The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Paint for OSB Garage Walls
Choosing the best paint for OSB garage walls is as important as having the right protector for your facility’s sustainability and pristine appearance. It is common sense that you want to make it perfect once you spare a garage to shelter your vehicles.
Although oriented strand board is well-known for its consistent density and outstandingly larger panels than other woods, it isn’t easy to paint, hence never meant to be a finished surface. Therefore, an appropriate coating is advisable to correct this material’s drawback.
Among many paints intended for OSB garage walls, we have picked out the three best options for you.
Specific review of the Best Paint for OSB Garage Walls
KILZ 3 Premium Primer, Interior/Exterior – Best Choice Overall
Our first recommendation is KILZ 3 Premium Primer – a water-based product that helps you complete a perfect preparation for OSB painting.
With a spot-on consistency, this primer is flexible enough to easily fill in small imperfections, such as nail holes or wood cracks. At the same time, it also has sufficient coverage over old stains or colors. After only one or two applications, you will get a uniform and smooth finish.
The water content in its formula enables the product to adhere to almost all surfaces, interior and exterior, easily. In particular, its mildewcide protection is a tiptop feature during humid and rainy seasons to keep your facility clean and well-covered.
Including very low VOCs in the ingredient list, this first pick emits nearly no odor and is very environmentally-friendly. With its easy cleaning ability, which is possible with simple water, the primer is safe for interior use and families with small children.
The water base limits this product’s effect to only light and medium stains, so you may find it not sufficient for tough and old marks. It has a glue-like texture, requiring pretty much carefulness in both mixing and priming steps.
KILZ 3 Premium Primer, Interior/Exterior, 5 Gallon
Pros:
- Uniform and smooth finish
- Fills small imperfections
- Superior adhesion for many surface types
- Mildew-resistant
- Very low VOCs and low odor
Cons:
- Only work best for light to medium stains
- Quite thick texture
KILZ 2 Multi-Surface Latex Primer/Sealer – Best for Smooth Surface
If you cherish aesthetics and want to create some artwork on the topcoat, the KILZ 2 Multi-surface latex primer can give you a useful helping hand.
This option may be among the most versatile sealers that you can find on the market. The light and watery texture allows it to spread and contract on the surface in no time. Even if you apply it on wood, drywall, masonry, or plaster, it can easily adjust to the surface’s conditions.
Superior adhesion is the most valuable benefit of KILZ2 latex. After smoothening the OSB walls, it prepares an appropriate stickiness for the next layer to go smoothly on the surface.
Yet thanks to its water-resistant film, the primer can block soaking and help the topcoat stay true to its original color.
If you are raising some adorable but naughty pets that leave urine marks and odors on the walls, unfortunately, this product cannot block odors. Like many other water-based primers, its light texture only works best on mild to medium stains.
KILZ 2 All-Purpose Primer, Interior/Exterior, 1 Gallon
Pros:
- Good overcoating on previous color
- Strong adhesion
- Light consistency for easy application
- Low odor
- Quick-drying
Cons:
- Not odor-blocking
- Only covers light to medium-level stains
KILZ Restoration Maximum Latex Primer/Sealer – Best for Stain Blocking
KILZ Maximum Latex primer is a far heavier-duty option for a complete restoration in your house and garage. If you are setting up a new garage from an old warehouse, this is a second-to-none pick.
This water-based primer is formulated in an innovative technology that integrates oil-based and shellac-based products’ potent performance. Hence, it can easily block even the toughest stains caused by water leakage or coffee. The application of many thin layers will boost its coverage.
This KILZ product is also an excellent odor blocker. Thanks to its odor-sealing properties, the primer can lock in every smell on your walls, from smoke, food, to pet odors. As it can dry remarkably quickly, its following ultimate adhesion also helps to elevate the odor-blocking ability.
This primer gives out a quite strong smell upon application, which will take several hours to fade away. Its upgraded formula also results in a relatively high price, which seems unsuitable for massive painting projects on extra-large areas.
Pros:
- A water-based primer with the strength of an oil-based product
- Blocks medium to tough stains
- Optimal odor-blocking
- Strong adhesion
- Sands easily
Cons:
- Initial strong smell
- Quite expensive
DON’T MISS OUT #1 BEST SELLER
HomeRight C800971.A Super Finish Max HVLP Paint Sprayer, Spray Gun for Countless Painting Projects
- PAINT SPRAYER FOR COUNTLESS DIY PROJECTS: The HomeRight Super Finish Max paint sprayer offers the ultimate DIYing experience. It’s great for applying a great finish on small to large projects like fences, decks, furniture, cabinets, dressers and more.
- ADJUSTABLE SETTINGS TO SUIT ANY PROJECT: You can adjust the air cap to spray horizontal, vertical, and round. You can also adjust the material flow control knob to quickly increase or decrease the material output
- MORE POWER=SPRAY MORE MATERIALS: Offers 450 watts of powerful spraying experience. It sprays a wide variety of paints and stains such as chalk type paint, milk paint, latex paints, enamels, primers, clear sealer, polyurethane, stain and varnish
- 3 BRASS SPRAY TIPS: Brass spray tips offer superior performance over plastic counterparts. Use the 4.0mm (red) tip for primer/latex paint, 2.0mm (green installed on sprayer) for latex and chalk paint, and 1.5 mm (blue) for stains and sealers.
How to Choose the Best Paint for OSB walls?
