How to paint knotty timber walls?

[kdub]

I've read both here and on other home improvement sites that Zinsser BIN is the best product to prime knotty and varnished wood. It's a fairly expensive option since I want to paint over multiple walls. Are there other products I can consider that are fast drying? Could I go over the knots with BIN and go over with two coats of oil-based primer? Thanks.

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @kdub 

Its  cheaper by the 4 litres  and all paints are very pricy these days at least  with Zinsser BIn you will get top performance.

If the  product will allow you to thin it a little you will be able to stretch your dollar abit further.

I like

Sikkens 4L Natural Cetol BLX-Pro Timber Finish

I/N: 0440417

$137.40

But its more pricy

[Akanksha]

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, @kdub. It's a pleasure having you join us and we look forward to seeing and assisting you in your home improvement and D.I.Y. projects.

Thanks for your question. Great to see you've received advice from @Jewelleryrescue. Our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. expert @EricL will also be happy to help as soon as he can. 

While waiting, you may want to check out our Best Advice article How do you paint over varnished timber? in case it helps. 

Akanksha

[EricL]

Hello @kdub 

It's great that you've received excellent advice from @Jewelleryrescue. Purchasing the large can of Zinsser 3.78L Bulls Eye Primer Undercoat Sealer And Stain Blocker gives you a better price point per litre. If applied smartly with a premium roller you should be able to maximize the coverage of the primer. Please note that this is water-based paint.

In regards to using other primers on top of Zinsser, I don't recommend using another brand as it may cause incompatibility and it will be impossible to tell how two different primers will react to each other. Zinsser's stain blocking feature will guarantee that the dark knots in the timber will be covered.

I've used Zinsser before, and it is an excellent primer. I recommend a minimum of two coats to make sure that the dark knots are covered.  

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Jason]

Hi @kdub,

Just checking in to see how your painting project is progressing. I trust you found Eric's advice helpful. Please let us know if you need any additional help. 

We are also keen to see how you transform your home. Please provide updates as you make progress.

Thanks,

Jason

[kdub]

Hi Jason

Thanks for checking in. We have finished painting, and thank you to everyone who has made suggestions. We decided to use Zinsser BIN throughout, and boy, it really did an amazing priming job. It only took one coat, and then we patched the holes. Finally painted with Taubman's Endure water-based paint 2 coats and now looks amazing! 

Cheers!

[EricL]

Hello @kdub 

Thank you for sharing that update, your timber painted walls look fantastic! It has totally changed the character of the room to a more modern aesthetic. Because you've chosen a bright colour for your walls, any light entering that area gets effectively reflected back providing better illumination. I'm keen to see what it looks like once you've put your appliances back in place.

Again, thanks for sharing such a wonderful project.

Eric