Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 - White - 2.5L

I purchased this solely as a primer for painting matt emulsion over silk paint, so my review is purely for this, but I’m so impressed that I will absolutely consider using for other reasons. When painting over silk paint in the past, I made the mistake of thinking that a basic sand down and rinse off with sugar soap would suffice. Naturally, the matt emulsion crazed like mad, and I had the hideously boring job of much more extensive sanding, and the joy of repainting. Even after that, the finish wasn’t great. I’ve moved and, unfortunately, the living room was painted in silk, and in a colour I really don’t like. There was no chance I’d make same mistake this time, and after having a go at thoroughly sanding a patch of the existing silk and succeeding in doing very little, even after trying several different grits, I decided to eat the cost of a primer. Zinsser 123 was recommended by a decorating channel I like, and it’s water-based, which is a big plus, as I’m inexperienced with solvent-based paints. I also find strong smells give me nasty headaches and make my throat burn even when I use a mask, and felt this was more likely with a solvent based primer. This has a distinctive smell that I know I’ve smelled before, but can’t place where. It’s not particularly strong, and didn’t cause any headaches. It’s £10 a tin cheaper on Amazon than in B&Q, so I felt the risk of the tin arriving damaged and having to argue with Amazon about a return/refund was worth it. Thankfully, I didn’t have this issue. It came in a small, very sturdy cardboard box, with formed cardboard support trays at the top and bottom, the can was wrapped in a heavy duty clear plastic bag, then zip tied. The can itself had a 6-point star of clear duct tape across the lid, keeping it closed. Unlike some tins, I found this very easy to open with a flat-head screw driver. The tin size and its handle made pouring it into my tray easy. It’s a lot runnier than I expected, and I was a little concerned about coverage, but it was brilliant. I was only covering a mint green silk, but I wasn’t expecting it to provide such an even, opaque white base coat. The only other base coat I’ve used is Dulux “3 in 1 Problem Walls” (bought to block dark colour paint), and that’s so thick that it’s like painting cream cheese onto the walls. This was much drippier, which took a little getting used to, and I was very glad I had my drop cloths down. The cheap 4-inch roller sleeves I tend to use are prone to gumming up quickly, but they loved this stuff. The sleeves held loads of paint, laid it down beautifully, and each reapplication lasted ages—I’m really surprised at how much coverage I got out of each roller load of paint. I hate cutting in, so I use yellow Frog Tape for everything. This paint didn’t cause any issues with that at all. Someone in the reviews joked that this stuff dries in approximately 0.2 milliseconds. It’s not *that* much of an exaggeration. The tin says it’s touch dry in 30 minutes, and yes, it probably takes 30 minutes to dry if your house is in the rainforest. It was touch dry on my walls in about 5 minutes, and I’d started cutting in with my emulsion within 45 minutes, and that was only because I stopped for lunch. I used a basic Leyland magnolia matt emulsion over it, and I can now see why people recommend primers. It went on like a dream. Once the two coats had dried, it was even, no crazing, no patchiness, etc. Even the act of painting on the emulsion was easier than it’s ever been, and I’m sure I used less paint than I normally do. I’m really pleased with this purchase; it did exactly what I needed it to, and while it’s not the cheapest, it went further than I expected from the size of the tin, the quality is brilliant, and how much easier it made my job makes it worth it to me.

The side panel on the cupboard under our stairs was varnished wood. I absolutely hated it but also dreaded having to sand it all off. I really needed a different option as I was about to undertake the mammoth task of decorating my hall stairs and landing on my own. After a lot of research this product seemed to be the one most recommended for this task so I ordered it. It’s blooming brilliant! So I washed the wood down with sugar soap to remove any grease and set about applying the first coat. It’s not the easiest primer to work with as it dries super quickly and it’s very easy to drag it if you don’t work quickly. I used a good quality 2 inch brush. You don’t need a lot and the first coat will dry very patchy but it adheres so well. I left applying the second coat until the next day. This went on more easily and I now have a finish equivalent to any normal undercoat. I’m going to apply two coats of gloss over the top and the orange varnish will be banished forever with minimal effort. Your brush should be washed in soapy water..again joyful as I hate the smell of turpentine. I only used about an inch of the paint for covering a two meters square area with two coats. So having plenty left I’ve used it on the coving as that’s another awful job if you have to rub it all down. So this time it was applied on top of a satin wood paint. It worked brilliantly again. I can’t tell you how happy I am. One piece of advice I would give is make sure that the area you are painting is well ventilated. It does have a strong and not overly pleasant smell. This disappeared within 24 hrs. In conclusion this stuff is amazing. I’m so glad I found it and have already recommended it to family and friends.

