# Water-Based Cover Stain



## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

here's what they're saying, "an advanced water-base fromula that blocks stains from water, nicotine, smoke damage-even tannin bleed from cedar-as well as oil-soluble stains like grease, crayon, tar or asphalt, usually in just one coat" 

It's supposed to work just as well as the oil :blink: That's a big claim...

Anyone use it yet?


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## Slingah (Sep 24, 2007)

That sure is a big claim...none of the water based stuff ever works...I would love to hear a postitive review though.


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## Thepaintman (Jan 17, 2008)

So far Zinsser have lived up to what they promised. My paint store has just begun carrying the water borne Cover Stain and have agreed to let me test it for them. I will try it to see if it works.

Jerry


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Thepaintman said:


> So far Zinsser have lived up to what they promised.


I disagree. I have had contact with their products for years, and they throw out the 'universal do-all' claim for most of their products, which is bunk. Don't get me wrong, I use and love a lot of their products. But they are famous for putting something out, and constantly re-formulating it without letting the contractor know that what they just bought might be quite different than the last batch. Sorry, there are no 'universal' primers. They are specifically formulated for specific tasks. I have huge doubts that anything water-based will cover what they claim. Look for the small print, if probably says:
_More than one coat *might* be necessary for full coverage_


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

I don't know - lately I have been just using bin for just about everything except exterior.


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## Joewho (Apr 17, 2007)

If this ain't the one, then I'd expect to see it happen soon. The technology is there.

Something water based, but acts funny when you try to wash it off your hands type product.


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## DW Custom Painting (Feb 17, 2008)

Zinnsers COVER STAIN is my "stand by" primer. I've used all of Zinnsers products for years. BIN, BULLSEYE, COVER STAIN, ODERLESS COVER STAIN (OIL AND LATEX). Only "original" COVER STAIN work as the can reads water, smoke, and TANNIN stains will go away. Even though they have reformulated the product.* Don't trust the can!! The fumes from the oil COVER STAIN are terrible though. LOTS OF AIR NECESSARY !!!!!!!!


*


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## greensboro84 (Feb 15, 2008)

My stepdad decided to repaint the house, and went to lowes and bought a bunch of stuff id never use, so i ended up with a gall. of zinser 1-2-3 water based primer, i had never heard of it before he bought and i read someof you used it. i guess ill give it a try on my own house before i take it to the job.


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## Paul (May 20, 2007)

When not sure use oil primer for stains use bin all water based is just what it says "WATER BASED"


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

I cant believe what I'm reading guys. In all the years i've been painting I met one guy who didn't like Zinsser products or at least some of them. That guy was a SW rep btw. Go figure, trying to sell me on one of the countless sw primers.

To be fair, doesn't all paint change on a fairly regular basis? I'm not sure people realize how difficult it is to review a product and recommend one because of that. For example, look at Benjamin Moore water based Satin Impervo. What happened to that product? 

I found in all my years, Zinsser is the only company who consistently puts out good stuff and I never had any of them fail on me. Zinsser is always the primers I turn to when others fail or I find myself fixing a hack job. 

YGTBFKM.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

I found in all my years, Zinsser is the only company who consistently puts out good stuff and I never had any of them fail on me.

I am guessing you have never used this


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

jack pauhl said:


> I cant believe what I'm reading guys. In all the years i've been painting I met one guy who didn't like Zinsser products or at least some of them. That guy was a SW rep btw. Go figure, trying to sell me on one of the countless sw primers.
> 
> To be fair, doesn't all paint change on a fairly regular basis? I'm not sure people realize how difficult it is to review a product and recommend one because of that. For example, look at Benjamin Moore water based Satin Impervo. What happened to that product?
> 
> ...


WB Satin Impervo went from 380 g/L of VOC, when it was good, to 180 g/L, now not as good but still ok. Laws changed it, not Ben Moore.


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## Masterpiece (Feb 26, 2008)

I used the WB Cover Stain (about $15/gal IIRC) to try out on a large patch of ceiling water stains in a living room. Did not hold the water stains even after allowing each of two coats to cure (bled through the flat latex finish afterward). 
Went back with some Kilz oil base (cheapest of the available oil blockers/primers) and stains of course were gone.

I had a feeling this would happen after reading the label (something to the effect of using on 'light water stains',etc) but figured I'd try it as an experiment.

Jeremy


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## jdmccann (Feb 23, 2009)

In my line of work (work as a painter/paper hanger for a fire flood restoration company) I deal with a LOT of water stains and as such have tried about every product on the market for dealing with this specific task. And I'm talking about the UK market here so products may vary from those in the US. The companies go to product for this task was always Stain Stop. Did the job well enough (very rarely needed a second application) but drying time would hold the job up. Often stopping the job for a day. So I tried just about every waterbased stain blocker out there, and even though they were all sold as being suitable for water marks they still stated a 24 hour recoat time and not one of them worked with water stains. 

Eventually my product testing led me to Zinsser BIN. Amazing. Recommends 45 min drying time. I'm usually painting over it in 15 mins. Use this just about every single day and not once has it let me down, or slowed me down. Not used it as a primer on wood as of yet as we use far cheaper products that do the job.

The Zinsser products are very pricy here in the UK and I'm always trying to develop and tweak my systems to try and improve.

I used Zinsser's 123 (water base) today as I had some walls to prime before hanging wallpaper and the store had no Gardz (which I haven't actually used yet but wanna try out after Prowallguys recommendation). Seemed good stuff in terms of coverage. May give it a blast in use as a stain blocker and see the results... may be a cheaper alternative to the BIN

But the short answer is... I have seriously tried a lot of stain blockers... no waterbased products have worked at all yet... BIN is still king!


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Can anyone identify what the components of a water-stain are that prevent a water based stain bleed through a water based coating/primer?


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## remodeling joe (Apr 18, 2007)

has anyone tried GRIPPER by ICI (GLIDDEN)??? i've used it many times over the years and never has it failed. my house caught fire and had smoke stains on the ceilings. "ONE COAT" of GRIPPER and the stain was gone!! one top coat of sw pro mar 200 and looked like nothing happened. no smell or bleed thru. it's been 7 yrs!!


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