Stain coming through wet Primer on Kitchen Cabinets!

15 years ago

I am in the middle of painting 1950's wooden [not oak]kitchen cabinets and have possibly run into a problem. This is what we've done:

Sanded all gloss off. Tack cloth. Primed with glossy surface, stain blocking valspar primer. Here's the problem. I just noticed a yellowy orangy stain coming up through the wet primer!!!! What the heck is that? Do I continue with another coat of primer or the 1st coat of paint or God forbid, start over?? Please help.

Featured Answer

bop28
Original Author

15 years ago

The stain is very widespread and now I'm wondering if another option would be just using glossy surface primer without sanding first. Am I asking for trouble? Also, if I do sand and use the Oil based BIN like you suggest, can I use Latex paint over the top of oil primer? Thanks so much!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (14)

paintguy22
15 years ago
Use an oil based primer or BIN. For whatever reason, the paint manufacturing industry has been able to get away with marketing their latex primers as 'stain-killers' when in actuality they do not kill any stains. One thing I may do sometimes if the staining is not widespread is use a latex primer and then pick up an aerosol can of Kilz and just spot prime the stains that have bled through with that. If the stains are everywhere though, you may as well just prime everything with the oil or BIN.
Related Discussions
yellow stain coming thru primer????
Q
Comments (3)
Stop. Don't change to an oil primer at this point. And, the fact is, acrylic primers do seal as well as alkyd in 99 of 100 cases. Knots and bleeds is one exception and knots and bleeds are rare on kitchen cabinets. :) What you need to do over the yellow areas is seal it with BIN alcohol base primer. Just spot prime those areas. That will seal it. Michael
...See More
What primer for painting latex on stained or oil painted trim?
Q
Comments (2)
Definitely BIN. I was talked into getting another primer that can be tinted to use under the paint for my kitchen cupboards and am so mad because it scratches off. I did the upper cabinets with Zinsser BIN and I can scratch them all day and the paint stays. I will do the remaining with BIN even though it isn't tinted.
...See More
Wet bar near kitchen with pass through stuck in 80's
Q
Comments (2)
While my kitchen is not yet remodeled, I had a similar wet bar in my family room. The room had a pass through window and bar top which opened into the family room. I closed off the window completely and have turned the room into a large pantry/storage room. I re-routed the plumbing to make a wet bar on the outside, though we have not yet built the wet bar. (We want to do it with the kitchen to have matching cabinetry.) I am much happier with the function of the room as I found the wet bar room essentially useless. At this time, I have an antique sideboard against the wall where a wet bar will eventually go, and we use it for glass and liquor storage. I look forward to putting in a wine/beverage fridge. Here is an old thread where I received some advice on getting rid of the wet bar room. I realize you are initially thinking just about updating the room, but for me, the whole concept of a wet bar room with a pass through window was outdated and not so useful with contemporary lifestyles. I would recommend at least considering re-doing and repurposing the room to work for you.
...See More
How do I get stains/wet stains out of my kitchen doors?
Q
Comments (8)
Same thing. Plastic. Get em clean with Dawn. Then keep water OFF of them. Cabinets should only be dry dusted. Water is only if you splat spaghetti sauce on them. Water will ruin cabinets if you keep it up. And if you have hard water, get a water treatment system. Mineral deposits would be high on the list of suspects since you say you cleaned off the glop with the Dawn already.
...See More
thedesignerinsider
15 years ago
You need to start over and use Zinsers Bin primer. There will not be any bleeding and you have to seal completely for your paint to work.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Designer Insider
paintguy22
15 years ago
BIN is not oil based. It's shellac based and pretty stinky. IMO the BIN is the best but you can also use an oil based primer. If the glossy surface primer is latex, the stains will bleed through that too. The oil based primers and BIN are both suitable for latex topcoats.
bop28
Original Author
15 years ago
I think BIN is what I need. Now, after priming 1 coat with BIN, if I see any stain showing through, should I make a second coat, or just go ahead with 2 coats of my topcoat paint?
paintguy22
15 years ago
I would apply the BIN until the stains are dead.
WendyB 5A/MA
15 years ago
I also saw some yellowing here and there after priming my cabinets (with all the sanding prep too). I wasn't sure what it was from, but it overall looked minor. I switched from Latex Kilz "Original" (ran out) to BM Primer and Underbody halfway through the job and saw much less of it, but still a little. All cabinets got two coats of primer because I was trying to fill the Oak grain as much as possible. I can't remember if what I saw was after the first coat or second. I didn't give it a lot of thought until I read this thread.

I continued my painting job (Aura satin off-white color) 2 coats and all is well. (Permanently???)

I guess its a matter of degree. Mine was pale yellow. Orangey doesn't sound as good.

Multiple coats of primer cannot hurt.
choochnbob
15 years ago
So I too have bleed through after erroneously switching to a water based primer. I applied another coat since the can said it may need two coats. I still have bleed through however. Can I apply the oil based primer on top of the water based that is already there (2 coats) or do I have to sand the waterbased off before applying the oil based primer?

wendyb- glad yours turned out well. Do you have pictures- I'd love to see them since I too am painting (ar at least trying to) my cabs off-white?
WendyB 5A/MA
15 years ago
no pics yet. I am still in progress. waiting for appliances and floor and the cab doors are not yet re-installed.

I am going to the paint/flooring store today. I will ask about bleed thru too.
paintguy22
15 years ago
Yes you can paint the oil based primer over the water based primer.
sombreuil_mongrel
15 years ago
I had a asphalt stain that was coming through latex, shellac and oil primers. Finally killed it with PVA primer!
I had wondered whether these old cabinets of the OP had been adequately de-greased beforehand. It could have been grease migrating through (it floats to the top). In such a case, will anything ever stick to grease?
Another troublesome bleed is the aniline dyes used in the 1900's to get a red mahogany finish on birch trim. It will bleed through latex and shellac, only oil tames it, and then not always. It bleeds through as pink.
Rambling again.
Casey
paintguy22
15 years ago
Yeah some stains just don't have an explanation. Believe it or not, I recently finished a remodel/addition where the general contractors actually used magic marker to write the word 'save' on the doors they were keeping. Yes, the doors they were keeping were to be painted by me. Usually I just shoot some Kilz over the magic marker to take care of the stain....but Kilz didn't work. BIN did work, but it took 7 coats....just weird.
sombreuil_mongrel
15 years ago
Acetone removes enough of the sharpie ink so that it will cover. Tell them to write on painter's tape next time, or use grease pencil, which wipes off completely.
Casey
mjsee
15 years ago
I find I can usually remove sharpie with rubbing alcohol...YMMV.