INSL-X by Benjamin Moore · Max Block SB-5000
Block the stain.
Topcoat in an hour.
Max Block is a water-based stain blocking primer that locks in water stains, smoke, nicotine, marker and tannin bleed, and blocks odours. Low VOC, soap-and-water clean-up, and ready for paint in one hour, inside or out.
1 hrto topcoat*
<50 g/LVOC
946 mL from
$249+ships free in Canada
*At 25 °C and 50% humidity. White only, not tintable.
Max Block, WhiteWater-based stain blocker
Plan my jobINSL-X Max Block Water-Based Stain Blocking Primer (SB-5000)
Regular price
$24.90 CAD
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INSL-X Max Block (SB-5000) is a water-based stain blocking primer from Benjamin Moore. It locks in water stains, smoke and nicotine, crayon, marker, lipstick and ballpoint pen, seals tannin bleed from woods like cedar and redwood, and blocks household odours. Painting contractors, property managers and homeowners use it as a low-VOC alternative to oil-based stain blockers: it dries to the touch in 30 minutes, takes a topcoat in 1 hour, and cleans up with soap and water. Use it inside or out on wood, drywall, plaster, masonry, siding and metal. White, in 946 mL, 3.79 L and 18.9 L.
Key Features & Benefits
- Blocks tough stains: water, smoke, nicotine, crayon, marker, lipstick and ballpoint pen.
- Seals tannin bleed from cedar and redwood, and blocks odours.
- Topcoat in 1 hour; dry to the touch in 30 minutes.
- Low VOC (under 50 g/L) with soap-and-water clean-up.
- Sticks to glossy surfaces and works on vertical and horizontal surfaces.
- Interior and exterior, down to 4.4 °C.
Applications & Recommended Uses
Spot-priming and full priming over stained ceilings and walls, smoke-damaged rooms, cedar and redwood siding and trim, and kids' rooms with crayon and marker. Use it on new or painted wood, drywall, cured plaster, concrete, masonry, brick, aluminum, vinyl siding, shingles and galvanized metal, and under wallcoverings. White only; it can't be tinted.
Product Specifications
| Product type | Water-based acrylic stain blocking primer, interior/exterior |
| Sheen | Flat (10 @ 60°) |
| Colour | White (do not tint) |
| Coverage | 300–400 sq ft (27.9–37.2 m²) per 3.79 L |
| Dry time (25 °C, 50% RH) | Touch 30 minutes; topcoat 1 hour |
| Application temperature | 4.4–32.2 °C (40–90 °F) |
| VOC | Under 50 g/L |
| Volume solids | 38% ± 2% |
| Application | Synthetic brush, roller, or airless spray at 1,500–3,000 PSI with a .013–.017 tip |
| Clean-up | Warm soapy water |
| Certifications | MPI 6, 39, 137; CDPH emissions certified; LEED v4 eligible |
| Sizes | 946 mL, 3.79 L, 18.9 L |
How to Use / Application Tips
- Prep: clean off dirt, grease and mildew, scrape peeling paint, dull glossy areas and remove sanding dust.
- Apply at full strength by brush, roller or airless sprayer. Don't thin or tint.
- Use 2 coats over severe stains, 1 hour apart.
- Topcoat with latex or oil-alkyd paint after 1 hour. Clean up with warm soapy water.
Why Buy From The Paint People?
We're a family-run Benjamin Moore and INSL-X retailer serving painting contractors in Mississauga since 1997. We ship across Canada, free on most orders over $249, or you can pick up free in Mississauga. Not sure which primer your job needs? Our team is happy to help.
Max Block FAQ
1How soon can I topcoat?
1 hour at 25 °C and 50% humidity.
2Can it be tinted?
No, it's white only.
3How much does a can cover?
300–400 sq ft per 3.79 L, per coat.
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 blocks
Stains stay under. Your colour stays true.
Water rings, smoke, marker and cedar bleed will come right back through ordinary paint. Max Block seals them in so your topcoat stays clean.
01
Household stains
Water stains, smoke and nicotine, crayon, marker, lipstick and ballpoint pen. It also blocks odours.
02
Tannin bleed
Formulated to lock in tannin stains from woods like cedar and redwood, and to seal wood knots.
03
Fast and low odour
Water-based and under 50 g/L VOC. Dry to the touch in 30 minutes, topcoat in 1 hour, soap-and-water clean-up.
For new or painted wood, drywall, cured plaster, concrete, masonry, brick, aluminum, vinyl siding, shingles and galvanized metal, inside and out. Sticks to glossy surfaces and can go under wallcoverings. Severe stains may need 2 coats. MPI 6, 39, 137; CDPH emissions certified; LEED v4 eligible.
Primer calculator
How much do I need?
Enter your room size. We'll work out the cans using 300 sq ft per 3.79 L, the low end of Benjamin Moore's coverage, so you don't run short.
ft
ft
ft
Coats
You need
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Just spot-priming a few stains? A 946 mL can covers about 75–100 sq ft. Big job? The calculator switches to the 18.9 L pail when it works out cheaper.
Compare
Which stain blocker do I need?
Water-based stain blocker
INSL-X Max Block
- Best for
- Water, smoke and nicotine stains, marker, tannin bleed and odours, inside and out.
