Tag: Primer
Restoration vs. Original – What’s the Difference?
February 25, 2022
For the last 7 years, John Golamco has led the primer category at KILZ®. He is the Product Manager representing this category and has over 25 years of collective experience in sales and marketing. He lives in Southern California and enjoys traveling and cooking when he isn’t priming various surfaces!
Why are we comparing KILZ® Original and KILZ Restoration® Primers?
When our customers have a project that involves severe stains and/or persistent unwanted odors, they turn to KILZ primers. Two products that help solve these problems are KILZ Restoration water-based primer and KILZ Original oil-based primer. KILZ Restoration is an innovative water-based primer which provides similar performance in stain and odor blocking as the long-established oil-based KILZ Original primer. Shellac and oil-based are traditionally better known to block severe stains especially water-soluble stains.
What are the differences between KILZ Original & Restoration Primers?
KILZ Original is an oil-based primer and stain blocker which can block/seal severe stains and odors but has higher volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) which are organic chemical compounds that vaporize and enter the atmosphere. It also has a stronger solvent odor and requires mineral spirits or paint thinner to clean-up. KILZ Restoration is a water-based primer which also blocks severe stains and odors, however, has lower VOC’s which meets all national regulations. It is also a low odor primer and has easy clean-up with soap and water.
What is an oil-based primer? What are the benefits?
Oil-based primers are better at blocking or sealing stains, especially water-soluble stains. They’re also superior at blocking tannin. Oil-based primers have natural (i.e. linseed oil) and synthetic (i.e. alkyd oil) variants as their base technology. Alkyds have become popular in recent decades due to more easily sourced raw materials, lower cost and durability of the coating film.
TOP BENEFITS
1. It dries to a hard finish, making it durable against wear and weather.
2. Feels thick to apply and feels like it adheres well upon application which makes for an outstanding application experience.
3. Penetrates wood fibers well, making it ideal in sealing and protecting the wood.
4. Slower dry time compared to water-based which has some advantage in giving more open time to apply and for touch-ups.
KILZ Original interior primer for example, is a legacy product trusted by pro painters for 50 years! It delivers excellent stain blocking, odor blocking, adhesion performance, durability and is a fast-drying oil so pros can get more done in less time. KILZ Original line of oil-based primers use top quality modified alkyd resins as the base technology of their primer formulas.
What is a water-based primer? What are the benefits?
Water-based primers, also known as “latex” primers, are easier to clean (using soap and water), dry fast and have low VOC’s, making them healthier to use for you and the environment. In terms of their formulations, water-based primers, like water-based paints, use water as the solvent. Several other ingredients such as binders, pigments, fillers, and additives are then mixed in to create the final product.
TOP BENEFITS
1. Not combustible or flammable.
2. Low in odor making it ideal for use in interior spaces while oil-based needs very good ventilation.
3. The advancements in coatings technology have allowed water-based primers to dramatically improve and are beginning to perform on par with oil-based primers in terms of adhesion, stain blocking, and even odor blocking; and they have a faster dry time which saves time and money.
KILZ 2® ALL-PURPOSE, which is KILZ best-selling primer, is an acrylic polymer since it uses an acrylic plastic resin as its base ingredient – this is what makes the primer stick well to the surface and gives topcoat paint a sound, uniform surface to stick to – making it look better and last longer. KILZ RESTORATION is a new innovation in water-based primer technology which gives this product the performance of an oil-based (in severe stain blocking and odor blocking) but with the low VOC’s, low odor, easy clean-up and faster drying time that water-based provides. It’s the “best of both worlds”!
When would you choose to use an oil-based primer over a water-based primer? And vice versa?
TEAM OIL-BASED
• Choose an oil-based primer if priming over a previous oil-based paint and/or priming on fresh wood.
• Oil-based will seal the wood better and block any tannin stains that might bleed out.
• Oil-based is also ideal if blocking smoke and water stains as well as unwanted odors.
TEAM WATER-BASED
• Choose water-based if priming indoors where ventilation may be poor and in spaces sensitive to strong odors.
• Ideal choice when projects require a lower VOC level product, there is a flammability concern, and/or there is preference for clean-up without the use of harsh chemicals.
• State and local regulations might make oil-based products limited in availability or access. In such cases, water-based is a great choice.
What are the best use cases for Oil-based? For Water-based? Project examples?
Oil-Based: priming over water stains on ceiling tiles or priming over bare wood especially redwood varieties that bleed tannin/sealing wood knots would be some specific examples of best use cases for oil-based. Also ideal for blocking/sealing severe stains especially water-soluble stains that might be “activated” and bleed through if a water-based primer is used. Oil-based primers are also durable since they dry to a harder finish. KILZ Original Interior/Exterior primer for example is an excellent choice for exterior application due to its weather resistance, especially on wood surfaces.
