Do I need a primer for this color?

Some colors, especially yellows, reds and oranges, and other dark accent colors, are considered to be “poor hiding” colors. That means they usually need a primer because, despite their strong, vibrant color, they’re not good at hiding the color they’re covering.

Using a grey (under dark colors) or tinted (under light colors) primer can help you avoid having to apply multiple coats of paint. A tinted primer helps prepare the existing surface for color. You’ll typically only need to apply two coats of paint over tinted primer to get that perfect result. ECOS colors that benefit from additional coats or a tinted primer are marked in our color library (select Fan Deck View) with a roller icon

Still trying to figure out if you need a primer? Click here to print a zig-zag patterned card you can use to test your paint sample.

Please note: this guidance is specifically related to color selection. We recommend using one of our primers if painting over a higher gloss finish, a darker color, or applying an accent color, or if applying over bare or heavily sanded surfaces.

Painting Tips to Improve “Hide"

Paint Card Instructions

Apply a single coat of paint across the middle of the card, covering at least the area within the rectangle marked with ABCD. Once the paint has dried thoroughly, apply a second coat. If the zig-zag lines remain visible after you’ve applied the second coat of paint, we’d recommend a primer for your paint color.

Select a Color

Simply select A, B, or C to choose your perfect color.

• AChoose an ECOS color by name
• BBrowse our colors
  Browse Our Colors
• CRequest a color match
  Select Color Match

ECOS Colors

Blues

Browns

Grays

Greens

Neutrals

Oranges

Purples

Reds

Yellows

Collections

Lullaby

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Palette View Fan Deck View

Frameworks

The Frameworks Palette represents the forces, space, and time that shape and form all of nature. These colors are bold and sophisticated, and have been curated to compliment the subtleties of the other palettes, adding moments of power and drama to any space.

Cascadia

The damp climate of the Cascadia ecoregion produces a palette rich in cool colors and vibrating with iridescent highlights in the form of flora and fauna that thrive in wet, fertile soil.

Arid South

The palette of the Arid South is a collection of muted, warm, earthy tones derived from the desert landscape.

Mountain West

The colors of the Mountain West are more muted than some of the other palettes with warm color shifts. The igneous and metamorphic geology of the ecoregion forms the foundation of this muted palette.

Heartland

The grasslands and cornfields of the North American Heartland inform the subtle hue shift toward yellow and the generally warm hues of this ecoregion.

The expansive, dramatic skies add saturation to the wide-ranging palette.

Northeast

The crisp, vibrant colors of Northeastern autumn shift the hues of this palette toward oranges and reds.

The warmth of the palette also reflects the flowering hues of springtime.

Southeast

The Southeast palette has a hue shift toward the warms with a cooler set of neutrals to complement.

From the deep blues of the mountain ranges to the brightly colored flora and fauna, this ecoregion also boasts highly saturated primary colors.

Caribbean

The Caribbean ecoregion bursts forth with bright colors drawn from its tropical climate.

The warms and cools of this palette are uniformly vibrant and saturated.

Polar

The whites of this palette present an array of subtle hues that reflect the flora, fauna, and habitat of the Polar ecoregion.

This set of nine neutral colors is meant to complement the other palettes.