This guide is for homeowners and contractors who need to paint something that paint normally won't stick to: laminate cabinets, glossy trim, PVC, glass, tile or galvanized metal. It explains what INSL-X Stix waterborne bonding primer is listed for, how to prep and apply it, and how it compares with the other primers we sell.
All specs come from the Benjamin Moore Canada product page and technical data sheet (TDS) for Stix. If something is not on those documents, we say so.
What Stix bonds to
INSL-X Stix is a waterborne acrylic urethane bonding primer. The Stix data sheet (SXA-110) lists it for interior or exterior surfaces, including:
- PVC, vinyl, plastic and fibreglass
- Glass, tile and glazed block
- Glossy paints and precoated siding
- Galvanized metal and other non-ferrous metals
- Plaster, drywall and wood
The same sheet lists what Stix is not for. Do not use it for immersion or continuous water contact, below grade, or over polyethylene or polypropylene. For exterior use, Stix must be topcoated.
Prep: clean, then de-gloss
Stix is a bonding primer, not a cleaner. The data sheet requires the surface to be clean, dry, sound and free of dirt, grease, oils, wax and mildew. Mildew needs scrubbing with a detergent-bleach solution. It also says glossy surfaces should be properly de-glossed.
In practice, that means:
- Wash with warm soapy water, or a degreaser on kitchen cabinets, and rinse.
- Scuff glossy paint, laminate and tile lightly so the gloss is gone.
- Remove loose or peeling paint and fill damage so the surface is sound.
- Let everything dry fully before priming.
How to apply Stix
- Check the temperature. Surface and air must be between 1.7 °C and 32.2 °C (35 to 90 °F). Stay out of direct sun.
- Stir and do not thin. The data sheet says do not thin.
- Apply one coat. Use a high-quality nylon brush, a 6.4 to 12.7 mm (¼" to ½") synthetic nap roller cover, a pad applicator or airless spray.
- Let it dry. At 25 °C and 50% humidity it is tack-free in 30 minutes.
- Topcoat after 3 to 4 hours. Compatible finishes are alkyd, acrylic latex, urethane, epoxy and lacquer. Our product page advises 24 hours before two-part epoxies or urethanes.
- Clean up brushes, rollers and tools with warm soapy water right after use.
One 3.79 L can covers 27.9 to 37.2 m² (300 to 400 sq. ft.).
Dry, recoat and cure times
These are the times the data sheet gives at 25 °C and 50% relative humidity. Cool, damp Canadian weather will slow them.
- Tack-free: 30 minutes
- Recoat: 3 to 4 hours
- Full cure: 3 to 4 days
The full cure matters most. A primed and topcoated surface can feel dry in a day and still scrape or peel if you load it too soon. For cabinets, leave the doors off and wait out the cure before rehanging and daily use.
Need a primer for a slick surface?
Browse INSL-X primers and specialty paints in stock.
Which primer should you use?
Choose by the problem you have. Stix is for adhesion on slick surfaces. The others solve different problems. All figures below are from the Benjamin Moore Canada product pages for a 3.79 L can.
| Primer | Type | Use it when | Coverage | Recoat | Apply at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stix | Waterborne acrylic urethane bonding primer | Laminate, tile, glass, PVC, glossy paint, galvanized metal | 27.9 to 37.2 m² (300 to 400 sq. ft.) | 3 to 4 hours | 1.7 to 32.2 °C |
| Prime Lock Plus | Alkyd primer/sealer | Cedar and redwood tannin bleed, smoke and water stains, glossy surfaces | 27.9 to 37.2 m² (300 to 400 sq. ft.) | 2 hours | 7.2 to 32.2 °C |
| Aqua Lock Plus | 100% acrylic primer/sealer | Water, fingerprint, crayon and lipstick stains, multiple surfaces | 27.9 to 37.2 m² (300 to 400 sq. ft.) | 1 hour | 10 to 32.2 °C |
| Fresh Start High-Hiding All Purpose | 100% acrylic primer | General priming and colour changes on drywall, wood, masonry | 37.2 to 41.8 m² (400 to 450 sq. ft.) | 1 hour | 4.4 to 32.2 °C |
| Premium Drywall Primer | Acrylic latex primer | New or painted drywall, plaster, interior only | 32.5 to 41.8 m² (350 to 450 sq. ft.) | 2 hours | 10 to 32.2 °C |
The cedar and redwood caveat
Stix is not the answer to wood tannin. If you are painting cedar or redwood and tannin is likely to bleed through, use Prime Lock Plus. It is the primer in this group whose data sheet lists tannin bleed on those woods. Prime Lock Plus is an oil-based product that cleans up with mineral spirits and has a return-to-service time of 10 days.