Water-Based: priming indoor walls and cabinets in a space with limited ventilation or a project where low VOC emissions are a requirement. In both cases, do not apply too many coats of the primer. Even if the primer does not look like a finished coat, it is adequate to do the job of sealing the surface, blocking the stain (if any) and laying a good foundation coat to help the topcoat adhere (stick). It’s the paint’s job to completely cover everything and deliver the expected final color. The primer will help the paint look its best. A paint coatings calculator is available on https://www.kilz.com/calculator.
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.
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Ask the Pro: KILZ Restoration®
October 27, 2021
Here on The Perfect Finish, we have shared the importance of Primer in a variety of room transformation projects, from changing paint colors to painting kitchen cabinets. In this post, we are taking the conversation to a larger scale, looking at whole home renovations from a Pro’s perspective. We were excited to chat with Dustin Almquist, a contractor in Pennsylvania with experience in both real estate and property investment.
Dustin shares how KILZ Restoration® Interior Primer is vital to his whole home renovation jobs and why he believes a transformation of a whole house can change the perspective of the entire neighborhood. Read on to learn how he gets the job done right every time.
Tell us about your recent restoration job using KILZ Restoration Primer.
This project was a full house renovation. The last owners had the home for decades, and regular maintenance wasn’t done. It needed new electricity, plumbing, kitchen, bathroom, roof, windows, flooring, and of course primer and paint. The walls were old plaster that had some major cracking. After making extensive repairs, it was important to prep the walls for paint. Since many of the walls had old oil-based paint or paneling, it was important to use a primer that I could trust.
Why did you choose KILZ Restoration® Primer for this project?
This property is used as a rental. I wanted to ensure that I am getting a long-lasting, durable wall coating. When it is time for a topcoat, I need to know that I won’t have adhesion issues. KILZ Restoration® Primer gave me the security that a topcoat will apply evenly and have great adhesion. Additionally, the coverage of the old surface was going to need a serious primer. Using a lesser primer would have left me with exposed stains and old wall color bleed through.
• KILZ Restoration® Interior Primer is a water-based primer, sealer, and stain blocker offering the 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.
What benefits did it bring to the job that another primer might not?
KILZ’s reputation of quality products is second to none and KILZ Restoration® Primer is the real deal. The old oil-based paint on the walls had some small cracks and splitting, but it was no match for the Restoration Primer. It is quite thick, so it filled those problem areas, yet still dried evenly and smoothly.
Where did you use KILZ Restoration® Primer at the project site?
The whole home! The house contained three bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, dining room, and living room.
Have there been any other projects when KILZ came to the rescue?
I am currently working on another rental property in the same town. The entire interior needs to be painted. Again, since this house will be used as a rental, I want to trust that the work I do today can last for years to come. I have primed the entire house using an array of KILZ primers.
Would you recommend using KILZ primers for any project?
I have yet to be disappointed in any use of KILZ primers. Each application has provided me with the results I need.
Do you have any other tips for a home restoration project?
Make sure to plan! When you get into restoration, time is money. It is so tempting to take shortcuts to save yourself time. Many people don’t think about the amount of time in the future they are costing themselves when taking those shortcuts. Take the time to do the work correctly the first time. It will pay dividends tomorrow!
What additional tools would you need to get the job done?
Paint sprayers, pans, rollers, roller covers, brushes, scrapers, extension poles, drop clothes, painters’ tape, buckets, ladders, rags, caulks/sealants, brush cleaner, paint thinner, stir sticks. You name it! It seems like you always run out of something right when you need it.
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.
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Moody Master Bathroom Makeover
May 1, 2020For this month’s inspiration post we’re introducing a brand new KILZ® Primer that will help us transform a dated bathroom into a moody and dramatic retreat. The original bathroom’s design was living in the past, and not in a good way! An old wooden vanity and unattractive laminate flooring needed to go, but before a new vanity could be brought in, we needed to do something about those boring beige walls.
Creating a dramatic new space was the goal, so we knew a dark paint color would be used on the walls. And even though we were painting over a lighter color, priming first before painting was a crucial step. In addition to helping to ensure a truer color from our chosen topcoat, the primer used in this project offered a bathroom-essential benefit. We used the new KILZ® Mold & Mildew Primer for this bathroom makeover, as it creates a mold and mildew-resistant primer film that protects the primer film from mold and mildew growth.
This water-based primer-sealer-stainblocker is specially designed for 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.
