# Zinsser Cover Stain??



## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

Not sure but I think I may have found my new favorite oil base primer. BIN is normally my "go to" for priming pine but I have been stripping and refinishing some lawn furniture that happens to be pine and BIN isn't rated for exterior. I thought I'd give this stuff a shot and so far have been pretty happy with the results, cleanup is much easier than with BIN also. It also says it can be used over latex and under most anything so sounds ideal for for window trim where the glazing needs an oil based cover but the window has already been painted at least once with latex. Just what is this stuff anyway? Is it what's referred to as Alkyd? I never have been to clear on just what that is. Is there a downside to it? Top coat time is only an hour which is faster than most latex primers I've used.


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## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

It's a rapid drying stain blocking alkyd (oil) primer. Cleans up with mineral spirits. It's pretty much the core of Zinsser's product line along with 1-2-3 Acrylic Latex stain blocker. B-I-N is more specialized in what it's meant for. It'll seal knots, smoke damage, and pet urine better than the rest but is too expensive and more difficult to work for everyday use.


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## ltd (Jan 16, 2011)

cover stain great .one thing on knots i would still spot prime with bin shellac base .then use your cover stain


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## hammerheart14 (Sep 2, 2010)

jschaben said:


> Not sure but I think I may have found my new favorite oil base primer. BIN is normally my "go to" for priming pine but I have been stripping and refinishing some lawn furniture that happens to be pine and BIN isn't rated for exterior. I thought I'd give this stuff a shot and so far have been pretty happy with the results, cleanup is much easier than with BIN also. It also says it can be used over latex and under most anything so sounds ideal for for window trim where the glazing needs an oil based cover but the window has already been painted at least once with latex. Just what is this stuff anyway? Is it what's referred to as Alkyd? I never have been to clear on just what that is. Is there a downside to it? Top coat time is only an hour which is faster than most latex primers I've used.


Primers can go on top off anything. Oil based primers like Coverstain are designed to have an acrylic finish go on top of it. BIN is by far the best interior stain killing primer, even better than coverstain, but it's pricey now, due to the shellac beattle shortage. DO NOT EVER USE BIN OUTSIDE, unless it's on knots only (spot priming). very small areas. Coverstain is a great interior/exterior product. BUT, I only recommend oil primers on exterior for these few reasons:

1. If you want to paint over an oil based stain on the exterior (the coverstain will block the oil stain much better than an acylic)
2. If you want to paint over a varnish or a log oil
3. if you are painting over new redwood or cedar
4. if you have an area with a lot of moisture seepage
5. if you want to seal back any kind of dark stains, ect.


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## Paintguy (Jun 7, 2011)

Coverstain is an excellent interior primer but since it's a short oil, fast drying alkyd, it will not hold up on exteriors as well as a longer oil, slower drying primer - especially where there are weather extremes (e.g. the northeast).


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