Canadian temperature limits
Stix has the lowest minimum of the group at 1.7 °C, so it works in spring and fall when Prime Lock Plus (7.2 °C) and Aqua Lock Plus (10 °C) do not. Stay within the range for the surface and the air, and avoid rain and heavy humidity while it dries.
Common cabinet-painting mistakes on laminate and melamine
Laminate and melamine are hard, slick factory finishes. Most failures trace back to a step the data sheet already covers.
- Skipping the degreaser. Kitchen cabinets collect cooking oil and wax. The data sheet requires a surface free of grease, oils and wax.
- Not de-glossing. The data sheet says glossy surfaces should be properly de-glossed. A bonding primer helps but does not replace this.
- Priming over damage. Lifted laminate and chipped edges are not sound. Repair them first.
- Thinning the primer. The data sheet says do not thin.
- Topcoating too soon. Wait the 3 to 4 hours for recoat, and longer for epoxy or urethane.
- Using the cabinets too early. Full cure is 3 to 4 days. Slamming doors and stacking dishes before then is how finishes scratch.
- Painting in a cold garage. Below 1.7 °C, Stix is outside its range.
Melamine is not named on the Stix data sheet. It is a glossy factory finish, so the glossy-surface instructions apply, but test an out-of-sight spot before you do the whole kitchen. Not sure which product fits? Ask our team.
Painting the whole kitchen? Our step-by-step guide, How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets, covers everything from removing the doors to choosing a cabinet paint and letting it cure.
Ready to prime?
Pick up Stix in 946 mL, 3.79 L or 18.9 L.
FAQ
1Do I have to sand before using Stix?
Stix is made to bond to glossy surfaces, but the Benjamin Moore data sheet says glossy surfaces should be properly de-glossed. Clean first, then dull the gloss with a light scuff sand.
2How long should Stix cure before I use the surface?
The data sheet lists full cure at 3 to 4 days at 25 °C and 50% relative humidity. Cool or damp rooms take longer, so wait the full time before putting cabinet doors and drawers back into daily use.
3How long before I can topcoat Stix?
Recoat time is 3 to 4 hours at 25 °C. Latex and oil paints can go on after that. Wait 24 hours before two-part epoxies or urethanes.
4Can I use Stix over laminate or melamine cabinets?
Glossy paints, plastic and tile are listed on the data sheet. Clean off grease, de-gloss, apply one coat without thinning, and let it dry before topcoating. Melamine is not named on the sheet, so test a hidden spot first.
5What is the lowest temperature for applying Stix?
Surface and air temperature must be at least 1.7 °C (35 °F), and no higher than 32.2 °C (90 °F). That is lower than the other primers in this guide, which makes it the easiest to use in a cold shoulder season.
6Can Stix be used outdoors?
Yes, on exterior surfaces such as PVC, vinyl, precoated siding and galvanized metal, but it must be topcoated. It is not for below-grade surfaces or constant water contact.
7Does Stix block cedar or redwood tannin stains?
Our Stix product page recommends Prime Lock Plus for cedar and redwood tannin bleed, and Prime Lock Plus is the one whose data sheet lists it. Use Stix when adhesion is the problem and Prime Lock Plus when tannin is.