Once the walls were properly primed with KILZ® Mold & Mildew and allowed to dry, it was time to paint. A deep emerald green was the perfect paint color for the walls and complemented the new black vanity. Brushed gold sinks, black and white tile and an oversized art deco-inspired mirror added sophistication to the space and completed the master bathroom transformation.
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.
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Truer Color Starts Here
March 30, 2020Imagine that you’ve spent hours scrolling through social media sites and flipping through magazines, on the hunt for the perfect paint color. Eventually, you zero in on a color family and visit a home improvement store to select a few paint chips or samples to take home. And finally, you’ve done it! You have your perfect paint color chosen and you’re ready to transform your space. But what if, when it’s finally on your walls, it doesn’t appear to be the color you selected? If you don’t use the right primer before painting, this could happen to you.
When painting a light color over an existing dark color, a primer with a high-hiding formula is recommended. KILZ® 3 Premium primer is a water-based primer that has a thicker formula with enhanced hiding. Priming a dark wall with KILZ 3 Premium before you paint over it with a lighter color will assist in a truer and richer color from your topcoat.
Specific surface types you might be painting can also affect how the final paint color turns out if the right primer isn’t applied first. If not properly sealed, porous surface like brick can soak up a lot of paint and cost you valuable time and money. Not to mention that if not properly primed, the typical red color of most brick can change the appearance of your paint color if the brick is not primed before it’s painted. For brick surfaces, we often recommend KILZ 2 All-Purpose or KILZ 3 Premium, depending on the color and current state of the brick surface.
New drywall is another porous surface on which the right primer can make a big difference. When painting over new drywall, we recommend priming first with KILZ® PVA Drywall Primer – a fast-drying, interior water-based primer formulated to prime and seal new, uncoated drywall. KILZ 1 Standard primer is another great primer to use on drywall.
For almost any surface you’re working with, priming before painting is key to ensure that the paint color you selected will show up in its truest state
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.
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Truer Coverage Starts Here
March 30, 2020When you’ve finally found that perfect paint color for your walls or furniture re-painting project, the last thing you want is a pre-existing stain to seep through and ruin your new color! Even light to moderate stains like scuff marks or crayon marks can bleed through paint, so it’s important to prime first to create a barrier. If you’re dealing with a lighter stain, KILZ 2® All-Purpose primer is a great choice. A water-based formula with enhanced hiding, KILZ 2 All-Purpose is formulated to block light to medium stains and hide previous colors.
A severe stain calls for a heavy-duty primer – and we have more than one that are up for the job! KILZ® Primer is a preferred choice of pros for stains caused by fires, floods, persistent exposure to pets or smoke stains from fire damage, soot and charring. Stain blocking primers also work great on permanent marker, grease and nicotine stains. KILZ® Original, trusted by pros for over 40 years, has excellent sealing and adhesion properties and is formulated to block heavy stains. Another great choice is KILZ Restoration, a water-based primer that offers the performance of a traditional oil and shellac-based primer. A heavy stain and odor blocker, KILZ Restoration can block stains from tannin, water, fire damage, smoke, nicotine and more.
From colorful crayon stains to unsightly smoke damage, truer coverage starts with KILZ primers.
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.
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Renovating After Natural Disasters
March 30, 2020Fixing or rebuilding a home after a natural disaster like a flood, hurricane or fire is no easy task. In the worst-case scenarios, the help of a professional contractor might be in order. But if you’re looking to DIY your renovation after a disaster has left your home with water, fire or smoke damage, KILZ® Primers can help! Trusted by pros for over 40 years, KILZ primers are often the go-to products for tackling stains caused by fires, floods and persistent exposure to smoke.
If you’ve got your work cut out for you after a flood or fire has necessitated a renovation, KILZ® Original Interior Primer is made for the job. This hardworking oil-based primer is formulated to block heavy stains including those caused by water or smoke, and its fast-drying formula can help you get on with your renovation project faster.
For restoration jobs on the outside of your home, KILZ Original Interior | Exterior Primer offers the same power of KILZ Original Interior Primer in an all-weather formula. Offering excellent adhesion and durability, KILZ Original Interior | Exterior can be used on wood, drywall, plaster, stucco, brick, masonry, paneling and more.
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.
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Odor Blocking Primers for Fresh as Spring Painting Projects
March 16, 2020Spring brings new beginnings and is often the perfect time to tackle a painting project you’ve been putting off. If you have a room renovation project that includes the added challenge of ridding the space of stale smells or bad odors, KILZ® Primers can help. From pet odor to the lingering smell of smoke (even long after the smoker is gone!), unpleasant odors can get stuck in your home and seem near impossible to remove.
Odor may penetrate fresh paint, so simply repainting the walls will likely leave you with a still smelly space. For a room that looks and smells as fresh spring, we recommend priming before painting. Priming provides a barrier that prevents odor from penetrating fresh paint and KILZ offers several primers with the ability to block medium to severe odors. So which primer is right for your project?
