Best Primer for Kitchen Cabinets
Matt is a professional painter who owns and operates his own painting business, specializing in interior and exterior house painting.
Before making a decision, read this quick and helpful article to get an expert take on the best primer for kitchen cabinets.
Do Cabinets Need to Be Primed?
Stained kitchen cabinets should always be primed before painting, preferably with two coats. Even painted cabinets should be primed (unless they were primed before), and the paint is in good condition with no visible tannin bleed.
When you use the right primer, it should seal the surface of cabinets and bond really well with wood and paint to prevent rub-off when cleaning. If you paint directly over stained cabinets without primer, tannin and the existing stain will bleed through the paint (no matter how many coats are applied), resulting in a hideous paint job.
Using latex primer on cabinets is not a very good idea. They often do not completely seal wood and can also rub off when they dry.
Oil-Based Primer vs. Latex
One of the biggest mistakes made when painting cabinets is using latex primer instead of oil. Products like latex Kilz 2 and Bullseye 1-2-3 won't completely seal the wood to keep tannin from leaking into the paint. Latex primer is also soft when dry and rubs off easily if you make the mistake using it on bare wood.
Nobody likes the odor, but oil-based primer seals the surface of cabinets the best and prevents tannin bleed. Oil primer dries harder and sands nicely too. Paint bonds really well to oil, using a good paint of course.
With all the different primers available, buying the right one can be confusing, and even the folks at the paint store can give you the wrong advice. I have worked with several products, but there are three I really like for priming cabinets.
Zinsser BIN Shellac Primer
BIN is a shellac-based primer that I use when spraying cabinets. The milk-thin consistency of BIN makes it splatter easily when brushing and rolling, but for spraying, it's awesome. The primer lays out nicely over cabinets that have been cleaned and sanded. When spraying doors horizontally, the material levels out really well on grainy oak, seeping into cracks without having to roll it.
This product is an excellent sealer that bonds well with wood. The dry time is fast, typically under one hour, allowing for light sanding and a second coat the same day. If you spray BIN, you need to clean the sprayer with either ammonia or denatured alcohol, not paint thinner. You can brush and roll this product fine too, but with the fast dry time, the primer will start to get gummy if you don't work it onto the surface fast enough.
The cost is about $42 per gallon at regular price, as of this writing, but you can buy BIN at many paint stores, except Sherwin Williams, using discounted account pricing.
Zinsser Cover Stain Oil-Based Primer
Cover Stain oil, not the newer latex version, is a good primer sealer and bond coat for kitchen cabinets. At roughly $23 per gallon, the price is half the cost of BIN. Like most solvent-based coatings, the smell is horrible. Whether you're spraying or rolling it, gloves and a respirator are highly recommended.
Cover Stain doesn't level as nicely as shellac-based primer does, but for brushing and rolling, the slightly longer dry time is a little more forgiving. The primer is a lot thicker than shellac, so when using a brush and roller, a light coat should be applied to avoid heavy texturing that would show through paint unless sanded.
The primer sprays fine with an airless sprayer, but a bigger spray tip is needed, preferably size .015 to .017, otherwise, the material won't atomize and spray with an even pattern.
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I prefer shellac primer over oil because it dries faster. Material build-up in corners doesn't stay wet for hours like oil does. But if you plan to brush and roll, this product won't splatter as much as shellac. After drying, it sands easily for an excellent bond with your paint.
Sherwin Williams ProBlock Oil Primer
Pro Block is sold exclusively at Sherwin Williams stores. It performs very similar to Cover Stain, except it doesn't sand as easily, in my experience. It dries very hard and seals surfaces exceptionally well.
The smell is probably the worst of any oil-based product I've used, but it bonds really well with wood and paint for a uniform finish. If your cabinets have tough stains that won't come out after cleaning, Pro Block will seal them in.
You can spray this product or use a roller, but like Cover Stain, the thicker consistency can cause rope texturing when rolling if you apply too much. It takes a little practice, but imperfections can be sanded out before painting. This product can also be used for priming stains and patches on drywall.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
Questions & Answers
Question: Hi! I am painting my oak kitchen cabinets. I read your advice and went with BIN primer. I sprayed on 2 coats. I am now painting with SW Emerald urethane trim enamel. I am doing my second coat right now and I think I am seeing some tannin bleed through in a few areas. Help! I am devastated as I have put so many hours into this project. How can this be fixed?
