Automotive primer for wood

[Tommyjack]

I know this may seem like a weird question but... I am painting freshly made cabinet doors (maple wood ) for a $700,000 home. Don't ask me why but, they wanted them painted. Anyway can I use automotive primer, say an omni primer, and then spray over it with a regular oil based paint? I've sprayed one car and few repair jobs, and I'm trying to do the best job possible to get more business. Hopefully automotive!!!

Thanks for your advice,

TJ

[Lost in NJ]

I think you really want to look up on painting wood. Automotive stuff is designed for metals and such. Wood moves different and holds paint different.

From what I understand you want to start with a water based sealing primer for wood. You do not want to use any oil based paints. Plus they are moving to restrict oil based and they are getting expensive. The water based stuff is getting to be pretty good.

Anyway you need to first pull the grain. When you put the wet paint to the wood it will raise the grain and that needs to be sanded smooth. You have to do this a few times before you can move on.

If you mix oil and latex paints you run into problems with the paints shrinking at different rates causing it to peel. Since it is a kitchen you really want to stick with modern water based interior paints. I would head to some wood working websites to learn more on what you need to do.

BTW, $700,000 house may not be much depending on where. In CA, some areas that is a 2 bedroom 800 square foot starter home.

[Len]

I know this may seem like a weird question but... I am painting freshly made cabinet doors (maple wood ) for a $700,000 home. Don't ask me why but, they wanted them painted. Anyway can I use automotive primer, say an omni primer, and then spray over it with a regular oil based paint? I've sprayed one car and few repair jobs, and I'm trying to do the best job possible to get more business. Hopefully automotive!!!

Thanks for your advice,

TJ

I use automotive primers and paints on wood quite a bit and never have had a problem. Just be sure that the primer has enough scratch to hole the oil based paint, if it's not scratched enough you could have the paint peel off.

[Barry]

Tommy;

I spray lots of cabinets and furniture with auto paint, but most of it is MDF not hardwood.

Auto primer and bc/cc make for a fantastic finish. I would suggest since your going to spray omni primer, get a small amount of BC/CC in the same color as the oil base your going to spray and do a test door in oil, one in BC/CC...I bet your client choose's the BC/CC color....The color will be much more brilliant, and years tougher than the oil base. (ofcourse the BC/CC is alittle more pricey). Pay special attention to the end grains to make sure they get sealed extemely well. Since i started using auto paint on cabinets, nobody has even asked for anything else.....Good luck.......

Barry

[Phil V]

I've used high build 2-K urethane primer on wood quite a few times and it world fine. One of my hobbies is restoring 100 year old Seth Thomas Adamantine mantle clocks. I have hand formed replacement parts out of pine then sprayed with 2-K high build primer, sprayed a black single stage then clearcoat and no one could tell the new part from the old parts.

[Dennis N. Schmidt]

This isn't a problem but I'd go automotive all the way or conventional woodfinishes all the way. As a woodworker the conventional method of finishing kitchen cabinets in color is to use a pigmented conversion varnish such as Valspar Global Resistovar or M. L. Campbell's Resistant or Krystal. Normally these come as a primer and a topcoat and are much, much cheaper than automotive paints. They also unlike clear coat are available in many sheen levels and not just super shinny. I've finished an extremely high end kitchen here in Phoenix ($2.3M, 6000 sq feet home.) for a cardiologist in Porsche Red. It looks great. A lot of very high end work is now being done in colors. If you've got an adventuresome client and architect willing to try something bold a lot of cool things are possible.

[Tommyjack]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I thought it would work, just wanted to make sure. Great site by the way!!!

TJ in TN

[Chris L]

Tj i stripped an electric fender guitar and used ppg primer and paint on it and it worked great also.What part of Tn are you?

[CraigS]

How about kitchen cabinets in chameleon colors? You could change the cabinet color by turning on lights at different angles!
But not in my kitchen.