# Kilz Oil or Zinsser Oil to Cover Nicotine Walls?



## seanheil (Nov 7, 2011)

Hello Painters,
I don't have a lot of experience in residential repaints and I'm wondering if you guys would recommend Kilz Original or Zinsser Cover Stain for covering nicotine covered walls and ceilings. Thanks.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Zinsser.

Not that I don't think Kilz will cover the stains but my experience is that Zinsser is just a better product all around.


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## SuperiorHIP (Aug 15, 2010)

I like zin also.


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## shives (Nov 12, 2011)

you should use a shellac base primer, cause that will reseal and stop all the smell from the smoke damage (bin)


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## Pete'sfeets (Mar 20, 2011)

that was my experience too. I primed an apt ceiling with oil primer and later when trying to do ceiling white the smoke stains reappeared, guess it wasn't double primed, sure I didn't wait the whole day for it to dry, but the shellac primer was once over and far less disappointment,,, or you could oil prime and then an oil in flat or just too coats of oil primer , who's looking anyhow. There is an oil primer that is extra white available I forget the brand.,could be kilz. As for the walls, they are usually wipable, and color unless you have to have pure white can usually hide it up.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Kilz hasn't let me down yet.:no: Although the Zinsser is a good product too. :thumbsup: 

This is from a older thread of mine: *http://www.contractortalk.com/f26/nicotine-before-after-photos*


Sir Mixalot said:


> Just finished a job in Cocoa Beach, FL where the guy that lived in the condo before my customers bought it was a hermit and smoked in it for 25 years.
> *Removing the popcorn texture:*
> *
> 
> ...


-Paul


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Pro block all the way for me!


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## ModernStyle (May 7, 2007)

BIN is the best, pain in the butt to work with but dries fast and seals in the stain and the odor. Cover stain will sometimes work but it's smell will stick around a lot longer then BIN. Kilo has failed me a few times so I don't use it anymore.


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## willfreshcoat (Nov 27, 2011)

pigmented shellac....nothin better


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## HDPaintPro (Dec 6, 2010)

The shellac base will do the trick - but its pretty harsh (smell wise) so make sure you vent. Also, you may find that it is not cost effective right now (almost doubled in price) due to supply shortage.

Second option would be Zinsser Cover Satin oil primer. Big Box will have it cheapest.


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## We Fix Houses (Aug 15, 2007)

Curious to know....do you try to clean the nicotine off the surfaces first and with what ?


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## HDPaintPro (Dec 6, 2010)

Ideally speaking - yes. But, it is time consuming...time is money.

Consider that most of all the smoke rose, so the ceiling for sure gets primed, next is any crown and then just clean the walls with TSP. My point is that you will still want to prime the walls regardless.

Doing this one time is the payoff. Not having to deal with it again.


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