If you are painting an area that has any type of moisture or an uneven surface, KILZ is a perfect product to consider using.
KILZ is a unique product, and there are not many other brands like it.
When you think about a floor and all that it has to deal with when it comes to water and durability, KILZ may come to mind as a great product to use.
However, it says specifically on the KILZ website that you should not use this product on flooring.
If you have ever been curious as to why this is, we have all the answers you need.
Why Is KILZ Not Recommend on Flooring?
KILZ is not recommended for flooring because it does not have the necessary properties for a person to walk on it.
KILZ has some really great attributes that can help protect your home in a variety of ways.
However, when it comes to flooring and a covering that is capable of being walked on, KILZ is not recommended.
Those who have gone against the advice of the KILZ brand and painted flooring with it anyway have found that it did not hold up.
When products can’t handle the weight and the wear and tear of people continually walking on them, they will break down and fall apart.
There are other products that you can use on flooring.
However, KILZ does still have some very important benefits to consider.
What Is KILZ Primer?
KILZ makes an entire line of paint products, but their primer is most well-known.
There are some key benefits of the KILZ primer which make it stand out as an impressive and effective product.
The most important thing to remember about KILZ is its sealing capabilities.
Let’s look at why you may want to use KILZ primer for your next project.
1. Sealing
The most significant benefit of the KILZ product is that it will seal a surface.
If you worry about paint peeling or falling apart because of the porous surface you are painting on, KILZ is a great choice to consider.
Sealing with KILZ paint can help to ensure that your final coat of paint stays in place much longer.
Sealing also helps to ensure that the final coat will look more even and professional.
2. Promotes Adhesion
As with any good primer, the KILZ primer helps promote adhesion.
This means that KILZ will help to make sure that the paint sticks much better.
For some surfaces, sanding and prepping for paint is not quite a realistic option.
Therefore, using a great primer helps the paint essentially stick to the primer and have a much longer-lasting finished product.
All primers help to promote adhesion, but the KILZ brand is known for its very strong adhesion properties.
3. Blocks Odors
KILZ helps to block odors.
If you have had an area of your home that was exposed to any type of pet odor or even a pet food odor, it can be very difficult to block it.
Even with proper cleaning and scrubbing before painting, sometimes the smell will not go away.
If this has happened to you, then it can make sense to use the KILZ paint.
It is a very good idea to clean this area first and make sure that you are not simply painting over a mess.
The KILZ brand can help to block and seal lingering odor, but they are careful to recommend that you must first clean up the issues.
It’s also important to note that KILZ is not intended to be used over mold or mildew.
Painting over something like this is truly just putting a band-aid on it, and it does not make it safe for people.
If you want to be safe, you are going to have to treat the mold issues before you simply paint over them.
If KILZ is used properly, it is very effective at blocking odor and making rooms more bearable to live in after a bad spill or stain.
4. Blocks Stains
When you have to paint over certain stains, it can be very difficult.
Even after a few layers of paint, you may still see shadows and areas where the old color is still coming through.
One of the great things about KILZ is that it will block the stain from coming through the primer, therefore, making it much easier to paint over.
You can paint directly over the KILZ paint with your topcoat, and there will likely be no indication that there was ever a stain there.
If you were to skip the priming process altogether, you would most likely find that the paint would not stick as well, and the stain would show up under the paint.
5. Hides Previous Color
KILZ can help to hide the previous colors.
Most primers are going to offer this benefit.
If you are changing your kid’s bedroom from a purple to a white, chances are you are going to have a bit of trouble covering the old color.
Luckily, with KILZ, the first coat of primer will do a very good job of covering the original paint and making sure that the wall is ready for the topcoat.
If you want your entire painting project to be a little bit easier, then you should start with a coat of the KILZ primer.
Can You Use KILZ Restoration on Flooring?
As you have seen, the traditional KILZ primer cannot be used on flooring.
It is not made to handle any kind of traffic walking on or over it, and therefore, you will have to use another product.
KILZ does make a product called Restoration, and this can be very effective on a subfloor.
The KILZ Restoration primer is a water-based primer that acts as a sealer and a stain blocker.
One of the great things about this is that it will help to trap any odors or stains that you may have on your subfloor.
