# Oil vs Water-Based Primer New/Old Drywall



## Wild Willard (Sep 22, 2015)

Raises the fibers, especially areas sanded, of the paper face.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Oil and water-based primers will give you rough areas. That's why painters sand the walls after priming and before painting.........to remove that roughness. I worked for a builder who swore by using oil-based primer on drywall and I didn't notice any difference compared to latex primer.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Oil based is fine. You mentioned odor and cost as the disadvantages. You didn't mention cleanup, which is a big deal to some people. Dealing correctly with solvents is a pain in the neck.


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## 78Vette (Nov 25, 2009)

jeffnc said:


> Oil based is fine. You mentioned odor and cost as the disadvantages. You didn't mention cleanup, which is a big deal to some people. Dealing correctly with solvents is a pain in the neck.


Oil base is way easier to clean up then water-base, especially waterborne or dryfall, whether splatter or spillage. Always have mineral spirits on hand when working with oil-base.
OP: If you want to use up that Zinsser oil-based primer, go for it, if you have enough to finish all the walls that need priming. If you need to buy more primer, i'd save the Zinsser primer for woodwork.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

lol, I've never heard the sentence "oil base is way easier to clean up than water base" in my entire life. That makes no sense.

We can start with your next sentence "always have mineral spirits on hand". Uh.... yeah.


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## 78Vette (Nov 25, 2009)

jeffnc said:


> lol, I've never heard the sentence "oil base is way easier to clean up than water base" in my entire life. That makes no sense.
> 
> We can start with your next sentence "always have mineral spirits on hand". Uh.... yeah.


There you go......whatever you say.


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## blackjack (Oct 21, 2015)

It's a pita. It's overkill. It's thin and more messy than latex. Need thinner to clean. Cutting in will be a nightmare on knockdown (I think that's what you said you'rs doing..) Need (or should have any way) a respirator. Takes forever for the smell to dissapate. Did I mention it's a pita? $20 will buy a bucket of latex primer. Much more user friendly for the task you have mentioned.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Use the latex there is nothing easy about oil and there is a reason they are outlawing it in a lot of places, a good reason.


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