Benjamin Moore Fresh Start · High-Hiding All Purpose Primer K046
One primer.
Almost every surface.
Fresh Start High-Hiding is Benjamin Moore's go-to primer for big colour changes. It gives maximum hide and a uniform base, seals water, smoke and tannin stains, and grips drywall, wood, tile, siding and masonry, inside and out. Low VOC, dry in 30 minutes, and white or tinted toward your topcoat.
30 minto touch
1 hrto topcoat
$28.99946 mL from
$249+ships free in Canada
White00 · try any colour
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Prix habituel
$32.99 CAD
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Benjamin Moore Fresh Start High-Hiding All Purpose Primer (K046)
Fresh Start High-Hiding All Purpose Primer is Benjamin Moore's go-to 100% acrylic primer for big colour changes, inside and out. It delivers maximum hide, excellent adhesion and a uniform finish, seals and suppresses most bleeding stains, and provides a mildew-resistant coating in a low VOC formula. Available white or tinted toward your topcoat.
Key Features
- Maximum hide for dark-to-light and light-to-dark colour changes.
- Stain blocking: water stains, smoke damage, tannin bleed, nicotine, crayon, marker, pen, pencil, fingerprints and coffee.
- Excellent adhesion to many interior and exterior surfaces.
- Fast drying: touch in 30 minutes, topcoat in 1 hour.
- Mildew-resistant coating, low VOC (under 50 g/L), soap-and-water clean-up.
Where to Use It
Interior: new or previously painted wood, drywall, ceiling tile, Formica®, Masonite®, ceramic tile, cured plaster and wall coverings. Exterior: wood, aluminum, hardboard and vinyl siding, shingles, concrete, masonry and brick. Dull glossy surfaces first. Not for sealing knots or pine sap. Severe stains may need two coats. On hard, non-porous surfaces full adhesion takes 3–4 days. Use a metal primer on bare steel and new galvanized or aluminum. Apply at 4.4–32 °C.
White or Tinted
- White (00): 946 mL, 3.79 L and 18.9 L.
- Tinted (Deep Base 04): 946 mL and 3.79 L, tinted toward your topcoat colour for better hide in fewer coats. Made to order, final sale.
Compare with INSL-X Stix for very slick surfaces and Premium Drywall Primer for new drywall, or read Do You Need Primer?
Specs & Coverage
| Type | Proprietary 100% acrylic primer, interior and exterior |
| Coverage | 400–450 sq ft (37.2–41.8 m²) per 3.79 L |
| Dry time (25 °C, 50% RH) | Touch: 30 minutes. Recoat or topcoat: 1 hour |
| Application temperature | 4.4–32.2 °C (40–90 °F) |
| Sheen | 7–12 @ 85° |
| VOC | Under 50 g/L |
| Application | Brush, roller or airless spray (1,500–2,500 PSI, 0.013–0.017 tip) |
| Thinning | Not needed. Max 236 mL water per 3.79 L |
| Certifications | CDPH emissions, LEED v4 eligible, CHPS, MPI X-Green™, Class A (ASTM E-84) |
Application Guide
- Clean off dirt, grease, soap and mildew; remove peeling paint.
- Dull glossy areas and remove dust. Let new plaster and masonry cure 30 days.
- Stir well before and during use.
- Apply one coat, or two over severe stains.
- Topcoat after 1 hour.
FAQ
1What stains does it block?
Water, smoke, tannin, nicotine, crayon, marker, pen, pencil, fingerprints and coffee. Severe stains may need two coats. Not for knots or pine sap.
2White or tinted?
White for light colours and stain blocking; tinted toward your topcoat for deep and bold colours.
3How much do I need?
A 3.79 L can covers 400–450 sq ft per coat, about one coat on a 12 × 12 ft room.
Canada Shipping
- Enjoy free shipping in Canada on orders over $249. Yukon, NWT, Nunavut not included.
Winter Shipping:
- From December to April, shipping outside of Ontario and Quebec is limited.
- Returns accepted within 35 days from the date of delivery.
- Custom tinted paints are classified as Final Sale items and are not eligible for return or store credit.
What it does
Covers, seals and grips.
Primer is what makes the paint on top look and last its best. Fresh Start High-Hiding handles the three jobs most projects need.
01
Maximum hide
Covers dark and bold colours so your new colour comes through true, often in fewer topcoats. It's Benjamin Moore's go-to for big colour changes.
02
Seals stains
Blocks most bleeding stains: water stains, smoke damage, tannin bleed from wood, nicotine, crayon, marker, pen, pencil, fingerprints and coffee.
03
Grips almost anything
Drywall, wood, plaster, ceiling tile, ceramic tile, Formica®, Masonite® and wall coverings inside. Wood, siding, shingles, concrete, brick and masonry outside.
Not for sealing knots or pine sap. Severe stains may need two coats. On hard, non-porous surfaces like tile, full adhesion and hardness take 3–4 days. Bare steel and new galvanized or aluminum need a metal primer.
White or tinted?
Tint it toward your topcoat.
