What Kind of Paint Can You Use on a Oil Base Primer?

Unlike drywall, which is perfectly suited for paint adhesion, most surfaces will shed paint unless they're pretreated with a bonding base. Adding primer not only enhances adhesion, it drastically decreases the chances of paint failure and adds years to the life of the finish. Unfortunately, not every type of paint bonds with all kinds of primer. Learn which paints are compatible with oil-based primer to avoid significant peeling.

The Wrong Paint

A host of different paints populate your local paint and home improvement stores; however, regardless of the brand, they all have one important fundamental distinction: they are either oil- or water-based. Water-based paints, such as latex and acrylic, will not bond with oil-based primer. If you try to force a latex or acrylic paint over the top of a surface primed with oil-based primer, rampant peeling will soon follow.

The Correct Paint

Because oil-based primer has a petroleum base, it requires a topcoat with similar characteristics. For a durable finish that won't peel or chip away, apply an oil-based paint or enamel.

Considerations

If you're confronted with a surface already treated with oil-based paint, you cannot apply a latex or acrylic finish directly over the top. However, you can ultimately add a water-based finish if you apply another type of primer over the top of the existing oil paint. Latex and acrylic primers will prove useless in this type of situation, because their base prevents them from bonding to the oil-based primer. To generate proper adhesion, apply a shellac-based primer. Shellac primer is formulated using resins secreted by insects. It is special because it is able to bond with both water- and oil-based finishes.

Tools

When applying primer and paint, be sure to use the proper tools. Synthetic paintbrushes are only suited for water-based primers and paints. If you plan top apply either an oil-based paint or shellac-based primer, use a paintbrush equipped with natural bristles.