Kilz

[Kurt Ullman]

Does Kilz come in anything other than spray can? We need to do a small closet area and found out from the initial coat that the overspray is truly remarkable.

[Unquestionably Confused]

Believe it started out as a brush on. Too lazy to go look in the paint locker as I know we have some. Either called Kilz or Binz, but yes, you can brush/roll it on. Same product

[Jon Danniken]

It comes in a spray can? All I've ever seen are the one gallon/five gallon containers.

Jon

[Jim Elbrecht]

I used to get it in qts-- My last purchase a few years ago I had a choice of spray on or [oil or latex] gallons. I got the latex. And then, after a bunch of knots bled through, I tossed 3 quarts and got the oil based one. But that was a few years ago. Jim

[Kurt Ullman]

Thanks to all who replied. MOST helpful, as always.

[DD_BobK]

If the area is truly small...use a spray can & a hand held cardboard shield or mask other areas.

In SoCal I think real KIlz (oil base) is still available. I prefer Zinsser High Hide Cover Stain / Primer but only avaiable in CA by the qt.

Other states have restrictions as well. Home Depot site gives list of "no ship" states.

[nestork]

Kurt:

A lot of people think that KILZ oil based primer is somehow different than other alkyd primer because it dries so fast. In fact, I've heard people say that KILZ must be a shellac based primer because it dries so fast that it must use alcohol as it's thinner, just like BIN.

Truth is, KILZ is nothing more than an ordinary alkyd primer that uses a

60/40 mixture of naptha and mineral spirits, respectively, as it's thinner.

Naptha is camping fuel, and in order to keep a camp stove flame going on a windy day, you NEED the fuel to evaporate quickly in order to provide sufficient fuel for a strong flame.

As a result of that, I've never come across anyone who needed to use an alkyd primer who wouldn't have actually been better off with a normal alkyd primer that used just mineral spirits as it's thinner. Mineral spirits evaporates more slowly, allowing the primer to self level better when applied with a brush.

Can you explain to us why you think you need to use KILZ instead of any ordinary alkyd primer?

[Norminn]

Kilz is a BRAND name, not a specific product, and it comes in many flavors. I've used the shellac-based primer in spray can, and probably came close to burning down the house. I used water-based primer on Formica cabinet in bathroom, and it worked just fine. Here is a link to product selection at Kilz:

If tightly sealed, I've had Kilz w.b. last for years....comes in handy.

[Kurt Ullman]

From your earlier discussion, my guess would be advertising (g). We had a small roof leak and it stained and discolored the ceiling before we caught it and fixed it. Kilz was the suggested sealer before we repainted the ceiling.

[Norminn]

I checked a few primers on Kilz' website, and saw none smaller than a quart. Zinsser BullsEye is just as good and comes in smaller can, although I doubt a pint will do a closet. Here's a link to one primer:

[nestork]

Jim: When any thing "bleeds through" a primer or a paint, what's actually happening is that something in that "thing" is dissolving in the primer or paint.

Fortunately, there are FEW things that are soluble in both water and mineral spirits, and so if your stain bleeds through a latex paint or primer, the usual fix is to use an oil based paint or primer, and vice versa.

Wood knots are full of a family of chemicals called "tannins" because they were used in the early leather tanning industry in the USA. So far as I know, all tannins are soluble in water, and that is why the knots bled through your latex KILZ, but not your oil based KILZ.

There was nothing wrong with the KILZ you threw out, it's just that it was being used for a purpose it really wasn't meant for. They really SHOULD put this stuff on stain sealers, it's just that it's easier to sell someone something than to educate them on what they should buy.