If you have just purchased a house and the previous owner was a smoker, there can be quite a bit of work involved with getting the smoke smell out of the house.
One of the things you can do is remove previous carpeting or wood flooring and paint the subfloor with a layer or two of the KILZ Restoration.
This primer is going to help to keep the smoke odor down and will not allow it to penetrate through your new flooring.
Again, KILZ Restoration is still not intended to work as a final topcoat flooring.
In other words, you don’t want to leave this product to be walked on.
Simply paint the KILZ Restoration on your subfloor and then lay your new tile, wood, or carpet on top of it.
Since this is considered to be the Restoration product, it is a bit thicker of a substance and will penetrate and block a bit better than other products.
KILZ Restoration is usually priced higher than other KILZ products, but the idea is that it would be restoring your home back to its original and pleasant condition.
If you have pet odor or smoke smells in your home, this is a product that you are going to want to consider.
Can KILZ Be Used on Concrete Flooring?
We know now that KILZ can’t be used on flooring, but you may be wondering about concrete and masonry.
KILZ traditional primer should not be used on any flooring, but KILZ Concrete and Masonry Bonding Primer works well on masonry flooring.
For instance, if you have a small concrete patio outside your door that needs to be painted, you can put down a top layer of this KILZ Bonding Primer and then cover it.
The covering will need to be something that people can walk on, and that will do well with quite a bit of traffic.
Most of the products that KILZ makes are not topcoat products.
They are the company that specializes in the middle layer between the base and the top layer.
The KILZ Concrete and Masonry Bonding Primer will work on concrete, stucco, cinder block, and any kind of stone and brick.
When you apply this substance, you need to be sure that you are not putting it on a coated surface as it is designed to adhere more towards bare stone than a coated surface.
We really like this particular option for a garage floor.
If your garage floor is concrete and it is a bit of a mess, you will find that the KILZ does a great job to get it ready for paint.
Will KILZ Lock In Animal Urine Smell?
As we mentioned, KILZ can be a good solution for locking in the smells of cat urine.
This smell can be a very difficult one to get rid of.
You will need to apply the KILZ to the subfloor and not the topcoat.
The only issue that you may experience is that the KILZ will have a bit of a smell for a few days after painting.
If you are putting down carpet over your subfloor, we recommend letting the floor dry for a few days prior to laying the carpet over it.
Sometimes when the paint has not had enough time to disperse its fumes, it gets trapped under the carpet.
In turn, you will be left with a very strong paint smell for potentially a few weeks.
Avoid this altogether by allowing the KILZ to dry out for a few days on the subfloor before you cover it.
Always make sure that you clean the area where the spill or the urine was before covering it with KILZ.
KILZ is not meant to be a cleaning agent; instead, it is used as a sealant.
Other sealants on the market will also handle this same task.
The directions on the can will explain the proper steps to take to make sure that you are properly covering and treating these spills and stains.
Sometimes it can also make sense to place additional padding under the carpet which will help to block the smell even further.
If nothing works, you may have no choice but to replace the subfloor.
How Long Does KILZ Smell Last?
One thing that prevents people from using KILZ is the smell.
Since this product is part paint, part sealant, part adhesive, it tends to have quite a strong smell.
Depending on the product that is used, the smell can last three to four days.
The more ventilation you have, the better chance you have that the smell will start to dissipate.
If you find that the smell of paint or painting, in general, is difficult for you from a breathing standpoint, you can always wear personal protective equipment.
People tend to wear things like masks and even safety glasses when they are working with paint.
Some people are allergic to paint and will get rashes or irritations from smelling it.
If you are new to homeownership and painting projects, make sure that you understand the safety precautions you should take when painting.
Following these precautions is just as important as properly prepping and working on the task at hand.
To make sure you get through the project safely, it’s important to do this one step at a time.
When possible, we like to save painting projects for when the weather is nice.
This allows for opening windows to increase ventilation during the project.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this information has helped you see what you can and can’t use KILZ for.
KILZ products are very helpful as long as you are using them properly.
You will find that they do a tremendous job of sealing things off, and they will provide a good base for the topcoat.
Having that extra adhesive and sealant layer will make your finished project look much more professional and complete.
Never try to use a product in an area for which it is not intended to be used because you will make things harder on yourself.
Leave a Reply