# Oil based primer came out terrible - why?



## chilly81 (May 5, 2017)

I'm painting some old fake wood cabinets and primed them today with Zinnser "Cover Stain" oil based primer thinking it would be my best bet to ensure adhesion to this junk cabinet material (I also TSP'd, wiped off, sanded and wiped dust with mineral spirits).

I've never used oil based paints before but it turned out like crap. I tried brushing it on thin, thick, rolling with foam, with nap. Everything turned out terribly rough in one way or the other (stipples or brush strokes). I ended up putting on 2 coats so at least I can sand it down smooth without ending up back to bare wood.

It was about 80degF and dry today (in AZ) and I did it in the shade.

It was quite thick and was drying SUPER fast - like 10 minutes to the touch and skinning over in the cup in a couple minutes.

Does oil based paint behave like this or just this primer? I mean this stuff is not going to self level and look good.... which is what oil based paint is supposed to do. Only sandpaper will save this mess.

Any idea what I did wrong? I have painted with latex before and things have come out decently, so I'm not just a total hamfist.


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## BehrProFL (May 4, 2017)

Cover Stain is a fast dry alkyd that is best used with a sprayer.

But what type of material are these cabinets???... that's probably the problem as well. Not only is it fast drying on you but it isn't sealing anything so it gets the stippling and layered effect.

You could try thinning with mineral spirits and brush it on thin.. but more than likely the issue is with the type of substrate... cover stain needs porous substrate to seep into and seal. Without that it wont self level and you get a mess.


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## chilly81 (May 5, 2017)

The cabinets are like that assemble-yourself cheap particle board with a fake wood paper layer on the outside. They are in my RV. So it probably isn't penetrating, like you say.

It says it works well for glossy even metallic surfaces without sanding (I sanded anyway for extra measure), so I'd expect it will still function as a bonding primer... but it sounds like the leveling properties just won't work in this case? 

So regular oil based paint wouldn't dry fast like this? I mean I'd paint the 4 outer frame boards of a small (18" square) floating panel cabinet door and the first side would be dry by the time I finished the 4th side - very lumpy and icky in those spots


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## slinger58 (Feb 8, 2016)

Being outside with temp in the 80's accelerated the dry time, especially if there was a breeze. Thinning would have maybe helped a little. 

But still a good sanding should fix it and a slower drying finish paint will level and leave a smooth finish. Doing them inside will help alleviate the flash drying.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BehrProFL (May 4, 2017)

So its laminated particle board then.... yeah it's lumpy because it had no where to go and do its job. So it stayed at the top of the substrate. Still being a fast dry product it dried lol.

You'll have to do this:

150 grit sanding sponge. If you have an orbital sander even better. Less elbow grease needed.

You really have to scuff up the surface you want to prime and paint. If you dont want to hand sand you could try a deglosser. Get the M1 brand or Klean Strip. They are like $6 at Home Depot/Lowe's/Walmart. Deglossing is liquid sanding just get a rag and put the product on the rag and rub in circular overlapping motions. Similar to how you would polish the hood of a car. Do that a few times and it should give you a good substrate to start the painting.

Kilz Adhesion. This stuff is awesome it ill adhere to marginally prepared surfaces. I never marginally prepare however but this would be my #1 choice for a primer.

Behr 436 multi purpose primer/sealer Behrs best primer, can be put on pretty much anything although I sell it mostly for priming/sealing hot stucco.

Both products are styrenated acrylics. More commonly called "modified acrylic". Styrene is a waterbased polymer that dries harder and gives you better protection than regular acrylics. Not really that important here since you are top coating that anyway.

Kilz adhesion you have to wait 24 hours before top coating. Behr 436 you can recoat in 1 hour. Behr 436 also comes in quarts, gallons and 5 gallon buckets. Most Home Depots only carry the gallon version of the Kilz Adhesion



Deglosser
http://m.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-1-qt-Easy-Liquid-Sander-QWN285/100112667

Kilz Adhesion Primer
http://m.homedepot.com/p/KILZ-1-gal-Adhesion-Bonding-Primer-L211101/204763136

Behr 436 Multi Surface Primer
http://m.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-Premi...or-Exterior-Primer-and-Sealer-43601/100205766






chilly81 said:


> The cabinets are like that assemble-yourself cheap particle board with a fake wood paper layer on the outside. They are in my RV. So it probably isn't penetrating, like you say.
> 
> It says it works well for glossy even metallic surfaces without sanding (I sanded anyway for extra measure), so I'd expect it will still function as a bonding primer... but it sounds like the leveling properties just won't work in this case?
> 
> So regular oil based paint wouldn't dry fast like this? I mean I'd paint the 4 outer frame boards of a small (18" square) floating panel cabinet door and the first side would be dry by the time I finished the 4th side - very lumpy and icky in those spots


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## klaatu (Mar 9, 2015)

Coverstain is crap for starters. YES IT IS CRAP!


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## chilly81 (May 5, 2017)

Well I certainly won't be using it again, but on the plus side, it seems to be adhering well. I've been sanding all morning and on 10-15 cabinet doors and it didn't come off or chip in a single spot - even on the thin coated ares. I also couldn't scratch it off with my fingernail when I tried.

In hindsight, my worst mistake that made things worse was to add a second coat with a roller. It's really thick in spots and is even gumming up the paper a little on thick areas (after 20-24 hours of dry air). So I'm sanding down a little then going to let them sit for the afternoon, then I'll sand down some more to try to get all the orange peel out. If I just left one thin coat - even though I could see through it like whitewash - it would have sanded out smooth and given a decent base for the topcoat paint.
@BehrProFL - I appreciate the advice, but I'm too far along to go back to that point. I did sand rough with 150 and the adhesion seems to be fine, so now I just need to trade off how much sanding I'm willing to do and how orange peely or brush strokey I'm willing to live with.
@slinger58 good point about the breeze. The indoor stuff (cabinet frames) isn't nearly as bad and should sand down much easier (still not "good" by any means), so that supports your thought. I'm in an RV on the road, so my DIY facilities are always a bit limited, but I'll try painting each door inside then putting it out to dry.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

klaatu said:


> Coverstain is crap for starters. YES IT IS CRAP!


What would you use?


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