Answer: Oak cabinets need to be primed with BIN shellac primer, or oil primer, to prevent bleed-through. There are some newer BIN products like the advanced synthetic version, which I've never used. I use the regular BIN shellac primer and never had any problems with bleed through. Cabinets also need to be sanded and cleaned to remove surface contamination. Sometimes there will be a few tannin spots on a couple doors that the primer didn't completely seal. You can use a spray can of oil primer to spot prime those spots. If there's tannin bleed everywhere then it sounds like the wrong primer was used and the doors would need to be primed again. If the grain wasn't filled too, that might be part of the problem. Filling the grain fills the deep valleys and cracks in the wood that can be difficult to work the primer into when spraying. A coat of grain filler levels out oak. You can also try spraying a little heavier as it's possible the primer isn't seeping into the cracks enough to block the tannin.
Question: I'm getting someone to paint my new kitchen cabinets. She does not want to use oil based primer. Said it's horrible to work with and I won't be able to stand to stay in the house for 3 weeks because of the smell. She said the latex works just as well. I paid alot for these cabinets and want to make sure I'm getting a good paint job. Is this true or should oil be used and what do you recommend?
Answer: If the cabinets are new and already painted, latex primer is probably fine. Oil primer is good when you're painting stained cabinets. Oil primer dries harder than latex and it seals the surface. The primer only smells bad the day of application, not weeks after. Open a window and the odor is gone when the primer dries.
Question: I was told by my local hardware store that I did not need to prime my stained cabinetry. As I'm putting on my first coat of paint and noticing the yellow coming through. Hopped online and started reading. Do I now need to take off my cabinet's first layer of paint and then do the two coats of primer? Or can I just lightly sand my cabinets and go ahead with my two layers of shellac primer?
Answer: No, the store is wrong. That's why you're getting tannin bleed on your cabinets. Primer is a must, but not latex primer. Latex primer and paint alone doesn't seal wood or bond well with it. Priming and painting over the paint you already applied could lead to more problems. Remove the paint, apply two coats of oil primer, or shellac primer, and paint. Cover Stain oil primer is great for cabinet priming, or Zinsser BIN (shellac primer). Also, make sure you clean the cabinets and sand.
Question: Do I need to somehow remove a combination primer/paint before applying the appropriate oil-based primer to "wood" in my RV, or can I paint over the existing product (Beyond Paint) with the correct primer?
Answer: It would be best to sand that all off and start over with oil primer.
Question: I'm preparing to paint my kitchen cabinets. I have an HVLP sprayer (wagner flexio 3000). Can you recommend the best option? I'm planning to paint/roll the frame and spray the doors.
Answer: I'm not sure what you're asking. If you're referring to the best primer option, use oil-based primer, or white shellac primer (BIN). Cover Stain oil primer is great if you go that route. You can use your HVLP sprayer for the cabinets, but you'll likely have to thin the primer and paint, depending on the products you choose. I use an airless sprayer and don't have to thin my primer and paint.
Question: I'm painting Oak kitchen cabinets with a clear finish that don't have huge open grain issues. I plan to do it with a roller-brush, and top it with BM Advance. The biggest goal is a smooth finish at the end. What do you think I should do?
Answer: If you're brushing and rolling the cabinets, Cover Stain will be less messy to work with. BIN shellac primer is very thin like milk and goes everywhere when brushing it, but it seeps into the grain much better than Cover Stain because of its consistency. If you change your mind and decide to spray the cabinets, use BIN. That's what I use when spraying my cabinets and it works great. Cover Stain does sand easier, but both will give you a smooth finish after sanding, but BIN levels out a lot better and you can recoat in 45 minutes. Cover Stain takes hours to dry.
Question: I stripped oak wood cabinets, sanded with 100 grit and wiped all residue until there was nothing showing on the rags. I applied Zinsser Cover Stain and once dried, there is chalking. What’s caused the chalking? Or will the light sanding and recoating be okay?
Answer: The white surface residue from Cover Stain primer is normal and easily removed with a tack cloth. To get a super smooth finish with this primer, apply two coats, sanding between coats, and wipe off the dust with a tack cloth. When you sand, use a 220-grit sanding sponge (3M brand work great). Make sure the primer is totally dry before sanding. Cover Stain sands nicely once it's had time to fully dry. Sand the second coat and remove the dust again. Your paint finish will be as smooth as glass.
Question: Have you used Kilz original oil-based? If so, how does this compare to Cover Stain oil-based?
