Primer for OSB

[Keith S]

I am about to prime my OSB ceiling and walls in my pole barn and I'm torn on which primer to get. After reading many, many threads on this topic I have decided to use a Zinsser primer. My question is which one? I know to use either an oil or shellac based primer and avoid water based on OSB. Zinsser has two products, "Cover Stain High Hide Oil based, 3550" and "B-I-N shellac Based white primer, 00900" The BIN is twice the price of the oil based. Is it worth the extra cost in either hiding or coverage? I plan to paint over the primer later most likely with an oil based exterior paint. My pole barn is about 1500sq/ft so primer and paint cost may start to become an issue.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Keith

 

[scottydosnntkno]

Cover stain is perfect for new fresh osb.

BIN shines and was developed for encapsulation. Grease, water stains, fire/smoke damage, smells, etc. it's overkill for priming new materials.

 

[rlitman]

Oil based primer on new wood/OSB. Shellac is for going over problem paints.
There's an "odorless" version that's a -little- less smelly, but once you topcoat with paint, the smell is pretty sealed up anyway.

 

[Ainsley]

I used sherwin Williams oil based exterior wood primer and it worked great. Took a while to dry but worth it.

 

[Joeys79]

I used Kilz Original oil base. It took two coats to cover the black print, but the second coat went on fast and almost twice the coverage. It was $65 for the 5 gallon bucket, but looks like its up to about $72. I'm also going with a semi-gloss exterior top coat. I'm happy with how it came out.

 

[Nowater]

I had no problem using water based primer on my OSB.

 

[Notgrownup]

I am using Kilz II latex, works decent...

 

[NUTTSGT]

I used Kilz Original oil base. It took two coats to cover the black print, but the second coat went on fast and almost twice the coverage. It was $65 for the 5 gallon bucket, but looks like its up to about $72. I'm also going with a semi-gloss exterior top coat. I'm happy with how it came out.

I also had good luck using Kilz oil bassed primer.

 

[laser3kw]

I used Kilz Original oil base

I also had good luck using Kilz oil based primer.

my results also. It rolls on like mayonnaise. use a 3/4 nap roller. I believe I used every drop of 8 gallons to do the inside of a 30x40x12 walls only. I got about 200square feet per gallon. Single primer coat over most, re rolled the black ink on the OSB after first coat dried. I did the ceiling in drywall and used Kiltz latex primer there.
top coat was Sherwin William's pro latex semi gloss -white
so- to the OP- it looks like most use the oil based products.

 

[k-os]

I also used the traditional Kilz Oil primer and then went over it with a latex based exterior paint.


Used 2 coats of Kilz only on the ceiling

 

[buzz4041]

Another vote for the kids oil base primer. Did my whole shop in it.

 

[Keith S]

Thank you all very much for your input! You have saved me several hundreds of dollars that is now better spent on tools.

It seems like many people have used Kilz oil primer instead of Zinsser. Is that simply because of price/availability or is the general consensus is that they will work just as well?

Thank
Keith

 

[gungatim]

Kilz is what we used to cover fire damage. regular water based primer in the 5 gal bucket is all you need, especially for new OSB. I would never spend the money on Kilz unless I had a problem that warranted it...

 

[NUTTSGT]

I also used the traditional Kilz Oil primer and then went over it with a latex based exterior paint.

Used 2 coats of Kilz only on the ceiling

I'd suggest top coating that Kilz Primer. I did that originally in my garage and when I did some work, I found that it had slowly yellowed over a couple year period.
Notice the brighter white and new Kilz at the top ?

 

[k-os]

I'd suggest top coating that Kilz Primer. I did that originally in my garage and when I did some work, I found that it had slowly yellowed over a couple year period.
Notice the brighter white and new Kilz at the top ?

I'll probably do that once I finish off the other side of the garage and get the walls painted with the exterior latex. I'm thinking I'll have to buy some more latex to finish the ceilings.

 

[Joeys79]

It seems like many people have used Kilz oil primer instead of Zinsser. Is that simply because of price/availability or is the general consensus is that they will work just as well?

Why Kilz?
HD had plenty of it, price seemed right and lots of folks recommended it in other threads. As far as oil base, some say they had no problem with latex, others said they did, I didn't take the chance. If the OSB uses water base glue, then the water base latex could have some affect. The stink wasn't that bad, and now I'll use a latex exterior paint over it. FYI on why exterior, I was told it would hold up to cold temps better if it's not heated all the time in winter. Glidden said, Just have better ventilation than with an interior latex until dry.

 

[NUTTSGT]

It seems like many people have used Kilz oil primer instead of Zinsser. Is that simply because of price/availability or is the general consensus is that they will work just as well?

Thank
Keith

I'll answer that also like Joey did. Generally, I was buying stuff at HD as I really don't care for Lowes in general. I bought it in a 5 gal bucket and when I found that Lowes had it, HD would price match plus 10%.