I recently embarked on a DIY journey to build my own desk shell, and the Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer-Sealer & Stain Killer 1 Litre played a crucial role in ensuring the success of my project. This primer is nothing short of remarkable, and here's why. Firstly, the convenience of a 1-litre can is a definite plus. It provided ample coverage for my desk, and I still had some left for future projects. The primer's consistency is just right – not too thick and not too thin, making it easy to apply evenly. The primer's versatility impressed me the most. It is not just a primer; it also acts as a sealer and stain killer. This all-in-one solution saved me time and effort, as I didn't have to use multiple products. It adhered seamlessly to the MDF surface of my desk shell, creating a smooth and uniform base for the final finish. In conclusion, the Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer-Sealer & Stain Killer is a DIY enthusiast's dream. Its all-in-one functionality, quick drying time, and compatibility with sanding make it an indispensable tool for any project. If you're looking for a reliable primer that goes above and beyond, this is the one. My desk shell now boasts a professional finish, thanks to the exceptional performance of Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer.

I decided to buy this as my kitchen has a really dark vanished wood panel ceiling. I thought it would need an undercoat, and saw reviews saying that zinsser bin was very smelly from the fumes. This however isn't yes it smells but not really that bad to be honest. It may not look good from the pictures, but you have to consider I didn't sand down a just painted over the top, as I'm a lazy DIY person. I had to do 2 coats. I would say most areas would need 2 coats as it is water based. The packaging was great with 2 peices of heavy duty tape over the lid and in a sealed bag. The paint does spread well but glad I got the 1litre tub as might if struggled with a smaller tub.i found it dries quick, took me and hour each coat but no issues with it drying causing an issue in that time. Overall very happy with it and I know the top coat of Matt emulsion I still need to do will only need 1 coat. Highly recommended.

This undercoat paint really does work, expensive but worth it as a little goes a long way. Would definitely buy again.

For priming bathroom walls and ceiling, this really seems to do the job. The steam from showers can slowly cause top coat paint to peel from unprimed plaster, but this paint both primes and seals, providing an excellent, moisture resistant undercoat. What is more, it can be applied to pretty much any surface, plaster, wood, metal, you name it. It isn't great in terms of opacity, so it will need a couple of coats, but once done, it is a great base and takes a top coat very nicely. One tin is likely to be more than enough for any project as it goes a heck of a long way. My bathroom is probably medium sized and got two coats on walls and ceiling, yet it took barely a quarter of the tin, so don't worry if it seems a little pricey because there is a lot for the money, and for what it does it really is worth it. It also dries swiftly, being touch dry in half an hour, the second coat after an hour, and the top coat can then go on after another hour. That makes very short work of things. There are, however, a couple of cautions with this paint, both of which stem from it's positives. The first is it's adhesion to any surface. If you get it on your skin wipe it off immediately or you will be spending a lot of time with a pumice stone later, and trying to get it off from under nails is not fun. The second is it's ability to go a long way. It really does. It is so runny it tries to go a REALLY long way. Like, everywhere. It's great actually applying it on the wall or ceiling, but I've never used a paint try so hard to fly off a brush like this stuff does. It really is alarmingly runny and drips like crazy from a brush, so I would highly recommend making sure that you cover everything except the place(s) you actually want the paint applied to, ideally with plastic dust sheets. And make sure you cover yourself too, because it is hard enough to get off skin unless you do it immediately, heaven forbid it gets in your hair. And as for using a roller to apply it, well, I'd rather not even imagine that. The strange thing is that it washes from brushes really easily, just water and washing up liquid. Those minor drawbacks aside, once you get used to it it is a top class primer perfect for a bathroom, and probably any other job. Maybe just buy a pumice stone with it, just in case.

Zinsser 123 BullsEye is a superior primer, delivering flawless results where others fail. Previously, I used a shellac-based alternative which allowed yellow stains to bleed through the topcoat. For moisture-resistant MDF panelling, 123 proved perfect. Applied with a mohair roller, it provides superb adhesion and dries to a tough, even, smooth matte finish- a discernible transformation from the chalky texture of conventional primers like Leylands. This created an ideal substrate for my Farrow & Ball topcoat, with excellent final results. While slightly pricier, its performance on challenging materials like MDF is unmatched. Highly recommended. And thank you for the sellers exceptional packaging

This is the 2nd tin I’ve bought. Still had some left from my first purchase, it lasts ages but bought another one as it was on offer for £10. What a bargain. It adheres to surfaces really well even without sanding even though I do sand lightly I have tried it without sanding and it adheres very well. It creates a really good surface to paint on. I’ve also tried this on a patch on the ceiling that had soaked and was full of mould and yellow markers due to rain coming through the roof. After drying it and cleaning the mould with bleach and drying again, I painted with this and months later still as white as it should be, no mould, no yellowing nothing. Super happy. I’m sure their other primer is even better but I wanted a water based one so thi sis perfect. Definitely my go to primer from now on.

Zinsser 1-2--3 fus reccomender par un specialiste du peinture en Angleterre. Nous sommes user sur les portes des placards plastique dans le cuisine. Le Zinsser 1-2-3 est tres facile pour user et il fait une superbe bas pour couverture par une autre peinte colouris Dulux. Zinsser 1-2-3 est le meilleur!

Il a fallu 5 fois pour couvrir certaines taches d'eau. J'avais espéré que ce serait moins transparent et qu'il valait mieux cacher les taches brunes.