Answer: Yes, I've used Kilz oil-based primer many times for blocking stains on drywall, but I haven't used it for priming cabinets. Cover Stain works as a stain blocker and a bond coat. I like Cover Stain because I can use the leftover primer for exterior projects. Kilz original is interior only. The Kilz oil-based primer, not latex, would probably be fine as a cabinet primer, but again, I've never used it for that purpose so I can't vouch for it as a cabinet primer, but it's a good product. Most acrylic latex paints bond well to it. I use Zinsser BIN shellac primer on all my cabinets now.
Question: I have bought a new unfinished cabinet to added to the kitchen. The other cabinets are painted and plan to repainted them also. Question: what would be the best primer to use on unfinished wood? I will be painting all cabinets with Behr latex. Thanks?
Answer: The best primer to use is oil-based primer, or shellac-based primer. Don't use latex primer.
Question: I need to repaint my cabinets. They have a clear coat on them. Can I apply the primer directly without removing the actual finish?
Answer: No, you should sand the clear coat to dull the surface for the primer. Primer and paint bond stonger to surfaces that have been sanded and cleaned.
Question: What primer can be used on veneer, and is there anything that can be used on laminate?
Answer: On laminate, oil-based bonding primer, or shellac based primer, like BIN, is fine. The surface needs to be cleaned and sanded first to remove the gloss. You can use the same primer on veneer.
Question: I have wood cabinets. 3 years ago I painted them using a Java Gel Stain. Now I want white cabinets. I sanded the cabinets and used Zinsser Bulls Eye 123. I am on my second coat of primer and the primer is not drying white but tan. Is this normal or is this tannin? If it is tannin, should I stop now and purchase Zinsser shellac? Can shellac be painted over the primer or will I have to sand the cabinets again?
Answer: The cabinets are bleeding tannin through the primer because the primer you're using is water-based. Don't apply BIN over the 123. This primer forms a weak bond for cabinet painting. Sand off, or strip, the water-based primer from the cabinets and prime them with BIN shellac-based primer, or oil-based primer. Either one will prevent tannin bleed. Sand and clean the cabinets good before priming too. Apply two coats of primer, sanding in between coats.
Question: I'm planning to spray some new oak cabinets for a friend using a HVLP spray system. Which primer would you recommend for this, the zinc shellac or sherwin Williams pro block?
Answer: If you're spraying with an HVLP sprayer, I would use BIN shellac primer. It's thin and will spray nice through an HVLP without having to thin it. If you're referring to the Pro Block oil primer, it's too thick for an HVLP without thinning it first. If you meant Pro Block latex primer, don't use it. It's a poor choice for cabinets. BIN primer lays out much smoother and performs just as good as oil primer, so I would just use that product.
Question: I have new oak cabinets that I sprayed with Kilz latex and they are still gumming up when sanding after four days drying. I have always had good results with Kilz because it dries fast and sands easily. Any ideas why it isn't drying and sanding? I painted them on the inside with a/c on 76 , 4 days ago. I have moved the doors and drawers to the garage to see if the heat will cure them better.
Answer: You didn't mention if the Kilz latex is a primer or their paint. The cabinets should have been primed with either oil primer, or BIN white shellac primer. If you primed them with Kilz latex primer, or no primer at all, that's the problem. It's also not the best option to use on cabinets. The paint is too soft. If it's gumming up when sanding, and you didn't prime the surface first, or you used a latex primer, that could be why, or it's the product itself.
Question: Which primer is the least toxic and the best at preventing mold?
Answer: You can add a mildewcide additive to the primer if you're concerned about mold developing.
Question: I am getting ready to paint my ugly orange looking stained cabinets. I was just wondering about the order of things. I know I need to sand and fill the wood grain but what would be the order of all that? Clean, sand w/120, wood grain filler, sand w/220, shellac primer and then paint?
Answer: Clean and sand first. Then fill the grain and sand that. Prime with oil-based primer, or white shellac primer. For the sandpaper grit, a finer grit of 150 or 180 is good for the first sanding. You don't have to sand down to the bare wood. Just enough to take off the gloss. Use 220 to sand the primer and 320 if you sand between paint coats.
Question: Would you recommend spraying BIN with an HVLP as opposed to an airless for easier cleaning?
