Ask the Pro: Must-haves for 2022

January 28, 2022

New Year, new inspirations, and new projects! What better way to kick off the year than to share the “must-haves” for any project in 2022. We asked one of the KILZ experts, Paul Dambroso. Paul is the Vice President of Marketing at KILZ and shares over 20 years of experience. Here on the Perfect Finish, we are going to cover the top KILZ products that any professional may need to kick off a project.

Why is it important to use Primer for any project?

• Seal porous surfaces before painting to achieve a uniform finish in fewer coats of paint
• Block stains from bleeding through your topcoat finish (water stains, tannin, smoke)
• Improve adhesion between the surface and the topcoat paint (adhesion promoter)
• “Specialty primers” help solve a variety of problems in specific situations from preventing mold and mildew before painting, transparent finish primers for same color recoats, alkali-resistant primers for powdery surfaces, concrete, cement, and unpainted plaster, metal primers, and more.

What are the top 5 KILZ Primers you need to tackle any job?

1. KILZ 2 All-Purpose Primer

• KILZ 2^® ALL-PURPOSE Primer (Previously KILZ 2 Latex) is a fast drying, water-based, multi-surface primer-sealer-stain blocker with excellent adhesion, mildew resistance, sealing properties and very mild odor. KILZ 2 ALL-PURPOSE Primer blocks medium stains including minor water stains, rust, grease, ink, pencil and felt marker. Enhanced hiding makes it ideal for changing colors and helps lessen the number of coats of paint required.

2. KILZ Restoration Primer

• KILZ RESTORATION™ Primer is a new generation water-based primer, sealer and stain blocker offering performance of traditional oil and shellac-based primers. It tackles tough stains including heavy water damage, rust, smoke, nicotine, grease, tannin, ink, pencil, felt marker, pet stains and more.

3. KILZ Mold & Mildew Primer

• KILZ^® MOLD & MILDEW Primer is a water-based primer-sealer-stain blocker that is specially designed for residential surfaces in high humidity, moisture, and temperature environments such as kitchens, bathrooms, powder rooms and laundry rooms. It offers excellent adhesion to both interior and exterior surfaces and provides a sound anchor for paints. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) registered active ingredient creates a mold and mildew-resistant film that protects the primer film from mold and mildew growth.

4. KILZ Original Oil-Based Interior/ Exterior Primer

• KILZ^® ORIGINAL has been a trusted brand for over 40 years! This interior and exterior primer is specially formulated to be a sound undercoat for paint and will help enhance the topcoat’s performance. It has excellent adhesion to both interior and exterior surfaces including masonry, metal, and excellent penetration for bare wood.

5. KILZ PVA/ Drywall Primer

• KILZ^® PVA DRYWALL PRIMER is designed for use on new drywall. It is a fast drying, interior water-based primer formulated to prime and seal new, uncoated drywall and reduce the number of topcoats required to achieve a uniform, professional quality finish.

What are  some tips and tricks while using Kilz primer?

• Check out KILZ Coverage Calculator to determine how much paint is needed to start a project. Typically, a gallon of primer will cover up to 250-400 square feet of surface that depends on a variety of factors. Two coats are usually required to have bright or deep colors or stains that could bleed through the topcoat. If priming over light or white previously painted surfaces, one coat may be sufficient.
• Tint the primer with a small amount of colorant (paint) of the topcoat. This will enhance the accuracy of the topcoat’s true color.
• Lightly sand the surface before applying primer especially if there is a gloss or sheen on the surface. This will help the primer adhere better and result in a longer-lasting paint finish.
• Although today’s advanced chemistry allows compatibility between oil-based and water-based primers and topcoats, it is still best practice to keep the combinations of “oil-based over oil-based” and “water-based over water-based” to ensure optimal results.
• Check out the KILZ blog post on the misconceptions about primer with one of our product experts here.

Always remember to refer to our website kilz.com or product back labels for additional information on which primer is right for your project and detailed instructions on how to apply our products.