterborne Primer is an easy-to-use alternative.” We didn’t read the Corotech data sheet.
Weather for HP1750
HP1750’s data sheet says not to apply it below 50°F. Its humidity wording conflicts within the sheet. The limitations line says “Do not apply if material, substrate or ambient temperature is below 50 °F (10 °C) and with humidity levels less than 85%,” which reads as if low humidity were the problem. The application note says “Relative humidity should be below 85%.” We’d follow the application note and paint on a dry day with humidity below 85%.
What we didn’t find
Rust-Oleum’s Automotive Self Etching Primer names “bare metal, aluminum and fiberglass,” not stainless, so we wouldn’t stretch it to stainless. Krylon’s self-etching primer is the spray we found that does name it. BEHR’s Bonding Primer No. 432 label names “metals” but not stainless.
With so few makers naming stainless, we’d prime and paint a small hidden patch, let it cure, and check it with a fingernail before doing the whole piece. Read the safety section on the label before you start, and work with good ventilation.
KILZ Adhesion’s data sheet says “WARNING IRRITANT HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED,” that it may cause eye, nose and throat irritation, and to use it only with adequate ventilation.