# Painting pine - primer?



## marliz (Dec 11, 2010)

Still searching. More frustration. Latex paint, I read, stays sticky and will stick to books put on the shelf.

I read somewhere else that using a latex flat paint would be better because it is the gloss part that stays sticky.

Is my only option to use the shelves unfinished?


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## hoz49 (Nov 6, 2010)

Back in the day we used Bullseye shellac to seal those knots. But it isn't exactly low VOC.


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

If it were my project I would never prime any bare wood with latex. I will typicly prime any knots with Bin (schellac based primer) as some knots will even bleed through oil based primer, and then prime it all with oil. You can put latex paint over oil based primer with no problems, just allow it to dry overnight. Once fully dry and latex semi-gloss should not be tacky an stick to your books.


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## marliz (Dec 11, 2010)

The more I search the more confusing it all becomes. What about using plain shellac as a primer? And will it take the latex a long time to dry since we are keeping our house at 68 in the daytime and 65 at night? I'm afraid there isn't going to be a quick fix and I've got boxes and boxes to unpack and put on these shelves. I'm thinking of using the raw pine and just do one shelf at a time. I think the off gassing wouldn't be as much of a problem with primer and paint on one shelf so low VOC wouldn't be as necessary. 

The planks aren't in yet. I'll have my husband talk to the people an a local independant paint store. I don't think we have a Sherwin Williams nearby. Then I can come back here and get opinions on what he is told. 
Thanks so much for responding!


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## hoz49 (Nov 6, 2010)

Regular shellac would work but Bullseye shellac (which some call BIN) is white. The advantage is it gives you a white surface to apply the finish.


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Shellac is gonna stink and stink bad but will work just fine as a primer over the entire wood. Any chance the boards can be primed in the garage or even outside before they are installed? Then you would only need to touch up the primer in a couple spots from being cut. You could also close off the room the shelves are in and put a fan in the window blowing out. Your temperatures are fine for latex to dry. After both the primer and finish coat a fan in the room will help drying times.


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## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

Just use the Zinsser BIN product to prime the whole thing. BIN is alcohol based. They are putting enough alcohol in our gas now that they evidently aren't worried about the voc content of it. Methane from cow farts will do more harm to the environment than a little can of shellac. It will stink but it dissipates quickly. After that you could topcoat with oil or a high quality acrylic paint like P&L Accolade or BM Aura. They are hard enough when dry to give modern oils a run for their money.


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## marliz (Dec 11, 2010)

We are planning on doing the painting in the garage. Right now waiting for a major midwest snow storm -- the day the movers are bringing the furniture we have at our other home, which will be sold if the closing goes all right and we can get into town through the snow. The garage is insulated and has a good space heater but we will need to leave the cars in the driveway. I'm thinking seriously about doing just a shelf or two at a time and using the raw wood with a simple shelf liner for the others, so we could tie up the garage for some time. Lots of shelves! 

How long does it usually take for Zinsser BIN to dry before applying the acrylic paint? Should I then wait a few weeks for the acrylic to dry before putting my books on the shelf?

We have a bannister post with a round top and I've noticed a sticky feeling to it. Is that what they call "blocking?" Eventually we need to find professional painters for the main living area with a high cathedral ceiling and the deep stairwell. The colors are pleasant, but need freshening. Otherwise I would try to do something about the sticky post top myself.

Thanks for the advice!


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Bin dries quick. Real quick. You will be lucky to have the first board still wet by the time you finish the second board.


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## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

Yep 30-60 min. depending on environmental factors like heat and humidity. In hot dry conditions you may have trouble getting it out of the brush fast enough.


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## hoz49 (Nov 6, 2010)

If you use Bullseye (BIN) make sure they shake it up at the store. 

Forget about a brush, buy a "whizz" or ladyfinger roller. Buy 2 covers one for BIN and one for acrylic.


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## marliz (Dec 11, 2010)

I'll have to make sure the garage isn't too warm and use a humdifier I have for my office in the winter. Although, if the fumes are strong and I crack the window, that should keep the temp low enough. I think I read that there is a medium that can be added to slow down drying time if we can't control the conditions well enough. Would that weaken the bond? Would it be ok to use the acrylic when the Bin is dry to the touch (if I used the drying retarder)?

The paint store will likely have recommendations on what to use to clean the roller after using Bin. What would you use?


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Just throw it away. You are going to spend more on Denatured Alcohol than you will on the roller.


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## Faron79 (Jul 16, 2008)

I'm at an upscale/independant decorating/Hdwr. store.
(ACE-Royal, Ralph Lauren, & C2 paints)

I concur on the BIN primer! I primed my family-room with it. Yeah..."noticeable!" alcohol/shellac odor. but just crack some windows.

>>> MY twist on this is to use TWO coats of BIN.
* This will give you a teeny "sanding cushion" layer.
* When the 2 coats of BIN are dried for a couple hours, scuff-sand them lightly with 120-grit sanding pads.
* This gets rid of little swells, etc. in the wood and primer.
* Get rid of every molecule of sanding-dust!
* Now you've got a REALLY good/smooth base for the glossier topcoats.

>>> Another good choice for primer is Zinsser's Odorless-Oil. Lower-VOC's than normal oils, and somewhat less odor.
* I'd wait 'til next day to sand this primer.

XIM's Latex-Xtender is a great "relaxer" for Latex paints. Doesn't weaken/thin the paint at all...it just slows down the dry-time for the paints' binder-resin. It's near-zero VOC itself.

From a TECHNICAL standpoint, the higher the gloss...the better for shelf use!! The higher glosses have a "smoother/tighter/harder" surface film. I'd use no less than Satin.
* IF you're real fussy, apply 1st paintcoat to the sanded primer. Wait a day, and scuff-sand that 1st paintcoat.
* Then apply 2nd paintcoat.
* Now the HARD part...put the shelves away for ONE MONTH so paint can cure/harden-off. Paints feel DRY in a day, but CURED-OUT...Noooooo.
* It CAN take a month for some Latexes to fully harden....FOR SHELF-ITEM USE.

If ya REALLY wanna go high-end, you could use some FPE Brushing-Putty primer. Followed by a Eurolux Gloss Latex...you'll droooolll if you saw this stuff!

Faron


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## poppameth (Oct 2, 2008)

Faron79 said:


> If ya REALLY wanna go high-end, you could use some FPE Brushing-Putty primer. Followed by a Eurolux Gloss Latex...you'll droooolll if you saw this stuff!
> 
> Faron


You have to survive the price tag first

FPE is great stuff but definitely pricey.


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## hoz49 (Nov 6, 2010)

I've never seen that Brushing putty primer. Is it the same as the old "Swedish putty"?


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## marliz (Dec 11, 2010)

Faron, thanks for such in-depth advice. About a month curing time is what I thought might work. Especially the information on the lower VOCs and odor. We ordered six planks to start with and will order more for my office when the hobby/storage room is finished. A shelf a month will put us into spring. That's will work since I can use the unfinished shelves in the meantime and enjoy the progress. Nice to think of Spring with the winter storm going on right now!


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