Best primer to cover minor blemishes on pine sideboard

[angler001]

hi
I am painting an old pine sideboard. Have finished sanding down and am planning to use zinnser bin to spot seal the knots. Question is which primer to use to cover the entire unit. I understand bin is bit thin so looking for recommendations for something thicker that will deal with minor blemishes
tia

 

[Wayners]

Bin the lot. Then I fine surface filler.
Acrylic primer
Top coats.

Coverstain will fill a little and de nib nicely... probably better with filler

 

[angler001]

Thanks. Does bin sand down OK? Also any recommendations for an acrylic primer?
tia

 

[opps]

As much as I respect @Wayners, BIN is a pig to work with on large areas, particularly on warm days. It is also a mare to sand flat.

Years ago 90% of my work was painting raw MDF cabinets. One day I decided to use BIN as the primer on a 4m cabinet. I wanted to see if it would be faster to work with than my usual acrylic primer (which raises the grain). Application time was similar to acrylic but, after having rolled it on, sanding time was about 300-400% longer, and about 200% more expensive in terms of abrasives. Sanding away the orange peel was really slow and

That was the last and only time that I used it to prime MDF. I went back to using the cheap as chips Leyland Trade acrylic primer and worke on the assumption that with a large unit, I would spend in excess of 8 hours sanding back the primer until I got to the point that the MDF was flatter than it was when it left the factory.

eg



Getting back to your timber unit. What level of finish are you hoping for? As Wayners said you can fill the blemishes and then paint over them.

 

[opps]

Thanks. Does bin sand down OK? Also any recommendations for an acrylic primer?
tia

It is difficult to sand and if used as a base coat, I do not see the need for an acrylic primer.

 

[Wayners]

Pine I've always covered in BIN vs spot priming as I find that problematic.
With BIN it's has no opacity so a thin coat with a foam roller and yes, it's a nightmare to sand.

 

[angler001]

Thanks all. Trying to get as flat as possible prior to top coat. Given I am painting a pine cabinet, bin looks a no brainer (although cabinet is 20 yrs old so suspect knots are dry - but no guarantee). Bit concerned that bin orange peel effect may be a pain to get rid of and obv. don't want to see it through top coat

 

[opps]

When using BIN, I use household ammonia to clean the brushes. Stinks though. I soak the brush in the ammonia- a couple of minutes if the brush is still wet, and then wash in a sink/basin- no residue is left behind. If you use on old jar with a lid, you can leave the ammonia in it for months.

Someone else here recommended bleach. I haven't tried it yet.

The manufacturer recommends meths. All that does is thin the paint on the brush. Ammonia breaks it down completely. I am happy to use new £20+ brushes with BIN since discovering the ammonia tip. BTW, do not use it with foam rollers the alcohol in BIN makes them expand and go floppy, a mohair rad roller should be fine.