Although paint products are abundant and easy to buy, you never want to jump to a hasty conclusion. The following buying guides will help you have a thorough consideration and make a wise bet.
Types of Primer
Generally speaking, paint’s general purpose is to protect and decorate raw surfaces. Different types of paint, however, are intended for specific purposes and final finishes.
If you want a great cover for walls with many grains or imperfections, oil-based primers are an ideal choice, thanks to their exceptional adhesion. For a garage that is engaged with frequent traffics, this type of paint also promises a lasting finish against deliberate influences.
On the other hand, a wall with tiny flaws like nail holes shall lend itself to water-based products. The light texture enables easy sealing to achieve a smooth and uniform finish.
Weather Conditions
Your area’s typical weather condition is also a noteworthy factor. A place with year-round rain and constant moisture had better resort to mildew-resistant paints.
If your garage is under constant intense sunlight, you will love to have paints that include UV ray-resistant ingredients. In this case, latex primers shall prevail as they dry quickly and do not get cracked or yellow over time.
OSB Plate Texture
It is important to make sure that the texture of your OSB wall corresponds to that of the primer.
For OSB plates that are initially saturated with resins, oil-based primers are far more preferred to promote strong adhesion. On the contrary, latex formulas are recommended for drywall priming as they can go smoothly on the surface, thus easily even out the joints and patched areas.
Primer’s Coverage
Don’t forget to ask the seller about the primer’ ability to block grains. A product with strong blockage is undeniably ideal to address water stains or to cover the previous color.
If you choose a light-duty primer to repair an old garage, you will have to apply many layers of paint to make sure all time marks are well covered. In other words, a wrong option shall cost you much more time and cost.
Your Budget
Although a can of primer is typically affordable, balancing your budget is never a redundant task.
The first step is making a measurement or estimation of your facility’s area to determine how much paint you will need. Usually, all models are available in many sizes from 1 to 5 gallon, don’t waste your money on an oversized option.
Then, spend some time browsing for suitable paints, don’t forget to apply respective price filters to your budget.
Lastly, add all the proper options to your shopping cart and make a quick comparison before reaching the final decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is better for OSB flooring, oil or latex paint?
Both oil and latex paint have their preferential places. So which one is better depends on your intended painting areas and desired finish.
On hard and durable surfaces, such as metal panels or doors, oil paint exerts a superior outcome. Due to the thick and elastic texture, it can produce a glossy and smooth finish. The greatest plus lies in its ability to prevent blocking after drying, namely a powerful sturdiness.
In contrast, latex paint excels in providing long-term flexibility to resist cracking or chipping. It works well on a wide range of surfaces and allows effortless cleaning with water. If you are sensitive to odors, latex paint is a better choice as it emits very light to no chemical smells.
Q2. What is the best for waterproofing OSB, oil paint or sealer?
Oil paint has quite an obvious capability to resist water as it dries harder than any other paint. In other words, oil paint is tolerant of unpredictable weather; therefore, rain and humidity do not substantially impact its application, drying times, and performance.
Sealer is a special type of primer designated to combine or used in place of primer. It reinforces the adhesion of a flat surface and fills in small holes, boosting the surface’s smoothness and durability over time.
Its ability to form a layer between topcoat and substrate to prevent them from soaking explains the sealer’s waterproof effect. However, this activity is only limited to a certain degree.
There is no definite comparison of oil paint and sealer, as they can’t fulfill the other’s designed tasks. These two can effectively collaborate to offer an excellent waterproofing effect. Sealers will allow oil paints to go smoothly on a clean and well-prepared surface.
Q3. How to waterproof paint for OSB?
Usually, every OSB is guaranteed to be “waterproof,” but applying more layers of high-quality paints will help the OSB floors and walls last longer and stand against the environmental factors.
To waterproof paint for OSB, you need to prepare a clean and grease-free surface. Light and even sanding could do this step. A layer of sealer after that will ensure better adhesion of the topcoat. Finally, apply the paint and allow it to dry.
You can also add a layer of water-resistant solution, which is optional.
Q4. What is the best way to prepare OSB for paint?
As we already mentioned, OSB is quite difficult to paint because of its special structure constituted by low-grade wood chips. There are several prep-steps ahead of painting an OSB surface.
Lightly sand the OSB walls with sandpapers, just enough to avoid ragging the open strands. Next, use a brush or vacuum to clean the surface. Remember not to use fabric cloth as it won’t work on OSB’s rough surface.
Now it’s time for some meticulous moves. You can use a roller, brush, or sprayer to apply the primer. Divide your work into two to three thin layers. Remember to spare proper drying time between each application.
Q5. What is better for OSB flooring, oil or acrylic latex paint?
The biggest difference between oil paint and acrylic latex paint is their base. When the former is chemical-based; the latter is, apparently, oil-based. Each type’s pros and cons also mainly originate from this hallmark.
While oil paint shows its durability and moisture-resistant strength, acrylic latex paint owns much greater elasticity, permitting it to expand and contract easily without drying too quickly.
For the OSB floor, oil paint’s distinctive sturdiness may be a safer option for this high-traffic area. However, acrylic latex paint is a star for the exterior part as it is UV resistant and can be clean with only water.
Final Thoughts
After going through a precise analysis and review, we hope you can decide on the best paint for OSB garage walls. If you are an entry-level painter yet still want to do everything on your own, KILZ Premium High-Hide is our recommended pick to ensure the best long-term finish.
Other products are also worth your money. Give them a try and tell us what your favorite paint is!