Answer: I've never sprayed BIN through an HVLP sprayer, but you can. The reason I use an airless sprayer is because it's faster and far more productive than using an HVLP when it comes to spraying twenty plus cabinet doors. With an HVLP,.you'd have to constantly refill the cup, but with an airless, you can work directly out of the can and spray all of the doors in one session without having to stop to refill. Clean up is messy with both an airless and HVLP. With an HVLP, you also have to take everything apart to clean the parts good, much like you would with the filters on an airless sprayer. HVLP would be okay though for spraying BIN on the cabinet wall boxes. It wouldn't require as much, if any, refilling of the cup, like it would if you were to use it to spray over twenty cabinet doors. You can also get a fine finish spraying BIN through an airless, using fine finish spray tips. BIN is as thin as milk and lays out really nice when sprayed. But an HVLP is fine too, it's just going to take you a lot longer to finish the job if you're using it to spray multiple doors.
Question: What tip size would you use in an airless sprayer to spray the BIN primer? Can I get enough build with it to level out the wood grain in oak cabinets after sanding?
Answer: The tip I use the most to spray BIN on cabinet doors is a 310 tip. I use the green FFLP spray tips from Graco. For oak, BIN is very thin and fills in the grain cracks pretty good even without filler, but not completely with spraying alone. Spraying the oak cabinet doors on a flat surface, using a 310, or a 312 tip, you can build up the primer pretty good to fill a good amount of the grain holes, but some deeper cracks will remain. What I do is I spray one coat of BIN first, so I can see the remaining cracks easier, then I fill those cracks with grain filler, sand, and I spray a 2nd coat of primer. Then I apply two coats of paint. This will smooth out the oak, but it's very difficult to completely eliminate the natural grain pattern. The cracks in the wood pores though will be gone doing it this way. This also prevents having to use a grain filler on the entire surface of the doors. You only have to use it between prime coats where needed.
Question: I was raised on BIN, it was always the go-to primer. However, recently paint stores have been advising against using it for anything other than spot priming. Have you heard the same?
Answer: No, I haven't heard that. It works well for cabinet priming and spot priming. The price is a little high compared to oil primer, but I haven't had any problems with BIN.
Question: What about cabinets that aren't high-quality wood, like the cheap ones in an RV or apartment? Do I still need to prime and if so are these the primers to use?
Answer: Yes, the surface still needs to be sanded, cleaned and primed. Use an oil-based or shellac-based primer.
Question: I used Zinnser Cover Stain. I am trying to figure out when I can apply my actual color? I applied 2 coats. It's been 2 hrs, do I have to wait for 24 hours? Is it possible to wait too long as well?
Answer: Let the primer dry overnight before sanding and painting. Cover Stain sands a lot easier that way. If you sand it 2 hours after priming it will be gummy and harder to sand.
Question: I have a Graco Magnum X7. I don’t believe you can spray BIN shellac through it because of the fire hazard. Wouldn’t BIN in a spray can be preferable to brushing cabinets?
Answer: Spraying in general is preferable to brushing cabinets, but based on my experience with spray cans of primer, they don't always perform the same exact way as primer from a gallon can. I don't know why, but that's been my experience with oil primer. I've used spray can BIN to spot prime without issues, but not for spraying entire doors. You could test a couple doors first before spraying all of them, or you could rent a professional airless sprayer to spray the BIN. Some paint sores rent Graco sprayers. Ask if they have a Graco 395 for rent. A contractor sprayer like this can handle BIN without a fire hazard.
Question: I’m painting my bathroom cabinets with semi- gloss enamel . Can I prime the cabinets with Zinsser BIN shellac primer?
Answer: Yes, BIN shellac primer is a good product to use on your bathroom cabinets, but it's messy to work with if you're brushing and rolling because it's really thin and splatters easily. Oil-based primer is thicker and less messy for brushing and rolling. If you only have one small vanity, I would buy two or three rattle cans of primer and spray it on instead of brushing and rolling. Clean the cabinets, sand them, and apply the primer.
Question: Painting cherry cabinets with milk paint, which primer is recommended?
Answer: I would use BIN or oil-based primer. Cover Stain is good. Milk paint alone doesn't have any sealing properties. Cherry bleeds red oil like crazy, so if you don't prime the cabinets correctly, you'll see red streaks everywhere through the milk paint. I would prime two coats of either product I mentioned.
Question: Is Zinsser spray can BIN primer just as effective as the can?
Answer: Yes, the spray can version is the same as the version in a can.
