The best primer for bare drywall depends on what expectations you have from the paint you will apply over it. You have a few options, the short answer is – primer is not the best option for new drywall, a drywall sealer such as Zinsser Gardz is or Zinsser Drywall Primer sealer. However, keep in mind like any product, there are many differences in quality and features.
It’s best to decide what you expect out of the paint you will be putting over the bare drywall. Some people paint to simply freshen up a room with no other expectations such as:
1) hanging wallpaper at a later date or
2) having the option to wipe,
3) wash,
4) scrub the walls or
5) in kids rooms being able to remove crayon and permanent marker,
6) ability to repeatedly remove taped-up posters and pictures and
7) to apply and remove masking tape for a wild color scheme of stripes and stars,
8) applying finish paint such as eggshell or semi-gloss,
9) high traffic areas and
10) in rooms or areas with large amounts of window glare.
Whatever your expectations are for finish paints – washability and scrubabilty features and the items listed above are dependent on the basecoat beneath the top coat.
It’s important to understand the different capabilities of wall primers. Be sure to read the label carefully and determine if a particular primer is best suited for your project. It’s important the primer is also compatible with your finish coat. Be sure to ask your paint store representative if you are unsure.
Jack