As a decorator, I do dabble with quite a few Tikkurila products. Some I love, others I really don’t get on with. One Tikkurila product that has opinions divided amoungst decorators is Multistop. To be honest I do like it, but there are a couple of drawbacks with the paint. This is my Tikkurila Multistop review, hope you find it useful.
What is Tikkurila Multistop?
Tikkurila Multistop is a water-based acrylic primer undercoat, mainly used on bare timber. On top of this, it also blocks most stains which is an added bonus. Touch dry in an hour, but you should really leave this paint to cure fully before painting over (ideally overnight)
Benefits and Performance
The first thing that strikes you about Multistop is the smell, it’s sweet and delightful. I know you’re not going to buy a paint product because of it’s smell, but it’s still lovely. Please don’t eat it though. Multistop might smell nice, but the taste is horrible!!
Right I’ll get serious. It is so easy to use!! It just flows lovely either by brush or sprayer, even on something as porous as MDF. It also blocks tree sap, meaning you don’t have to treat knots with a separate product. Oh, and because it blocks other stains, you can use a water-based topcoat whilst safe in the knowledge you won’t have any issues with tannings. Another bonus is it doesn’t craze on top of caulk.
It seals timber and MDF perfectly too and takes a good sand off with your 180, making the perfect base for your topcoats. The only other thing I can say is it has quite good adhesion properties too. I know some decorators on the Forum who actually use it on previously varnished timber before overpainting, although I wouldn’t recommend it personally.
I love using this product when I’m spraying a new-build house. Like most Tikkurila products, it sprays very easily. Not only that, but because of the adhesion qualities you can spray it onto pre-primed doors, plus Pre-primed or bare MDF, as well as bare timber. I literally go through and spray everything with the stuff!!
One other thing I wall say, is Tikkurila Multi-Stop does leave a very good base. Much better than any other acrylic primer I’ve used. That goes for spray, or brush. Few brush or roller marks, plus other paint just seems to sit nicely on top.
The Downside of Tikkurila Multistop
There are only two negative things I can really mention. The first is the lengthy drying time. We’re talking 16 hours before you can paint over the stuff. I think that may be down to the stain blocking qualities, but who knows? This means, unlike other sprayable water-based products, you need to leave multi-stop over night before you use your topcoats.
The second thing is the price. There’s no easy way of saying this so just brace yourself! It’s £170 for a 10 litre bucket in white!! It may be possible to get a trade discount by joining the Pro Club.
Tikkurila Multistop can’t be tinted either, but neither can most other acrylic primers, so I’m not too bothered about that as you’re only ever going to use it as a primer.
Review Summary
Tikkurila Multistop Review - Primer / Undercoat - Decorator's forum UK
A fully water-based acrylic primer undercoat. You can use this paint to prime bare timber, or as an undercoat on pre-primed MDF.
Product Brand: Tikkurila
4.2
Pros
- Fully water-based.
- Smells lovely.
- Great opacity.
- Easy to spray.
- Creates a perfect base for your topcoats.
- Blocks stains.
- Blocks knot bleed.
Cons
- Very expensive, especially considering acrylic undercoat is usually very cheap.
- 16-hour recoat time.
Final Thoughts
OK, there are a couple of drawbacks to using this paint compared to some of the other products that are available. Especially now we have paints like Bedec All Prime and Zinsser BIN Aqua.
However, Tikkurila Multi Stop is still fantastic. I use it when spraying newbuilds. The base it creates for additional products is fantastic.
Other acrylic primers can be tinted, l never had an issue with that in past, its hard to see why this also cant be tinted.
Hi, would ir block the pine tannins, the yellow I see seaping through the current water based primer I am using now. Also there a few marker stiains that are bleeding through, would it block that?
Thank you in advance for the answer.
Might want to add it can only be used on interiors as well