How to deal with oil-based primer and latex color paint?

Question

I'm painting the interior of my house. Without knowing the difference between oil-based and latex paint, I purchased oil-based primer, and primed a hallway and a room. My wife chose the walls' paint color and purchased a latex-based paint.

Is it OK to put interior latex paint on top of interior oil-based primer?
Or should we sand the walls, and start over with a latex-based primer?

It appears to be more difficult to get the color we want in oil-based, and web research seems to indicate that oil-based primer was a bad choice for vast regions of interior wall.

Answer 1

i am a painting contractor of luxury homes and yes you can paint latex over the oil primer...its the other way around you cant do....oil over latex

Answer 2

Its a bad idea to attempt it, I've heard paint companies say it works and seen it work a few times but normally the latex peels right off. there's no reason to use oil base primer or paint unless its for expensive trim work or cabinets and even then your better of using a lacquer base primer that is sand able. you can use a alcohol or solvent based primer/sealer (such as kilz)over the oil primer and that should do the trick.

Oil base is pigment suspend in an oil based (or oil based solvent)liquid.
Latex is pigment suspend in water with latex (a form of rubber) to help it adhere.

water and oil dont mix well.

Answer 3

I don't see why it wouldn't work, in fact I think I've seen it done on "This Old House." If there is problem because the latex doesn't stick to the oil, you can paint the area over with a product called liquid sandpaper.

Answer 4

the worst scenario
is oil over latex paint !

anyway , sand , skim coat the walls ,
and prime in latex,
and finish in latex.

and chalk it up to life experience.
and move on.

good luck.

Answer 5

Don't mix together.