C2 C3000 Exterior Latex/Acrylic Primer
Professional, 100% acrylic exterior primer designed for exceptional adhesion, sealing, enamel hold‑out, and easy sanding. Ideal for new or previously painted wood, galvanized metal, and fully cured masonry. Fast drying with water clean‑up.
Why painters choose C3000
- Unusually strong adhesion - much stronger than competitors.
- Seals and levels porous or uneven surfaces to help topcoats lay down smoothly with excellent enamel hold‑out.
- Fast turnaround: dries to touch in about 30 minutes; recoat in 2–4 hours.
- Easy sanding for a uniform, professional finish.
- Water cleanup—no harsh solvents required.
Great for
- New wood: sand smooth, remove dust. Spot‑prime knots with C2 ProSeries Exterior Alkyd Primer; then prime with C3000. For severely tannin‑staining woods, multiple coats of primer may be required.
- Previously painted surfaces: remove loose/peeling paint and dull glossy areas; then apply one coat.
- Galvanized metal: clean thoroughly with a strong solvent; then prime with C3000.
- Masonry & block: allow new masonry to fully cure (90 days). Fill block if required; then prime with one coat.
Replacing Mad Dog DuraPrime Original? Read this first.
If you’ve arrived here from a redirect for Mad Dog DuraPrime Original Primer, here’s how to approach common use cases with C2 ProSeries C3000 Exterior Latex/Acrylic Primer. C3000 delivers excellent adhesion and sealing on sound, properly prepared surfaces. As with any primer, thorough surface prep is essential—remove loose or peeling paint before priming.
| What DuraPrime users were solving | How to handle with C2 C3000 | Pro notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weathered siding with areas of peeling or chalking | Scrape and sand to sound paint; wash and dull glossy areas; prime with one coat of C3000. | C3000 adheres strongly to sound surfaces; it’s not intended to bond over actively peeling paint. |
| Tannin bleed on cedar/redwood or visible knots | Spot‑prime knots with C2 ProSeries Exterior Alkyd Primer. Typically covers in only one coat of C3000. | Multiple primer coats may be needed on severely tannin‑staining woods. |
| Galvanized metal trim, gutters, flashing | Galvanized typically comes with a light coat of oil. Clean with a strong solvent being sure to get into any crevices. Apply one coat of C3000; finish with C2 Exterior in Satin(the Satin has a special resin commonly used in DTM coatings providing extremely strong adhesion). | Excellent adhesion to properly cleaned galvanized metal. |
| New masonry or block | Typically the only reason for coating masonry is to level the surface for appearance. Let new masonry cure 90 days. Fill block as needed; then apply one coat of C3000. | C2 Exterior Primer does not build as much as Mad Dog(meaning you won't get the same smoothness), but has stronger resins). |
Application & Coverage
- Prep: Remove dirt, dust, oil, grease, wax, and rust. Treat mildew with a 1:4 chlorine bleach:water solution. Patch, sand smooth, and remove dust.
- Tools: High‑quality synthetic brush, airless sprayer, or roller (though rollers leave a texture in the paint which is typically undesired on millwork, metal, siding, etc).
- Spread rate: 400–450 sq ft per gallon (≈37–42 m² per 3.78 L). Do not thin.
- Cleanup: warm, soapy water.
- Temperature: do not apply if product, air, or surface is below 50°F (10°C). Keep from freezing.
Dry Time
- To touch: ~30 minutes. Dependent on temperature and humidity
- Recoat: 2–4 hours
- Full service: 7 days
Technical Specifications
- Resin Type: Acrylic
- Color/Bases: White only
- Sheen: 5–10% @ 60°; 8–12% @ 85°
- Volume Solids: 37.1%
- Weight per Gallon: 10.99 ± 0.2 lb
- VOC: 75 g/L
- Flash Point: None
- Sizes: Gallons
Specifications and application instructions summarized from the C2 ProSeries C3000 - Exterior Latex Primer Technical Specifications.
Pro Tips
- For best enamel hold‑out on trim and doors, sand the primed surface lightly before topcoating.
- Always test a small area when switching primers or topcoats to confirm compatibility and appearance.
