The 6 Best SEM Epoxy primers (2023 reviews)

The look and feel of this primers are consistent with the high quality we're used to from the rest of Sem's lineup. This is an amazing primer for bare metal. It sticks like glue to any clean surface and is great as a primer before paint or just by itself. It works very well and is a good base to go over with 2k. It is great for aluminum patio furniture. It has the harshest conditions, bonds to the metal well, and leaves a nice, durable, matte gray finish. It goes on smoothly, dries quickly, and produces a nice even finish. It works well for clean raw steel, wire brushed or sandblasted.

Why We Like This:

New and hot release
Good brand reputation

Best For Steel wheel: SEM Bare Metal

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The sem bare metal's material feels more premium than its price would suggest. This self-etching primer requires a top coat. It is great in combination with rust-oleum hammered finish spray paint. It has great adhesive capabilities to bare sheet metal. It lays flat, sprays evenly and will make the top coat application a breeze.

The finish is a nice flat (almost satin) black with no fades or discoloration. It has to be liquid to etch the surface. The primer dries quickly (three thin coats five to ten minutes apart are recommended) and can have the color coats applied after only an hour or so. It's also a good sealer base to spray sandable filler primer under.

Why We Like This:

Covers very good and dries quickly
, a good, easy to apply, self etching primer
Goes on nice, looks good as a flat finish
Self-etching in of no use on anything other than metal

Best For vehicle: SEM Epoxy Primer

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Next on the list, we've got yet another product that manages to win our hearts. It's the sem epoxy primer and it's widely considered as one of the best convenient products you can buy. This SEM flexible primer on top of the SEM Adhesion Promoter, is a great foundation. It is intended to be a base primer and sand-able filler primer for automotive plastic parts that may flex, such as bumper covers to prevent/minimize damage in case of minor bump or impact. It has a strong odor until dry so use in a well ventilated area or your significant other will complain.

This primer is for plastic exterior parts such as bumpers etc. It is coated with Bc/cc with no problems. This stuff lays down great with excellent coverage. It is a time saving coating that provides superior film build and flexibility when refinishing bumper covers and other plastics.

Why We Like This:

Very good primer, goes on very well and the coverage is fantastic
Perfect for those small jobs that do not require a ton of material
Really nice flexible primer in a handy spray can
Excellent coverage, fills minor imperfections, easy to apply, pro results

Best For Bare Metal: SEM Best Primer

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The sem best primer might be a relatively new release, but it's still nothing short of impressive this year, thanks to multiple price cuts and added new features over the past few iterations. It is perfect for building on top of. It’s an acrylic resin. It will work on bare metal, paint or filler, so if you accidentally sand through to bare metal while blocking it saves having to mix up a batch of 2k primer just for a spot repair. This will work with the urethane base coat.

The high build primer is used under the top coat, to fill any scratches or minor imperfections while finish sanding, and self-etching is used only on bare metal, under any body filler, or other primer. It dries really fast and sands beautifully without clogging sandpaper. It's an acrylic resin. It will adhere to most anything that's a cleaned and sanded finish.

Why We Like This:

Works like a champ for filling scratches and creating transitions
Top coat with most refinish material
Great for auto body work when you need to do

Best For plastic bumper: SEM Great Primer

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The High-build primer surfacer is an elastomeric acrylic coating for priming automotive metal, aluminum, urethane, and plastics. It is great for 3D printed parts, so much better than auto parts store brands. It isn't necessarily a filler but the finish on it after sanding is great. It’s definitely a high build primer and sounds easy and you’ll have to put a sealer over it.

This primer covers in 2k spray can be used in marine applications. It's a very close match to 2K primer without the fuss of a spray rig to apply. This primer does very well and can be covered in 2 part base and clear with no neg reaction but it is the primer.

Why We Like This:

Dries fast and hard and sands great
Fast drying and sands out nice
Great high build, easily sanded primer

Best For car: SEM self etching Primer

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The sem self etching primer is satisfactory and appropriate and fits well with your daily usage. This is a self etching primer that goes on bare metal and not a filler primer. It is easy to apply using a hvlp gun. This paint dries REALLY FAST. It is very thin as it is and is ready to spray right out of the can. If you attempt to apply with a brush outside in the sun, it almost dries as you stroke it on. It is nicer to look at brown rust. This is the primer to use if you are painting cast aluminum. This is ready to go out of the can and works perfectly for metal where you need a self etching primer.

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