For a big colour change, Benjamin Moore recommends tinting the primer close to your finish colour. You'll get better hide and truer colour in fewer coats. Tap an option to select it in your order.
Choosing Tinted opens the colour search above Add to cart. Enter the colour of the paint going on top, and we'll tint the primer toward it. Tinted primer is made to order, so it's final sale.
Primer calculator
How much do I need?
Enter your room size. We'll work out the cans, using 400 sq ft per 3.79 L, the low end of Benjamin Moore's coverage. Most jobs need one coat of primer.
ft
ft
ft
Coats
You need
—
Use two coats over severe stains or very dark colours. Doors count as 20 sq ft and windows as 15 sq ft. White switches to an 18.9 L pail when it works out cheaper.
Compare
Which primer do I need?
Slick surfaces
INSL-X Stix
- Best for
- Glossy paint, glass, tile, PVC, laminate and other surfaces that are hard to bond to.
- What you get
- A waterborne bonding primer made to stick where others won't.
- From
New drywall
Premium Drywall Primer
- Best for
- Large areas of new, unpainted drywall.
- What you get
- A primer made specifically to seal new drywall and joint compound evenly.
- From
All purpose
Fresh Start High-Hiding
- Best for
- Big colour changes, stains and most surfaces, inside and out.
- What you get
- Maximum hide, stain blocking, a mildew-resistant coating and white or tinted options.
- From
Not sure? Our guide Do You Need Primer? shows which primer to use on every surface.
Specs
The details.
| Type | Proprietary 100% acrylic primer, interior and exterior |
|---|---|
| Colours | White (00), or Deep Base (04) tinted toward your topcoat |
| Coverage | 400–450 sq ft per 3.79 L |
| Coats | 1, or 2 over severe stains |
| Dry time | Touch 30 minutes. Recoat or topcoat 1 hour |
| Apply at | 4.4–32.2 °C (40–90 °F), air and surface |
| Sheen | 7–12 @ 85° |
| VOC | Under 50 g/L |
| Apply with | Nylon/polyester brush, premium roller or airless spray (0.013–0.017 tip) |
| Clean-up | Warm soapy water. Mineral spirits rinse for spray equipment |
| Certified | CDPH emissions, LEED v4 eligible, CHPS low emitting, MPI X-Green™, Class A fire rating |
How to apply
Get a pro finish.
- Clean. Wash off dirt, grease, soap and mildew. Remove peeling paint and feather the edges.
- Dull glossy areas with sandpaper and wipe off the dust. Let new plaster and masonry cure for 30 days.
- Stir well before and during use.
- Apply one coat by brush, roller or spray, working from unpainted into wet primer. Use two coats on severe stains.
- Topcoat after 1 hour. Cool, humid weather takes longer.
- Clean up with warm soapy water.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Do I need a primer?
Prime new drywall, bare wood, patched areas, stains, glossy surfaces (after dulling them) and anything getting a big colour change. Over sound paint in a similar colour, a paint-and-primer is often enough. Our guide Do You Need Primer? covers every surface.
Should I get white or tinted primer?
White for white and light colours, stain blocking and new surfaces. Tinted for deep and bold colours: tinting the primer toward your topcoat gives better hide and truer colour in fewer coats.
What stains does it block?
Benjamin Moore says it seals and suppresses most bleeding stains, including water stains, smoke damage, tannin bleed, nicotine, crayon, marker, pen, pencil, fingerprints and household stains like coffee. Severe stains may need two coats. It isn't for sealing wood knots or pine sap.
Can I use it on tile, laminate or glossy paint?
Yes, on ceramic tile, Formica® and glossy paint. Clean the surface and dull the gloss first. On hard, non-porous surfaces, full adhesion and hardness take 3–4 days. For very slick surfaces, INSL-X Stix is made for bonding.
Can I use it outside?
Yes. It's rated for exterior wood, aluminum, hardboard and vinyl siding, shingles, concrete, masonry and brick. Apply when air and surface are 4.4–32 °C.
Does it work on metal?
For bare steel and new galvanized or aluminum, Benjamin Moore recommends a dedicated metal primer. Ask us and we'll point you to the right one.
How much primer do I need?
A 3.79 L can covers 400–450 sq ft per coat. A 12 × 12 ft room with 8 ft ceilings, one door and one window has about 350 sq ft of wall, so one coat takes about one 3.79 L can. Use the calculator above for your room.
How soon can I paint over it?
It's dry to the touch in 30 minutes and ready to topcoat in 1 hour at 25 °C and 50% humidity. Cool or humid weather takes longer.
Is it low VOC?
Yes, under 50 g/L. It's also CDPH emissions certified and LEED v4 eligible, and cleans up with soap and water.
Sizes, shipping and returns?
White comes in 946 mL, 3.79 L and 18.9 L. Tinted comes in 946 mL and 3.79 L, and because it's made to order, it's final sale. We ship across Canada, free on most orders over $249, or pick up free at our Rockwood Village store in Mississauga.
Start with a great base.
Need the paint too? See Regal Select, Aura and Aura Exterior, or ask our team.