KILZ^® ORIGINAL Interior Water-Based Primer

The following steps are recommended for product performance.

• All surfaces must be clean, free of dust, chalk, oil, grease, wax, polish, mould and mildew, loose peeling paint, rust and all other foreign substances.
• If washing is necessary, use a non-soapy detergent or a TSP substitute, rinse well and allow to dry.
• When measured with an electronic moisture meter, maximum moisture content of substrates is as follows:
  • Gypsum Board (Drywall): 12%
  • Plaster: 12%
  • Concrete & Masonry: 12%
  • Concrete Masonry Units (CMUs): 12%
  • Wood: 15%
• Drywall: All screws and nail heads must be set and filled. Joints must be taped and covered with a joint compound. Tape joints must be sanded smooth and all dust removed prior to painting.*
• Plaster: Bare plaster needs to be cured and hardened, which typically takes 30 days. For textured, soft, porous, or powdery plaster, treat it with a solution of 1 part household vinegar to 8 parts of clean water. Repeat this process until the surface hardens, then rinse with clear water and allow it to dry.
• Wood: Scrape and clean knots. Before applying primer, apply a coat of knot sealer. Sand surfaces that will be visible and remove dust. Prime edges, ends, faces, undersides, and backsides of the wood. After priming, fill holes and imperfections with an appropriate patching material. Sand patched and filled surfaces smooth and remove dust before coating.*
• Concrete & Masonry (Precast Concrete, Poured-In-Place Concrete, Portland-Based Cement, Fiber Cement): Remove release agents, curing compounds, efflorescence, and chalk. Avoid painting surfaces if moisture content or alkalinity exceeds manufacturer’s guidelines. For smooth trowel concrete, ensure an adequate adhesion profile using products like muriatic acid etcher or mechanical methods. Clear all loose aggregate and debris. For tilt-up and poured-in-place concrete, commercial detergents and abrasive blasting may be needed for surface preparation. Fill bug holes, air pockets, and other voids with a cement patchingcompound. KILZ® Original Water-Based Primer may be used on clean, dry, aged interior masonry surfaces. New masonry must be allowed to cure (dry) at least 30 days before applying KILZ Original Water-Based Primer.
• Concrete Masonry Units (Concrete Block, Cinder Block, Split-Faced Block): Remove efflorescence and chalk. Avoid painting surfaces if moisture content or alkalinity exceeds manufacturer’s guidelines.
• Metal (Steel): Minimum surface preparation is Hand Tool- Cleaning in accordance with SSPC-SP2. Remove all oil and grease from the surface with a solvent in accordance with SSPC-SP1. For optimal performance, use Commercial Blast Cleaning in accordance with SSPC-SP6. Prime the area with a rust-inhibitive primer the same day as cleaned.
• Shop-Primed Steel: As there is potential for many forms of contamination during storage and transport, a thorough cleaning is always recommended for shop- primed surfaces. Paint exposed areas, i.e., where shop primer is abraded, with the same material as used for shop priming to comply with SSPC-PA 1 for touching up shop- primed surfaces.
  • Note: Assess the integrity of the shop primer prior to application of subsequent coatings. Review all coatings intended for the project and confirm the compatibility between shop and field-applied coatings.
• Previously Painted Surfaces: Maintenance painting often doesn’t require complete removal of all old coatings before repainting. However, all contaminants such as oil, grease, loose paint, mill scale, dirt, foreign matter, rust, mould, mildew, efflorescence, and sealers must be removed to ensure strong adhesion to the existing paint. Glossy surfaces of old paint films must be clean and dull before repainting. Spot-prime any bare areas with an appropriate primer.*
• Stain-Blocking: After priming, test for stain bleed-through by applying the topcoat to a small section. Allow the primer to dry longer for heavier stain-blocking. If the stain bleeds through the topcoat, apply a second coat of primer and test again before topcoating the entire area.
• Peeling or Checked Paint: Scrape off loose paint and sand to a smooth surface. Sanding or removal of paint containing lead is hazardous.*
• Fire Restoration: It is critical to clean smoke damaged surfaces thoroughly before priming.