# Help please...quick. Kilz dripping off walls



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Kilz is really crappy primer and goes on too thin. No wonder it is sagging on you. And without knowing where you are, I am just guessing your exterior walls are too cold for the primer to cure like it should. You bought this at a box store didn't you? Would you buy donuts, fresh meat or veges and fruits from them? Why would you buy paint from them?

Hit your paint store. I forget the name but I restored a house where all including the infants smoked. It was a mess and just touching anything with a cleaner or solvent turned rags and sponges kind of a sick orange. I did that too by the way. 

Sherwin Williams had a great oil-based primer that did the trick. Benjamin Moore Fresh Start, alkyd, not water-based, might do the trick but this stuff from SW was something hidden away. 

You need an oil-based primer for this so hope you are alright with that? You want windows to be open when dealing with solvents.

You can put latex and acrylic over a nice solvent based alkyd, by the way.


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## jenllo (Jan 20, 2010)

Thanks for your reply. I live in CT. I am going to go to SW today and try that. I'm just glad we haven't painted any other rooms. Live and learn.


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## Kevin M. (Nov 26, 2009)

jenllo said:


> Thanks for your reply. I live in CT. I am going to go to SW today and try that. I'm just glad we haven't painted any other rooms. Live and learn.


Hi Jenllo,

Vinegar has some limitations. It is quite popular considering it is a more natural cleaner. TSP is a cleaner and de-glosser. It is a chemical but not real intrusive. You can regulate the strength by water to mix ratio. 

For any type of a glossy wall, or nicotine stained wall, it works real well to clean and prep the wall. 

Kevin


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Oil based primer MIGHT work, BIN primer WILL work for sure.It smells very bad, you will need respirators and ventilation but it is really the only primer that will seal nicotine, no questions about it.


http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?productid=10


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## boman47k (Aug 25, 2006)

I hope you let us know how you resolve this.

All this time I have used oil based kilz, never knew I should have spent twice the money to get the job done .Hasn't always been necessary.
Did this house sit without heat for a long time? Strange predicament to me. I too wonder if the outside wall temps had something to do with this. And or moisture on the ouside walls.


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## <*(((>< (Mar 6, 2009)

chrisn said:


> Oil based primer MIGHT work, *BIN primer* WILL work for sure.It smells very bad, you will need respirators and ventilation but it is really the only primer that will seal nicotine, no questions about it.
> 
> 
> http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?productid=10


x1000

Zinnser's BIN primer for the win!

My wife and I bought a 1950 sq/ft home that had been heavily smoked in. It was a long process, and here are the steps we took.

1) Open the windows as much as possible, this helped air the house out, but I've also heard the UV rays will help breakdown the oils and air pollutants.

2) Removed all carpet in the home.

3) Cleaned all the ducting with a mop and soap and water, reached as far back into the ducting as I could.

4) Replaced the return air filters, placed charcoal on top of the filters.

5) Left the central air fan on to circulate air through the filters, so it passes by the charcoal.

6) Washed all walls and ceilings with TSP/water solution (nicotine streamed down the walls), rinsed afterwards.

7) Primered all walls and ceilings with Zinnsser's BIN primer, this stuff is caustic smelling, but works like magic.

8) Painted everything with finish coats.

9) Mopped floors, installed carpet.

Now you can not even tell anyone has ever smoked in this house!

It was a LOT of work, and knowing what I know now, I would knock off about 10-15% off a houses price for the labor and materials to do the job.


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## mazzonetv (Feb 25, 2009)

Just to echo the zinsser oil based primers will seal in the nicotine stains, but as pointed out, BIN is the best. Not so much because it will seal the stain better but because it will form a vapor barrier to keep out the smell!!

good luck!


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