Hello, I’m hoping someone might be able to offer some advice regarding a mistake it seems I’ve made with my refinishing project. I primed some existing varnished wooden built-in shelves with Kilz general purpose interior / exterior primer. Although I sanded all surfaces with a coarse grit sandpaper by hand, most of the surfaces were still somewhat shiny before I applied the primer. I hoped that they would be scuffed up enough to bind with the primer, but the next day when beginning a second coat, I noticed that the primer scraped off with not much effort. I think I need to start over.
Should I remove the primer with something like Klean-strip liquid sandpaper, then sand with a medium grit sandpaper? I’ve never used the product, but am reading about its use. Is there another product or method?
Unfortunately, I spent over three hours priming the shelves so I’m not too happy about redoing it, but it seems like I’m asking for more problems if I just paint the top coat without redoing the primer at this stage.
Please let me know if anyone has any experience with this issue.
Thanks!
Loutro
Replies
There are many Kilz products designed for specific things and it seems you selected one of the worst ones for you specific needs. I think Kilz Adhesion, Restoration, or even Original Oil Based would have done a better job for you. All Purpose is really meant as a general purpose primer mostly for previously painted wallboard over latex paint, it's not even a particularly good stain blocker which is what most user associate Kilz with.
The only course of action if it really is that loose is to remove it. I would try power sanding with 60 grit before chemical stripper if it was me.
Thanks for your response. Yes, I purchased the primer more for the walls of the rooms I am painting, but I did not think through that I would need something different for the shelves, lesson learned.
Time constraints are such that I need to move the furnishings back into the room now before finishing the shelves. I was hoping that I could use a product like the liquid sandpaper instead of actually sanding because of the mess. However, if its necessary to sand to get good results, I can hang plastic sheeting from the ceiling to enclose the shelf area. Is there another "good" option?
If the finish on the shelves is polyurethane, your only real option is to remove it to bare wood. Nothing will stick to it.
On used furniture, it is advisable to start preparing the surface by cleaning it with mineral spirit or a degreaser , sanding will only spread the contaminants around unless you really remove coats of finishes.
Shelves...just the shelves? No corners or crevices? Sanding will be way less messy than stripper. A scraper less messy than sanding. I'll bet somewhere on the Kilz can it says something about trying it where it doesn't matter......but lesson learned in any case.