Where I grew up, we prime walls, with primer.
Saying “primer the walls” is a bit like saying “get orientated.”
I often hear this, but really I think it’s always been like this (that is, it’s not a “recent phenomenon”), and other languages do it, too. (This soon-to-be-released book has some chapters on how other European languages do it.)
I think it is just the nature of language. Words–in and of themselves–don’t necessarily possess an innate determination of their class. Yes, some word classes are more “closed” than others, such as prepositions, but that’s because there’s no need to create more prepositions, not because of the prepositions themselves (and prepositions can function as adjectives).
It’s really through syntax (and usage) ultimately that open word classes like nouns, verbs, and adjectives can be so flexible, not the words themselves. A noun is a verb when it’s in the verb position, simply because it’s in the verb position, not because it went through some kind of existential transformation. The syntax is what does it. When dictionaries list parts of speech, it’s a reflection of usage.
I do think, though, that, because English verbs don’t have a standard base form, English speakers might more readily put words traditionally from other classes into the verb’s place. That is, the morphology of verbs in other language might make them less productive in this way–but I still believe it happens, and has always happened.
Just to clarify, in English there is no morphological marker for verbs, so you can just use the unadulterated noun as a verb. In German, all verbs end in -en in the infinitive and new verbs usually in -ieren that further characterizes them. In French, all verbs end in -er, -re, or -ir and new verbs almost always in -ir. There is no such thing in English, so primer, phonebook, google, are all verbs as is. Of course, they accept endings: he primers walls, he has primered walls, he is primering the wall, and finally, he is a wall primerer. (And you cannot verb that last noun.:smack:)
When you hire a guy to primer the walls, you have primerered your work crew. 
I’m not exactly sure of the history either, but I didn’t mean to imply that it was a new thing. There are too many noun-verb pairs for this to be a new thing, and some are pretty old. For example, smith is an occupation, a person, a place and a verb all at the same time. We didn’t make that one up in the 20th Century.
If you do this, you have chosen to boldly primerer where no contractor has primerered before.
How about this one: If you can primer the walls, can you printer a spreadsheet?
If you prime the walls with primer, can you paint the walls with painter?