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Furthermore, do paints with primer really work?
Paint and primer have two different, distinct functions and many times work best as two separate products. Tile, PVC, glass, or any other hard, smooth surface requires a bonding primer. Regular paint and primer in one products would not adhere to slick surfaces without a specialty primer.
how does primer differ from paint?
The basic difference between paint and primer is that paint is typically made up of resins pigments whereas primers are resins. The primer's basic function is to provide a sealed and stable surface for your topcoat (paint) and the resins contained in primers seal porous surfaces and provide that bond to the surface.
Since primer's function is mainly to bond and cover porous surfaces, it is not made to withstand elements like paint. Because of this, if you leave primer without a top coat (or paint) it will deteriorate and break down, probably in a chalk like form.