- What you get
- Low odour, under 50 g/L VOC, topcoat in 1 hour. White only.
- From
All purpose, tintable
Fresh Start All Purpose
- Best for
- Big colour changes and everyday stains, when you want the primer tinted toward your topcoat.
- What you get
- A high-hiding 100% acrylic primer, white or tinted.
- From
Oil-based
Fresh Start Undercoater K032
- Best for
- The toughest bleeding woods and stains, and an alkyd undercoat on bare wood.
- What you get
- A traditional oil-based undercoater and primer-sealer.
- From
Priming glossy tile, laminate or PVC? You need a bonding primer like INSL-X Stix.
Specs
The details.
| Type | Water-based acrylic stain blocking primer, interior/exterior (SB-5000) |
|---|---|
| Use on | Wood, drywall, cured plaster, concrete, masonry, brick, aluminum, vinyl siding, shingles, galvanized metal; glossy surfaces; under wallcoverings |
| Colour | White. Do not tint |
| Sheen | Flat (10 @ 60°) |
| Coverage | 300–400 sq ft (27.9–37.2 m²) per 3.79 L |
| Coats | 1, or 2 over severe stains |
| Dry time | Touch 30 minutes. Topcoat 1 hour |
| Apply at | 4.4–32.2 °C (40–90 °F) surface temperature |
| VOC | Under 50 g/L |
| Volume solids | 38% ± 2% |
| Film thickness | 4.0–5.3 mils wet, 1.5–2.0 mils dry |
| Apply with | Synthetic brush; 10 mm roller (smooth), 13 mm (semi-rough), 19 mm (rough); or airless spray (1,500–3,000 PSI, .013–.017 tip) |
| Thinning | Do not thin |
| Clean-up | Warm soapy water. Mineral spirits rinse for spray equipment |
| Certified | MPI 6, 39, 137; CDPH emissions certified; LEED v4 and CHPS eligible; Class A fire rating over non-combustible surfaces |
Dry times at 25 °C and 50% humidity. Store between 4.4 °C and 32.2 °C and protect from freezing.
How to apply
Seal it in.
- Prep the surface. Clean off dirt, grease, soap, wax and mildew. Scrape peeling paint, sand the edges smooth and dull glossy areas. Remove all sanding dust.
- Cure new plaster and masonry for 30 days. Spot prime before and after filling holes and cracks.
- Stir well and apply at full strength by brush, roller or airless sprayer. Don't thin or tint it.
- Two coats on severe stains. Let the first coat dry 1 hour before the second.
- Topcoat after 1 hour with a latex or oil-alkyd paint, like Regal Select for walls.
- Clean up with warm soapy water. Give spray equipment a final mineral spirits rinse to prevent rust.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is Max Block?
INSL-X Max Block (SB-5000) is a water-based stain blocking primer from Benjamin Moore's INSL-X line. It blocks tough household stains and odours, seals tannin bleed, and dries fast enough to topcoat in an hour. Benjamin Moore positions it as a lower-VOC alternative to oil-based stain blockers, for interior and exterior use.
What stains does it block?
Water stains, smoke and nicotine stains, crayon, marker, lipstick, ballpoint pen and other common household stains, plus odours. It's formulated to lock in tannin bleed from woods like cedar and redwood, and Benjamin Moore says it seals wood knots. Severe stains may need two coats.
Max Block or an oil-based primer?
Max Block is water-based: low odour, under 50 g/L VOC, soap-and-water clean-up, and topcoat in 1 hour. For the very toughest jobs, like heavy smoke or fire damage, many painters still reach for an oil-based undercoater such as Fresh Start Undercoater K032. Ask us if you're not sure.
Can I use it outside?
Yes. It's for interior and exterior surfaces: wood, siding, shingles, brick, concrete, masonry, aluminum, vinyl and galvanized metal. Apply when the surface is between 4.4 °C and 32.2 °C (40–90 °F).
Will it stick to glossy surfaces?
Yes, it adheres well to glossy surfaces. Clean them and dull the gloss first. On hard, non-porous surfaces like glazed ceramic and non-ferrous metal, full adhesion and hardness can take 7 days.
How soon can I paint over it?
Dry to the touch in 30 minutes and ready to topcoat in 1 hour at 25 °C and 50% humidity. Topcoat with a latex or oil-alkyd paint the same day. Cool, humid weather takes longer.
Can it be tinted?
No. Max Block comes in white only, and Benjamin Moore says not to tint it or add other paints or solvents, so it keeps its full stain-blocking strength.
How much do I need?
A 3.79 L can covers 300–400 sq ft per coat, a 946 mL can about 75–100 sq ft, and an 18.9 L pail about 1,500–2,000 sq ft. For spot-priming stains, a 946 mL can goes a long way. Use the calculator above for whole rooms.
Can I spray it?
Yes. Use an airless sprayer at 1,500–3,000 PSI with a .013–.017 tip. Apply it at full strength; don't thin it. Wash up with warm soapy water, and give spray equipment a final mineral spirits rinse to prevent rust.
Sizes and shipping?
946 mL, 3.79 L and 18.9 L, in white. We ship across Canada, free on most orders over $249, or pick up free in Mississauga.
Stop stains from coming back.
Not sure which primer your job needs? Ask our team. We've been helping painters and contractors since 1997.