# Issue with Zinsser primer scratching off floor



## sarahjenkins (Apr 13, 2018)

Hi fellow DIYers, I'm hoping someone can help me an issue. I have a less than ideal set of circumstances and hoping to get some advice: 

Very unfortunately I had new engineered wood floor installed but due to being in hospital and not around at the time have found the wrong floor has been laid down and I hate the colour. I can't afford to rip it up and replace so I want to paint it. 

Issues are: It has an oiled finish, I can only lightly sand it as its a thin top layer and I don't want to loose all of the grain by sanding it flat. Therefore some oiled finish will remain. 

Having done extensive research my best bet looked to be a light sand, use Zinsser 123 water based primer, then a couple of coats of speciality wood floor paint. 

Having done some tests on scrap pieces the primer still scratches with a thumb nail even after 7 days so I'm concerned that the oil finish means painting isn't possible. As it is for a floor no matter how careful I am it will be prone to scratching. 

Has anyone had any success painting a floor where 'full sanding' isn't possible? 

Any recommendations greatly appreciated. 

Thank you all, 
Sarah.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

sarahjenkins said:


> Hi fellow DIYers, I'm hoping someone can help me an issue. I have a less than ideal set of circumstances and hoping to get some advice:
> 
> Very unfortunately I had new engineered wood floor installed but due to being in hospital and not around at the time have found the wrong floor has been laid down and I hate the colour. I can't afford to rip it up and replace so I want to paint it.
> 
> ...



Quite honestly, I've never tried or seen any luck with painting a floor..... maybe a deck.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I agree, never going to happen.
Any engineered wood I've seen has up to 7 layers of a super hard finish on it so there's nothing for the paint to grab onto.
This will become a maintenance nightmare.
Would be interesting to hear who's fault it was that the wrong flooring was installed.
If it's not what you ordered, then it's on them to make it right.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

lol 123 won't bond to that surface its a mediocre acrylic primer at most. You best bet if you really wanted to 'paint' would be to scuff sand and use a bonding (Stix or UMA) then top coat with a quality floor enamel.

Another option to change the 'color' is to use a tinted polyurethane.

IMO its easier to change the walls than to change your floor, honestly I would just learn to like it


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## sarahjenkins (Apr 13, 2018)

Thanks for the replies. 

Re fault - the wrong product was delivered but despite me going into the shop to complain they won't do anything to help. They said because it has been laid down they can't exchange it for the correct product and that it was up to me to tell them they have delivered the wrong thing. 

Its been about two months since this happened and I'm still not ok with it. Unfortunately changing the wall colour won't help because I simply dislike the colour of the floor.


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## sarahjenkins (Apr 13, 2018)

I thought it might be worth trying Zinsser after reading some wonderful reviews of it sticking to anything without needing to sand, and some people saying they used it successfully on gloss tiles! 

I can't imagine any water based primer sticking to tiles, but you learn something every day!


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## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

sarahjenkins said:


> I thought it might be worth trying Zinsser after reading some wonderful reviews of it sticking to anything without needing to sand, and some people saying they used it successfully on gloss tiles!
> 
> I can't imagine any water based primer sticking to tiles, but you learn something every day!


123 is just a mid grade acrylic primer, nothing special about it except that its cheap


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## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

sarahjenkins said:


> Thanks for the replies.
> 
> Re fault - the wrong product was delivered but despite me going into the shop to complain they won't do anything to help. *They said because it has been laid down they can't exchange it for the correct product and that it was up to me to tell them they have delivered the wrong thing. *
> 
> Its been about two months since this happened and I'm still not ok with it. Unfortunately changing the wall colour won't help because I simply dislike the colour of the floor.


I would talk to your home insurance. That doesn't sound right, and if its on paper that's not what you ordered than they are at fault.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I would do my best to talk a customer out of painting the floor but if I had to - I'd use a pigmented shellac primer like Zinnser's BIN followed by a couple coats of oil base floor enamel.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

mark sr said:


> I would do my best to talk a customer out of painting the floor but if I had to - I'd use a pigmented shellac primer like Zinnser's BIN followed by a couple coats of oil base floor enamel.


Shellac? Its brand new engineered wood so it should be well sealed. A bonding primer is the way to go for maximum adhesion.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Absolutely nothing is going to bond with that floor and last. I'm sorry. Buy some throw rugs or something and don't ruin that floor for the next guy.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> Shellac? Its brand new engineered wood so it should be well sealed. A bonding primer is the way to go for maximum adhesion.


I wouldn't use pigmented shellac for it sealing properties but rather because it's decent at adhering to problematic substrates.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

mark sr said:


> I wouldn't use pigmented shellac for it sealing properties but rather because it's decent at adhering to problematic substrates.


BIN is great but it's my understanding that urethane acrylic bonding primers like Stix and xim UMA have superior adhesive qualities.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

The BIN label clearly states not for use on floors.


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Colbyt said:


> The BIN label clearly states not for use on floors.




So does 123. On the data sheet anyway, not sure about the label. Just about every normal primer I’m familiar with says the same. 

If I was going to try anything it would be Breakthrough. Scuff the surface as much as possible and maybe use a liquid deglosser. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

IMO there is nothing going to work painting wise.


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## klaatu (Mar 9, 2015)

sarahjenkins said:


> I thought it might be worth trying Zinsser after reading some wonderful reviews of it sticking to anything without needing to sand, and some people saying they used it successfully on gloss tiles!
> 
> I can't imagine any water based primer sticking to tiles, but you learn something every day!


most internet reviews are either paid for, or the manufacturer hires a company to remove negative reviews.


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## klaatu (Mar 9, 2015)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> BIN is great but it's my understanding that urethane acrylic bonding primers like Stix and xim UMA have superior adhesive qualities.


A urethane modified acrylic would adhere much, much better that a shellac based primer. Shellac primers are 100 year old technology at least, maybe older.


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## klaatu (Mar 9, 2015)

Jmayspaint said:


> So does 123. On the data sheet anyway, not sure about the label. Just about every normal primer I’m familiar with says the same.
> 
> If I was going to try anything it would be Breakthrough. Scuff the surface as much as possible and maybe use a liquid deglosser.
> 
> ...


You would need to remove the "oil" from it before anything would stick. A solvent based liquid deglosser would work well for this, although i would have my doubts about a "safe" or "eco" water-based deglosser.


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## sarahjenkins (Apr 13, 2018)

Jmayspaint said:


> So does 123. On the data sheet anyway, not sure about the label. Just about every normal primer I’m familiar with says the same.
> 
> If I was going to try anything it would be Breakthrough. Scuff the surface as much as possible and maybe use a liquid deglosser.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks Jmayspaint. Forgive my ignorance, what is Breakthrough?


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

sarahjenkins said:


> Thanks Jmayspaint. Forgive my ignorance, what is Breakthrough?


Its a PPG product that sticks to damn near anything. If possible use the high VOC older version. Its much better than the new formula. Some stores still carry it.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Jan 12, 2018)

sarahjenkins said:


> Thanks Jmayspaint. Forgive my ignorance, what is Breakthrough?


BT is a urethane acrylic paint similar in technology to INSLX Stix (and cabinet coat) and XIM UMA primer , which would be my primer of choice with top coat of floor enamel.

In the TDS it says very specifically recommended for properly prepared (clean and etched) *concrete *floors. Doesn't say anything about other horizontal surfaces.


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