I checked Menard's but they carried Zinsser but not Kilz. I had good luck with Kilz and wanted to stay with what I was familar with. Zinsser might be a better product and easy to work with but I've never used it.

Why oil-based, I knew the OSB would soak up alot and I had to cover the black ink. I just figured the oil based would do a better job. I'm happy with the results.

 

[CGT80]

I have used hundreds of gallons of Zinsser products. I used cover stain all of the time, before they came out with a water based cover stain. Both are great products as well as the 123 primer and BIN. Bin is thinned and cleaned up with alcohol. That is some nasty stuff to spray inside a building, but it works well. I used it on a smoke damaged house and also on a wood warehouse ceiling that I was going to paint white.

Oil based products yellow over time, if not exposed to the sun. Oil based white enamel would turn yellow in a year or two when used inside a house. Pictures hung on a light colored wall, that had oil based paint on it, would leave a dark spot behind them.

I would use oil based coverstain and then water based acrylic exterior finish. The exterior will surely handle the temps and possible moisture in and around a garage. Oil based product seal out ink, wood tannins, cigarette smoke, etc. Zinsser has an updated 123 primer that is water based just like the older 123, but they claim it covers water stains as well. I just tried it out a couple weeks ago on a concrete interior wall that had peeling paint and water damage. I top coated it with some cheap valspar paint the customer had already chosen for the rest of the interior. It looked good after I was done, but I have not checked on it again.

I won't use kilz. It is pushed at home depot like apple fans push their I phones. It also requires sanding to cover glossy surfaces, where zinsser does not. It might work OK, but I KNOW that the Zinsser products work well for me.

Water based cover stain is flat and sands very well. 123 primer has a sheen and is good for use under semi gloss and gloss paint.

 

[jgschroeder99]

I used Zinsser FastPrime Oil Based. Worked really well. 1 coat of primer and 2 coats of Dutch Boy latex paint.

 

[ABADWILLYS]

I used the Kilz oil based on mine as well, after also searching on here what to use. Only the bottom 4 feet is OSB in my shop, 2 coats Kilz and then 2 coats of Gray,or is it Grey? anyways it came out pretty nice

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

Sounds like there are some paint experts here, when painting new wood/wood products, instead of primer, I use up old paint from prior projects. ie: the leftover living room paint is my primer for the new wall in the garage. I then cover that with the finish coat, and whatever is left over from that, is the primer for my next job.

I am ( obviously ) not a professional painter, but I've never noticed any problems. ( ...as long as I keep the oil base and water base paints separate. )

So, tell me what you think and why.




.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I
Oil based products yellow over time, if not exposed to the sun. Oil based white enamel would turn yellow in a year or two when used inside a house. Pictures hung on a light colored wall, that had oil based paint on it, would leave a dark spot behind them.

That's good to know and what I love about this place, learn something new everyday.

 

[scottydosnntkno]

Sounds like there are some paint experts here, when painting new wood/wood products, instead of primer, I use up old paint from prior projects. ie: the leftover living room paint is my primer for the new wall in the garage. I then cover that with the finish coat, and whatever is left over from that, is the primer for my next job.

I am ( obviously ) not a professional painter, but I've never noticed any problems. ( ...as long as I keep the oil base and water base paints separate. )

So, tell me what you think and why.




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Depending on the topcoat colors, a terrible idea.

When painting woods that have knots in them, the tannins and sap will seep or show through the topcoat over time. Additionally, latex paint molecules are larger and do not penetrate the surface as much as a primer formulation does which results in decreased adhesion and longevity.

Topcoat or finish paint is just that, topcoat for color and sheen. The work or protection of the paint process is done by the primer. It's all in the proper prep work as any job is.

For example. You could paint bare line boards white with two coats of your lat x paint and have a white board. Let's say you use $60/gallon SW pro classic. Nice stuff.

Id prime my board and paint it with $8/gal home depot special and have a white board.

2/3/5 years from now, your board with have knot bleed all over the place where the knots or heavy sap/tannin banding is. My board will still be nice and white with no bleeding, even though I used the cheapest paint possible.

The key to a quality finished product is the prep work and using the right materials for what they are designed for.

 

[Falcon67]

I've been too lazy/cheap to paint my OSB but one of the potential issues with a water (latex) based primer is lifting chips on the surface. It may cause the surface to "fuzz" a bit, like OSB left exposed a while. Numerous posts here note that does not seem to happen, or the issue isn't as bad, with oil based primer.

Note that there is a shed in a yard behind us that is going on 3 years old. It's built from OSB with zero finish on the outside. It's discolored but doesn't seem to be anywhere near falling apart like you might think.

 

[rsieracki]

i've been using kilz water based... after the first coat if i see any blisters i use a razor to shave them off and roll on a second and sometimes third coat. seeing as its OSB and my woodshop not my livingroom i buy the paint on sale, use leftovers/cheapest stuff in white i can find and just add more as i need it into the 5 gallon bucket no problems yet and it matches pretty well

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

Okay, Scotty, I see the error of my ways. Your advice makes sense, so primer it is....



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