Interlux Paint Primers

Interlux Paint Primers: Purpose-Built Protection for Marine Surfaces

When it comes to preparing a boat hull for long-term protection, the primer is arguably the most critical step in the entire painting system. Interlux Paint has been engineering purpose-built marine coatings for over a century, and their primers represent some of the most technically advanced surface preparation products available to both professional shipwrights and weekend boaters alike.

Why Interlux Primers Stand Apart

Interlux approaches primer formulation with the same rigor applied to its topcoats and antifouling paints. As a division of AkzoNobel, Interlux is a world-renowned manufacturer of high-performance marine coatings , and that global research-and-development backing is apparent in the technology packed into each primer product. Whether you’re dealing with bare fiberglass, metal hardware, or aged gelcoat, Interlux offers a primer specifically engineered for the challenge.

Flagship Primer Product Lines

InterProtect® 2000E is one of Interlux’s most celebrated primers. It is a high-performance two-part epoxy primer designed to protect fiberglass hulls from water absorption and osmotic blistering, utilizing Microplates® technology to create an overlapping barrier that prevents water penetration, and it adheres exceptionally well to fiberglass, metal, and wood, making it an ideal universal primer for surfaces above and below the waterline. The InterProtect® system is the system of choice for repairing gelcoat that has already been damaged by osmotic blistering, and it can be used above and below the waterline as a universal primer for all surfaces.

Primocon addresses a different but equally important challenge: underwater metal corrosion. Primocon is an anti-corrosive primer for underwater metal surfaces — including hulls, running gear, and the lower units of outboards and I/Os — and it provides an excellent barrier to reduce pitting of the metal from galvanic corrosion. It also serves as an excellent primer for antifouling paint over sanded fiberglass, and can function as a conversion coating over unknown well-adhered antifouling paint to prevent cracking of new antifouling paint.

Epoxy Primekote rounds out the above-waterline primer lineup. It is a multi-purpose two-part epoxy primer that is the recommended primer for two-part finishes such as Perfection® Polyurethane, and it can also be used to resurface cracked and crazed gelcoat prior to the application of topside paint, or over clear epoxies to eliminate the effects of amine blush.

For boaters seeking a simpler single-product solution, Pre-Kote Plus delivers convenience without sacrifice. Pre-Kote Plus is a one-pack primer and undercoat, offering substrate protection and an ultra-smooth surface all in one. It prepares surfaces for topcoat application, ensuring maximum adhesion and a long-lasting finish.

Choosing the Right Interlux Primer

Matching the correct primer to your substrate and application environment is essential. Interlux’s product system is designed so that each primer integrates seamlessly with their antifouling paints, topcoats, and fairing compounds — creating a cohesive, compatible coating stack from bare hull to finished surface. InterProtect, for example, can be used both above and below the waterline as an excellent defense against corrosion, and meets the most restrictive VOC regulations. For those priming aluminum outdrives or metal running gear before applying antifouling, bare aluminum and metal surfaces should be primed with recommended Interlux primers such as InterProtect® 2000E or Primocon® before topcoat application.

Whether you’re fighting osmotic blistering on a fiberglass hull, protecting underwater metals from galvanic corrosion, or simply building a smooth foundation for a high-gloss topside finish, Interlux Paint offers a purpose-engineered primer solution for the job.