If you’re looking for a heavy-duty odor blocking primer, KILZ® Original primer is a great choice. Trusted by pros for over 40 years, it has excellent sealing properties and can block heavy odors and stains.
Working on a project outdoors? KILZ® Original Interior | Exterior primer offers the heavy-duty power of KILZ Original in an all-weather formula with excellent adhesion to both interior and exterior surfaces.
For spaces or areas that might be sensitive to solvent odors, KILZ® Original Low Odor is an interior oil-based stain and odor blocking primer that puts off less odor than typical oil-based primers.
Looking for a water-based primer? KILZ Restoration® is a new generation water-based primer, sealer and stain blocker that offers the performance of traditional oil and shellac-based primers. It tackles tough stains and seals persistent pet, food and smoke odors. It can also be used to block odors from subfloor when replacing carpet or wood flooring.
If your next painting project includes tackling lingering odors, you can breathe easy knowing that KILZ primers can help you get the job done.
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.
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Fresh as Spring Laundry Room Makeover
March 6, 2020A fresh coat of primer and paint brings a welcome sense of calm to a room often reserved only for chores in this fresh as spring laundry room makeover. Laundry is virtually unavoidable, so you might as well enjoy the space you’re in when you’re checking it off the to-do list!
The laundry room’s original wood cabinets felt like an endless line up of bland and boring, lacking both color and any interesting detail. A fresh coat of paint was definitely in order, but first things first… we couldn’t forget to prime! Similar to bathrooms and kitchens, laundry rooms are an area of the house often prone to excess moisture, humidity and changing temperatures – making primer an essential first step to ensure a paint finish that will last.
For this laundry room transformation, we chose KILZ 3® Premium primer as it offers exceptional adhesion and durability, and a mildew resistant primer finish. After KILZ 3 Premium primer was properly applied and allowed to dry, we had a clean slate ready for color.
For a relaxed yet modern vibe we chose KILZ Tribute® in Panoramic Trail TB-65, a minty green with an ever so slight gray undertone. Gold hardware added a subtle shine and much needed detail to the otherwise flat cabinet fronts, inspiring the addition of a new gold faucet and metallic pendant lights to tie the space together.
The original laundry room was also lacking surface area to fold after the fluffing is done, with the sink taking up an entire side of the already limited counter space. The fix was both functional and uniquely attractive! Adding a dark wooden panel around the top and sides of the washing machine and dryer not only brought warmth to the space, it also nearly tripled the usable countertop area.
A new faux-wood floor in a subtle grey shade was added to perfectly complement the new cabinet color. The final space is so pretty, it almost makes us want to do laundry!
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.
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These Three Rooms Call for a Primer that provides a Mildew-Resistant Primer Finish
February 12, 2020We believe that every project is worth using KILZ® brand primer. Priming before painting is what the professional painters generally like to do, and we would not recommend any other way.
If you talk to a professional painter about priming, they will tell you that certain rooms in the home call for primers with specific properties. From stain blocking to hiding a previous paint color, the KILZ brand has a primer to solve the most common and the toughest painting problems. In this post, we’re going to look at three rooms that all share one specific use case – the need for primer in a moister prone environment.
Mildew can be a common problem in areas of the home where there may be excess moisture. In these rooms, consider using a primer that will provide a mildew resistant primer finish. The first room in which we would most often recommend using a primer with a mildew resistant finish is the bathroom. From small powder rooms to grand master bathrooms, this area of the home is subject to high levels of moisture and humidity nearly every day.
KILZ® Kitchen & Bath Primer is another great choice, as this product not only offers a mildew-resistant primer finish but also provides excellent adhesion and stain blocking properties. We recently used KILZ Kitchen & Bath in a pretty in pink bathroom renovation, you can check that out here.
That leads us into the next room in the home on our list, the kitchen! We recommend priming both your walls and kitchen cabinets with a mildew-resistant primer like KILZ Kitchen & Bath or KILZ 3® Premium. If you’re interested to see a step by step kitchen renovation using KILZ 3 Premium, check out this recent post on a Colorful Kitchen Cabinet Transformation.
Last but not least, there is one more room found in most homes that calls for the use of primer with a mildew resistant finish. The laundry room! This small space is often overlooked when it comes time to think about repainting, but it is one room in particular where you definitely want to use the right primer.
Similar to kitchens, we recommend priming the walls and any cabinets in the laundry room with KILZ 3 Premium or KILZ Kitchen & Bath. If you’re looking to refresh your laundry room, keep an eye out for a light and airy laundry room makeover coming up on the blog in March!
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