[wonderwoman]

Hey all, it's been a minute, but I'm back into painting after a 10 yr break and I'm a little out of the loop on current paint tech. Looking for the best primer for adhesion and tannin sealing in a bathroom, which has a doorway to a sauna. Walls are mainly smooth but unfinished cedar boards as well as some old glossy oil paint walls. Best primer for doing it all? Or two different primers? Would love to avoid oil, but I haven't experienced enough of the newer technology to trust it...

 

[Masterwork]

Oil is the best, still. Some guys on here will tell you to use Zinsser Bin, or some other shellac, but I think it should be for spot issues only, not full surface priming. Issues with long-term performance.

 

[wonderwoman]

Oil is the best, still. Some guys on here will tell you to use Zinsser Bin, or some other shellac, but I think it should be for spot issues only, not full surface priming. Issues with long-term performance.

Thx Masterwork, I just realized I have another question. If my contractor has mudded and primed some patches on previously painted areas, will the oil primer be ok on top of that? And any fave primers? BM?

 

[Joe67]

There are others here more knowledgeable than I about what's out there on the market, but because of the cedar I'd likely be in oil and just go with something like Benjamin Moore 024 (Fresh Start oil). It's multi-purpose, interior/exterior, stain blocking and can be top coated with anything. As such, yes, you can just hit those patches with it while you're in it for the cedar. And after you're done with this job, whatever is left is still a good primer for whatever similar needs come up in the future. So it's just good to have on hand.

And I'm in oil so infrequently these days that it's almost always just to do some stain blocking. So lately I just use 100% disposable stuff and toss it rather than cleaning it. Not so eco-friendly, but way easier/faster than getting into thinner for cleaning.

 

[cocomonkeynuts]

seal it all up with shipnshore then prime with benjaminmoore 024.

 

[Holland]

Coverstain - but wear a respirator and open a window.