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Product Details

TotalBoat Topside Primer is a premium marine undercoat compatible with one-part and two-part topside finishes. Intended for use above the waterline, it can be sprayed, rolled, or brushed prior to painting with polyurethane or enamel topside paints.

Use on wood, fiberglass, gelcoat, & over previously painted materials. This single-part, high-solids primer requires only a single coat, dries quickly & sands easily. Thin with TotalBoat Special Brushing Thinner 100 when brushing, and TotalBoat Spray Thinner 100 when spraying. TotalBoat Topside Primer comes in White or Gray in Quarts and Gallons.

We recommend this primer with our TotalBoat Wet Edge Topside Paint, available in 21 brilliant colors.

IMPORTANT: Stir primer continuously for five minutes before use.

Tech Specs
Vehicle Type Phenolic Modified Short Oil Alkyd
Application Method Brush, Roll or Spray
Number of Coats 1-2 coats
Dry Film Thickness (per coat) 1-2 mils
Wet Film Thickness (per coat) 3 mils
Application Temp 50-90°F
Application Humidity 0-90 %
Dry Time (to touch) 1 hour @ 50°F 30 mins @ 70°F 10 mins @ 90°F
Dry Time (to overcoat) 4 hours @ 50°F 2 hours @ 70°F 1 hour @ 90°F
Coverage 350-400 sq ft/gal
Finish Sheen/Gloss Flat (5-10°)
VOC < 358 grams/liter
Flash Point
Solids (by weight) 61-64 %
Solids (by volume) 42-45 %
Info & Guides

Preparation & Application Tips

Preparation is the key to good-looking, long-lasting, results. A properly prepared surface is clean, solid and dry. Do not paint immediately after rain, during foggy weather or when the temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

If brushing/rolling, thin 5-10% with TotalBoat Special Brushing Thinner 100, if desired, and use a foam roller or firm polyester brush, for best results. If spraying, thin 10-20% with TotalBoat Spray Thinner 101, if desired. Avoid lap marks by not painting in direct sunlight and by coating sections of the surface either down or across hull to natural breaks, maintaining a wet edge.

If your edge begins to dry or you see that you missed a spot and the primer is already setting up, allow it to dry completely before touching up that area.

Do not lather on primer too thickly or you will compromise all flexible adhesion characteristics that make TotalBoat Primer one of the industry's leading one-part undercoats. Dry Film Thickness (DFT) should be 1-2 mils.

Technical Information

Features

  • High-performance, one-part primer
  • Fast drying
  • Non-lifting
  • Lead and chromate free
  • Rust inhibitive

Thinning and Cleanup

  • Thinning (Brush/Roll Application): TotalBoat Special Brushing Thinner 100
  • Thinning (Spray Application): TotalBoat Spray Thinner 101
  • Cleanup: TotalBoat Special Brushing Thinner 100, TotalBoat Spray Thinner 101, or TotalBoat Dewaxer & Surface Prep

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including titanium dioxide, ethylbenzene, silica crystalline, and cumene, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer, and n-methylpyrrolidone, which is known to the State of California to cause developmental toxicity. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

Reviews for TotalBoat Topside Primer

10 of 131 Reviews

January 26, 2024

Easy
By Jim from Hot Springs Village, Arkansas

Verified Purchase

This primer appears to have worked great. Proof will come over the next few years during use, but a good start. As a side note, I used a combination of Wet Edge and Halcyon clear varnish (9 coats all in) over the rest of my outdoor cabinet with stellar results. That cabinet has been in the back of my pick up through sun, rain and snow for a couple years with no failure. The cap that I refinished protects my battery, associated electronics and refrigerator – it needs be watertight to keep things dry. My project was re-coating an outdoor cabinet top that sits in the back of my pickup. After sanding and scraping, the substrate was a combination of bare wood, paint, TotalBoat Wet Edge and Halcyon varnish. Definitely needed a primer. This product was sticky yet easy to use. I thinned close to 10% with TotalBoat brush thinner. Applied two coats with a brush. The primer went on evenly and provided a good base for the five coats of wet edge I applied on top. The end product looks great. Hope it will last a few years.

It's the yellow cap
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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October 5, 2023

Good primer
By RM from Sparta, NJ

Verified Purchase

Easy to use, but next project I'll probably go with the 2 part epoxy primer.

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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May 29, 2023

Great product
By Doug from Palmetto, FL

Verified Purchase

Removed lower deck teak on a 1989 Grand Banks. Sanded black butyl off with 80 grit. Filled pulled up gelcoat with TotalBoat fairing compound, and sanding to 150, then applied Topside Primer. Used two coats because we had some hairline cracks and random low spots I missed. Was great at filling in and smoothing surface. The final topcoat was TotalTread. The Primer and the TotalTread were both applied with a red 4" mohair roller. Everything went on smooth and easy. The hardest part was the taping. Very happy with product(s) and results.

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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May 26, 2023

My fore deck is a bomb shelter.
By Gamebird from New Jersey

Verified Purchase

My fore deck was in danger of collapsing because of water intrusion. First time with epoxy, total boat made it easy. Everything worked the way it was supposed to. The boat is better now than new.

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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May 17, 2023

Did the job
By Sailorgp from Michigan

Verified Purchase

Topside primer is unusually thick right out of the can. I didn't thin it because I wanted to take advantage of it's alleged 'high build' characteristic. It sands fairly easily but not quite as easily as other primers I've used. It dries fast. As suggested in other reviews, applying multiple thin coats is better than one thick coat.

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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April 21, 2023

I think I got a bad batch of topside Primer
By Blue Finn from Concord Ca.

Verified Purchase

The primer was clumpy and it took a while to mix up,when I rolled it on it did not cover the fairing compound or other imperfections,I've used this product before on my other boat it worked fine,anyway I gave up and just painted over it.

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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March 24, 2023

Worked great
By Ralph from Billings Montana

Verified Purchase

Deftly thin as recommend. Sets up quite fast. Sands nice.

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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January 4, 2023

Topside down primer
By Jan from New York

Verified Purchase

I wish the label was correctly oriented. It dries a little too fast and leaves brush strokes. I like that is fills small cracks.

Topside down primer ;)
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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December 5, 2022

I would not recommend this product for its intended use
By Phillip from Mathews Va

Verified Purchase

The thinned primer left heavy brushed texture . The primer when dry was gummy and unsandable.

Bottom Line No, I would not recommend to a friend

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December 4, 2022

Be careful not to apply too thick
By White rose from Orlando

Verified Purchase

Oh and all the product worked exactly as it should've done. I used it over MDF and applied the wet edge topcoat. I think my only issue was I applied to thick instead of Wheaton the minimum amount of time as described on the Ken I had to wait 24 hours for it to dry appropriately.

Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend to a friend

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