Question: What about paint? I'm looking for a white paint to my dark wood cabinets. I read that oil-based white will yellow. It's not at matter of if, but when.
Answer: I use Emerald urethane enamel for cabinet painting and would recommend it. I spray it with my airless sprayer. The paint doesn't yellow like oil paint, but dries hard, similar to oil paint.
Question: Can you paint over the Zinsser BIN Shellac primer with Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane enamel paint?
Answer: Yes, you can use Emerald urethane over BIN. I've painted many cabinets using this combination.
Question: I am putting bin shellac and emerald Eurathane trim over my stained cabinets. I have degreased, grain filled and sanded them. Would it be okay to wipe down the cabinets with acetone now as I'm worried there could be some traces of tsp still on the cabinet as it's difficult to see if I got it all off the first time. Would acetone react badly with either of these products? As a bonus I think it can wipe off the sanding dust.
Answer: I wouldn't wipe them down with acetone. That might be too abrasive. I would just use a mild cleaner and rinse the surface good.
Question: Refinishing my kitchen cabinets w/ Rustoleum Cabinet Transformation. I got Zinsser Cover Stain Primer. It's very thick & I'm afraid it's going to leave streaks on my raw wood. I am brushing it. Now I see how thick it is, I'm thinking of going with the BIN Shellac based. Would I do better switching to the shellac-based? Will the shellac-based work as well as the oil-based on my raw wood? With more even coverage?
Answer: There are pros and cons to both products. BIN brushes on smoother because it's super thin, but it will dry out on your brush pretty fast. You can clean the brush periodically to prevent hardening on the bristles. You need to cover everything very carefully if you brush BIN, or even Cover Stain because both products sprinkle everywhere, and they're both very messy to brush and roll, especially BIN. Both are excellent sealers and stain blockers. Either one would be fine for primer on your cabinets. Cover Stain sands a little easier than BIN. If you get some brush stroke marks in the Cover Stain, you can sand them out when it fully dries. It sands into a fine powder. If possible, I recommend spraying instead of brushing and rolling. BIN lays out really nice on cabinet doors when sprayed flat. Your overall finish will look a lot better and you'll save tons of time.
Question: What primer to use with maple cabinets?
Answer: Use either oil-based primer or BIN. I use BIN. It sprays really nice into a smooth finish.
Question: Have you ever used Sherwin-Williams Extreme Bond Primer? If so, what are your thoughts?
Answer: No, I haven't used Extreme Bond Primer. I do know though that because it's latex, the primer will not seal in wood tannin. If you're working with an oily wood like oak, I would use an oil-based primer.
Question: My home is 5 years old and the builder installed cabinets that were painted with an oil-based enamel but painted on-site (not baked). A few dings/gouges have appeared in the soft wood so I've filled them with either painter's putty or Bondo Glazing Putty, depending on the area. I need to touch up the paint now. I plan to touch up these areas with the same paint that was used by the builder but should I use a latex primer or oil-based?
Answer: Oil-based primer.
© 2017 Matt G.
Comments
Drew on May 14, 2020:
You mentioned doing two coats of primer in one day. Does that include both sides of the cabinet doors? How long do you let the shellac base primer dry before flipping?
Matt G. (author) from United States on April 30, 2020:
Yes, the imperfections in the primer will show through the enamel, so sanding them out is important. Cover Stain sands nicely when you leave it alone for a day and let it harden up a little. If you sand it too soon it gums up and it's harder to sand. Use a sanding sponge to sand out the imperfections.
Alex on April 30, 2020:
Im using cover Stain Primer Zinsser on bathroom cabinets, i sanded/cleaned them well, im spraying it with my wagner 3000. And now im sanding again to take off the gloss and to make it smoother, but i noticed some spots on the cabinets that look heavy(primer), and i cant sand them down to look all the same...... im worryed when i paint them with a Urethane enamel paint that it will show????? Any help.
Matt G. (author) from United States on April 26, 2020:
Thanks Mike. I might try the SW ez sand. I've heard of it.
New Wall Finishes on April 25, 2020:
I have been in the paint bus for yrs. Your Info on primers and top coats is very solid, ther is another primer easy to sand and its oil, SW ez sand try it. but i follow you and love your info depend on it for a top dollar jobs. Thanks Mike
Matt G. (author) from United States on March 30, 2020:
Jim,
Don't use any paint on your cabinets without cleaning, sanding and priming them first. The guy at the store is wrong. Oil-based primer, or white shellac primer, are the best options for painting lacquered cabinets. Sand the cabinets first to remove the gloss so the primer sticks good.
