Can I use water-based paint over oil-based primer?

[K'ledgeBldr]

Originally Posted by sadeland21

I just started painting my living room in an old home. could not remove wall paper with out completely damaging wall. i am on big budget , and am doing this myself. so.... i am using plaster over the areas where the wall paper is most noticable, and then i have put a layer of oil based Kilz. so far , so good. i would love to use a water based paint over the oil based primer. is this advisable? or should I do oil over oil?

Plaster???

Be sure when the wall(s) are completely repaired that there is at least one entire coat of primer/sealer. Be sure it is throughly dry before giving it a light sanding- wipe dust away with a damp cloth. You're really for paint- and yes, it can be latex.

[TrapperL]

I just bought a gallon of stain-blocking oil-based primer, suddenly I have another question: can I use water based paint over oil-based primer? Or it does not matter what type of primer?

Adhesion of the oil based primer paint film to the surface is via oil penetration of the surface. If you don't know what you are putting it on, like your kitchen which is probably already painted but you don't know with what, oil based primer is a poor choice. A latex based primer is far better. All latex paints merely coat the surface, there is no penetration as such. For a neat project to try. Take any latex paint you have left over and paint about 10 coats on a piece of glass. Then try to peel it off. You can get it off but it won't fall off. If it's highly flexible, you have a good quality paint. If it breaks up, you have crap for paint.


FWIW, most commonly kitchens end up with grease on the walls from cooking. You need to clean the walls with something like Dawn and water providing the paint on the walls is at least a satin finish or a semi gloss. Do not wash any flat paint as it will come off. The pores in flat paint allows the water to penetrate it quickly and any texture or taping mud will turn to mud again. You might have to prime the kitchen depending on how much cooking grease is on the walls. Otherwise, the new paint is going to leave you with LOTS of fisheyes. And that's a tough fix as an after fact.