Can you use water based primer with oil based paint

I think the answer is yes, but wondered if someone with some experience doing this could confirm...I've made a mess of mixing latex and oil paints in the past but I think the primer is a special case, yes?

We have a lot of leftover oil-based primer (Kilz and Zinsser brands) from some older projects that I'd love to use up, but will need to cover the primer with BM water-based Satin Impervo. Will this work? If it matters, we're painting a wooden door that was last painted in BM oil-based Satin Impervo (one side) and some ancient paint circa 1920 that has now been sanded down (side that had been boarded up). I want a good primer that is going to seal that (presumably) lead-based paint in nicely since this is the door to a pantry in a house with small children, so we're wary of anything that is going to lead to a lot of peeling.

Is it safe to use the oil-based primer topped with the water-based latex in this scenario? If not, other recommendations? Thanks!


Oil Based Primer or Water Based Primer Paint

Primer paint gives your finished paint job a smoother finish than if you did not use a primer at all because paint grips better and it will last much longer.

Primers will, even though relatively expensive, save you a lot of money in the long run.

What you use to prime depends on the surface that you are painting – wood, metal or concrete.

Modern primers are often water based primers and dry very rapidly. Some can be recoated with finish paint in less than an hour. Using a paint primer will actually speed up the job, not slow you down.

It is recommended you always use a primer before embarking on a painting job.

For best results use an oil-based primer if your top coat is oil based paint, or latex based primer if your top coat is latex-based paint.

If you like, the paint store can tint your primer to within a couple of shades of the paint being used for the top coat. 

Primer-sealer paint seals the surface of wood so the finished paint does not soak into it. This allows you to have even gloss over the wood that is painted.

Water based primer versus oil based primer paint

Basically the difference between the two primers is: Water based primer is for acrylic or latex paints  and oil based primer is for enamel paints. Water based primer is usually used for walls and ceilings where there is new work and preparation is required, and oil based primer is primarily used for doors, windows, metal or woodwork. Enamel is hardier so surfaces that require heavy traffic or exposure to the elements are usually painted in enamel. Two coats primer-undercoat tinted in a similar colour as the top coat of paint,  and one top coat of colour on frames and doors and for acrylic ,one coat of primer and two coats of paint. Most primers are three- in- one: a primer, sealer & undercoat, and can be painted over old acrylic or enamel.

It is far easier to clean the water based primer as turpentine is not needed – just a good wash with warm soapy water.

**If you have to paint over oil-based paints, it is important that the primer you use is also oil-based.

If it is not, the topcoat will peel or blister. Water-based paint can be used as a topcoat over water-based primer.

If you are using latex paint as a top coat, make sure that it is a low odor so that the fumes will not affect your health.

If you need to paint over latex paint, there are products available on the market with which this can be done.

However, these products cannot be used on oil-based paints and if you need to paint over oil-based paints, then they are probably not suitable for your need.

Can you use water based primer with oil based paint

Is it possible to use water-based paint over oil-based primer?

The short answer is yes, you can use water-based products over oil-based primers.

The longer answer is that the underlying finish must be completely dry.

Water-based products, such as the Water Based High-Performance Topcoat, should be applied 72 hours after the oil-based products

Can you use water based primer with oil based paint

How to paint over oil with Latex

As with anything else, preparation is the key to a successful finish.

Clean all dirt, grease, or other foreign substances from the surface thoroughly prior to sanding the walls with 220 grit sandpaper.

Before applying the new paint the surface should also be free of efflorescence (white salt deposits) and other signs of chemical leeching from the previous finish. Surfaces prepared in this manner will have a smooth finish and a uniform color when you are done.

Ensure that the old finish is completely dry before painting over it.

If you can lift any part of the old coat off with your fingernail, it is not yet dry enough to repaint.

The time required for it to dry naturally depends on factors such as temperature and humidity, but in many cases, it will take several weeks for oil-based paints and considerably longer for alkyd paints.

Can you use water based primer with oil based paint

Can you paint oil paint over latex primer?

Oil-based paints or primers have a very strong solvent base, which will lift the existing primer or paint and cause it to wrinkle.

Once the oil-based paint begins to dry, there is no way to stop the reaction and you will be left with an ugly mess.

The use of oil-based paint over any surface currently coated with a latex product is strongly discouraged.

If you insist on using oil-based paint, you must wait at least 30 days after applying any latex product before applying the oil-based paint.

This 30 day “no contact period” will give the latex time to fully cure, eliminating any possibility that it could be lifted by the oil-based product.

Use an oil-based primer instead.

Can you use water based primer with oil based paint

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Can you mix Oil with water-based paint?

Mixing oil and water-based paint can be tricky, but it is possible.

Oil and water do not mix well because they are immiscible.

Immiscible means that the two liquids are not able to blend or dissolve in one another.

The oil separates from the water and sits on top of the mixture.

If you want to mix the paints, you will need to use a binding agent, such as gum tragacanth or sodium alginate, which is derived from seaweed.

Quick Deep Dive

Gum tragacanth is an organic powder used as a thickening agent in many cosmetics, including toothpaste and shampoos.

It creates a gel when mixed with water and binds oils to the water.

Sodium alginate was first used commercially as a thickener for ice cream and has many medical applications.

It works similarly to gum tragacanth by stabilizing mixtures of oil and water, allowing them to remain blended together for extended periods of time without separating.

Can you use water based primer with oil based paint

Oil paints contain pigment suspended in oil or wax mediums.

They are typically used for painting on canvas or wood panels; however, since their pigments are suspended in oil, they cannot be mixed with most water-based acrylic paints without separating within minutes of application onto the surface of your painting

Is oil primer better than latex?

Once upon a time, before latex paints became popular in the United States, oil-based paints were the only thing. Oil-based paints are still best for exterior projects (especially cedar), but latex paints are more convenient to use in interior situations.

Related Article: Best Oil Based Primers For Wood And More

  • Oil and water don’t mix, so oil-based paints must be mixed with thinner before you can apply them. Latex paints can go on straight from the can. Latex paint cleans up with soap and water, while oil-based paint requires mineral spirits or turpentine to remove it.
  • Oil-based primers are better than latex primers at sealing nail heads, covering knots in bare wood, and blocking tannin bleeding and other stains. They cover well over bare metal, and they’re widely used as a primer for topcoats of metal paint on steel objects such as cars and motorcycles.
  • Latex primers work well on interior trim because they go on smoothly and cleanly. Oil-based primers require two coats for the same level of coverage, but latex primers aren’t recommended for use on exterior trim because they tend to peel off in hot weather.

Should I use oil or water based primer?

Water based primer is usually used for walls and ceilings where there is new work and preparation is required, and oil based primer is primarily used for doors, windows, metal or woodwork. Enamel is hardier so surfaces that require heavy traffic or exposure to the elements are usually painted in enamel.

Can you use water based undercoat with oil based top coat?

You cannot mix water- and oil-based products together.

What primer do you use for oil based paint?

Shellac Primer They also are excellent at preventing normal water, rust and smoke stains, as well as wood tannins from bleeding through new paint. They work well on wood, metal, plaster, and even plastic, and are fast drying and highly adhesive. They also can be used with both oil-based and latex paints.

Can you mix water based and oil based paints together?

There are two types of artist paints: oil based and water based. Although the two do not mix, some water based paints can be used in an oil painting. But some of the latter should never be used with oils.