Jim K on March 30, 2020:
So as I understand it, using a shellac primer on lacquered cabinets is the way to go? Some guy working at Sherwin Williams claims he painted Emerald Urethane on his lacquered cabinets and it bonded well. I have trouble believing this. Your thoughts?
Matt G. (author) from United States on September 27, 2019:
Yes, you can spray BIN with a Graco airless sprayer, but not the portable handheld airless. The best tip size is 210, or 310, depending on door sizes. The green Graco FFLP tips are what you want to use. You need the blue RAC X tip guard to use the green tips. When you spray BIN always strain the primer first and clean the sprayer carefully with ammonia water mix.
Mark on September 27, 2019:
Can I use graco airless sprayer to spray Bin Shellac with smallest tip 218
After can I use Benjamin Moore advance paint.
Thank you
Matt G. (author) from United States on September 25, 2019:
The problem is more than likely that a bonding primer wasn't used over the oil paint and that's why the latex paint is peeling. Water-based paint bonds poorly to oil paint without a bonding primer underneath. While you could sand the loose latex paint off, prime, and paint, you already have a weak bond underneath from the original problem. I would remove the latex paint, sand, prime, and then paint.
Frenchie on September 24, 2019:
What can i use to stop peeling of latex paint on door jams that was put over oil paint ?
What would be the steps as i want to to repaint them with an oil paint by Behr.
Matt G. (author) from United States on July 29, 2019:
SdRocky,
Strip the paint off the cabinets and start over with oil primer then your paint. Paint alone doesn't bond well to wood cabinets without primer underneath. The paint will rub off and scratch off easily, and priming and painting over that won't help anything. There is already a weak bond.
Matt G. (author) from United States on July 29, 2019:
I'm glad you found the article helpful. BIN primer is great for cabinets. Just make sure you cover the floor carefully because it sprinkles like crazy brushing and rolling it.
AS on July 29, 2019:
Thanks for the primer tips. I am painting my oak kitchen cabinets white. Even though I will be using a roller and brush I think I'll go with Zinsser BIN Shellac based on your article. I am looking for something that is not too thick and dries fast. Yes it's more expensive but it seems like a good investment to avoid problems later.
sdRocky on June 29, 2019:
I need some advice. I am well into painting my cabinets. I have sprayed two coats on everything. The face frame, doors, and drawers are oak. I sanded to kill the shine. I did not think that a primer would be needed because of the existing laquer finish.
Anyway, I do have some bleed through as you describe in this article. With two coats of latex cabinet paint on the doors, how can I now take care of this bleeeding problem? Can I spray BIN primer on top of the latex?
Thanks for your response.
Matt G. (author) from United States on May 16, 2019:
I'm glad you found the article helpful for your cabinet painting project.
Adrienne on May 15, 2019:
Oh my you saved my project!!
You helped fix my mess, no thanks to Lowe's! My cabinets look fantastic now on to the doors to be done correctly, thanks to you! I did the shellac primer, two coats, sanding between and cleaned.
I can't thank you enough!
Matt G. (author) from United States on January 24, 2019:
Yes, you can use Cover Stain oil primer on cabinets.
Angie Spurgeon on January 23, 2019:
I had finally decided on Cover Stain oil based primer for my MDF kitchen cabinets, then noticed in the product information that it is not suitable for cabinets. So confused! I plan on brush painting, not spraying. Would this still be the best choice?
Matt G. (author) from United States on January 19, 2019:
Run some ammonia mixed with water through your airless sprayer to remove BIN from the spray line and pump. Ammonia works great for this and costs less than denatured alcohol. You'll also need to remove the spray gun filter for cleaning too, using ammonia. BIN will clog and ruin your spray gun filter if you don't clean it right after spraying. When you're done cleaning everything, cycle some pump protector into the sprayer for storage.
Dan the Painter on January 18, 2019:
I am a pro painter and I’m considering using the BIN schellac. My question is about clean up of the machine. How much denatured alcohol do you run thru your airless sprayer? I usually run about a gallon or so of warm water to clean out the latex. This seems like it would be a lot of alcohol...
Matt G. (author) from United States on January 02, 2019:
I always apply two coats.
Question3 on January 02, 2019:
Using Zinsser shellac primer for laminate cabinets. Is it necessary to apply two primer coats?
