# 15-Year Old Unpainted Drywall - How To Prime/Seal/Paint



## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Coverstain because, yes, you will have bleed through after all those years:


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## hellohello (Oct 17, 2013)

Thanks, will any oil-based primer work? For example, Kilz Original?


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

KILZ will work but it's not quite as good a product as the CoverStain.


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## hellohello (Oct 17, 2013)

Gymschu said:


> KILZ will work but it's not quite as good a product as the CoverStain.


Any thoughts on why not? What's the difference between the two?


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## hellohello (Oct 17, 2013)

How about Zinnser BIN? I always hear good stuff about this shellac-based product. Would it seal in the yellowed drywall like and oil-based product would?


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

hellohello said:


> Any thoughts on why not? What's the difference between the two?



For one thing, Coverstain is a bonding primer as well as a stain blocker. Coverstain is also rated for exterior use while Kilz (original) is not.


Edt. 
For your situation of stain blocking being the main requirement, I would think Kilz would perform.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

hellohello said:


> How about Zinnser BIN? I always hear good stuff about this shellac-based product. Would it seal in the yellowed drywall like and oil-based product would?


 
Bin is good but not what you want for this, Coverstain is the one:yes:


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Bin is mainly for spot priming at $42 a gallon and the strong smell doesn't make it practical for whole room use. However they now have BIN Advanced I haven't used it but have read good things about it.


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## hellohello (Oct 17, 2013)

Thanks for the tips guys. I ended up using Kilz Original today and it covered up the yellowed drywall just fine. But boy does that crap stink! And it burns the eyes too! I was wearing a dust mask, but apparently that isn't enough for those fumes. 

Any tips on how to deal with the fumes in the future? Would a respirator help? How about handling the fumes getting in my eyes?


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Respirator and LOTS of ventilation!


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

hellohello said:


> Thanks for the tips guys. I ended up using Kilz Original today and it covered up the yellowed drywall just fine. But boy does that crap stink! And it burns the eyes too! I was wearing a dust mask, but apparently that isn't enough for those fumes.
> 
> Any tips on how to deal with the fumes in the future? Would a respirator help? How about handling the fumes getting in my eyes?


switch to this:yes:


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Best advice is don't use it in the future for the very reasons you mentioned. Now you know why some states have outlawed oil based, plus the clean-up with mineral spirits smells almost as bad. And now a days there are better choices.


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## hellohello (Oct 17, 2013)

ToolSeeker said:


> Best advice is don't use it in the future for the very reasons you mentioned. Now you know why some states have outlawed oil based, plus the clean-up with mineral spirits smells almost as bad. And now a days there are better choices.


I would love to not use it in the future, but what else would actually work well that doesn't have an odor and harmful fumes? You seem to know of some better choices; I'd love to hear them for future reference.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Cover Stain has a lot less odor but is still oil based. SW and Ben Moore both have latex primers that are stain blockers as does Zinzer. Kilz original is in my opinion is the best primer they make, but I haven't used it for many years because of the very things you experienced.

Unless you had oil based stains on your walls, meaning stains from products that are made from petroleum, I would have probably used Zinzzer 123, and 2 topcoats. If after the 123 I had spots bleeding thru I would have spot primed them with BIN or the Kilz.


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## hellohello (Oct 17, 2013)

ToolSeeker said:


> Cover Stain has a lot less odor but is still oil based. SW and Ben Moore both have latex primers that are stain blockers as does Zinzer. Kilz original is in my opinion is the best primer they make, but I haven't used it for many years because of the very things you experienced.
> 
> Unless you had oil based stains on your walls, meaning stains from products that are made from petroleum, I would have probably used Zinzzer 123, and 2 topcoats. If after the 123 I had spots bleeding thru I would have spot primed them with BIN or the Kilz.


Cool, thanks for the info.


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