What’s your favorite, best all around, interior/exterior water base primer?
Zinsser 123? Kilz 2, Premium, or Total One? Benjamin Moore Fresh Start? Something from Sherwin Williams? Something else?
Thanks.
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Nothing scientific, but I use California exterior Trouble Shooter primer and interior Enamel Undercoater. 100% acrylic.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
Al,
I'm one state north and just ran into my first job involving calcimine. Have you used the California primer on these types of walls & ceilings? The consensus has been to scrub it off with TSP (success not gauranteed) or drywall over it. Thanks.
MES
I've seen a little calcimine, but luckily have never had to work with it, so I can't offer much advice. My gut tells me it's tricky stuff to work with. I know there are special paints for it, but unless I could cover it with new drywall, I wouldn't want to have to guarantee any work on large areas of it. If the plaster is in very good shape, and you can afford a little risk, scraping, washing and priming might work. My best advice would be to stop in at a real paint store that's been around a long time and get their advice.
For those who don't know what we're talking about, I can't help you much either! Calcimine (sp?) is a type of ceiling finish sometimes used in old houses here in New England. I assume - because of it's name - that it's calcium-based. I think it was ussually applied over old horsehair-plaster ceilings and now is usually seen to be cracking and flaking off. Painting it usually just makes things worse.
Al Mollitor, Sharon MA
Thanks! I've been collecting info on this for a few weeks now....the old timers in town have varied recipes with an equal amount of varied successes. Its not a restoration so new drywall I believe is the solution. My neck hurts just thinking about the ceiling.
Big Spring thunderstorms up here the last 2 nights. Great for the grass and flowers!
Thanks again!
Mark
They do make special paint just for calcimine ceilings. Paint stores usually carry it, not the big-box stores. Only drawback is the horrible smell as the paint dries. Last ceiling I did, I ended up opening some windows to get rid of the oily smell. Still ended up with headaches for a day or two :(Renaissance RestorationsVictorian Home Restoration Serviceshttp://www.renaissancerestorations.com
If you try to scrape and sand it, chances are when you first touch it with a roller you will get twice as much on the roller as you did by scraping in the first place. That said, with a ton of patience it can be done, particularly when it's a restoration and you can get away with a perfectly smooth ceiling (like I did in my own house). A regular primer and finish will hold up pretty well, but the first few coats will need some vigilance.
By the way, what's the primer out there with the least spatter (for ceilings, of course)?
Zinsser 1-2-3 has been my favorite for at least 12 years now when dealing with three old (70 plus) houses. Dries fast, covers all, and I've never had an adhesion problem. Periodically on sale, a bonus. Also swear by their bathroom and kitchen paints if all you want is white, plus their papering products.
Zinsser primer, being one of the best as paint, has two drawbacks:
It dries very fast, so you have to be a fast painter. Watch your drips closely or they will dry before you get to them (the voice of experience).
It doesn't go as far as the saleslady will try to convince you. Today I asked for two gallons for 30' by 8' plywood in the barn shed sides and she insisted one gallon was more than enough.
It wasn't.
I used Kilz in the tackroom and office in the horse barn 11 years ago, over moldy walls and it still looks like new today.
It dries very fast, so you have to be a fast painter. Watch your drips closely or they will dry before you get to them (the voice of experience).
Add "Flotrol" to it.My life is my passion!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Thanks, will look for Flotrol when I go get some more.
Lowes carries Flotrol, usually next to the paint sprayer equipment.Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!" Then get busy and find out how to do it. T. Roosevelt
For general applications I like Zinnser, if I've got mold or water damage, I use only oil-based Kilz.
My brother (the painter) swears by BM Fresh Start.
J. D. Reynolds
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