# Kilz Primer.



## Richard21 (Feb 15, 2010)

I am going to be sealing my 6x3x3 wooden enclosure soon, and I just bought kilz Latex and wondering if it is okay to seal the enclosure from water damage? Anything I should do before I apply it to the wood. Thank you.


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## Toby_H (Feb 16, 2010)

I've used Kilz on several projects including painting the walls of a large fishroom. It's great stuff...

It's purpose is to create a mold/mildew/odor barrier... But it is not meant to be a full on moisture barrier...

I used Drylock to seal the inside of my grow out cage and after almost two years and being moved over a dozen times, it is still completely water tight. The outside of the same cage is painted with Kilz. This is to prevent any mold or mildew from forming on the cage due to humidity.

I love the result of the Drylock finish inside my cage. Once a week or so I will pour 2 gallons of water directly into the mulch and then stirr it up. Not ever having to worry about to much water spilling into the cage is nice. 

It makes cleaning really easy as well... 


I highly recommend a water tight bottom on your Tegus terrarium... and I do not think Kilz is the right product for providing this... Drylock (w/ 2 ounces of black tint) has worked really well for me.


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## rmzsuzuki89 (Feb 16, 2010)

Toby_H said:


> I've used Kilz on several projects including painting the walls of a large fishroom. It's great stuff...
> 
> It's purpose is to create a mold/mildew/odor barrier... But it is not meant to be a full on moisture barrier...
> 
> ...



My dad is really concerned about odor. So would one, maybe two, coats of drylock on the inside, and one, maybe two coats of kilz on the inside and out work well?


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## Toby_H (Feb 16, 2010)

Kilz is an odor barrier... but will not prevent the cage from being able to be smelt in the room...

The example Kilz makes is, if you have a room that was heavily smoked in, the cigarette odor can get into the walls. The walls can be washed and repainted and they will still emit cigarette odor. But if they are washed and repainted with Kilz, the odor will be locked into the wall and not be smelt in the room. 

So unless you made the cage an airtight box and then coated the airtight box with Kilz, it won't work for your goal.


I used Drylock on the inside to make it watertight... I used Kilz on the outside to prevent mold or mildew from forming on the wood and decaying...


My girl poops in the same place everyday and I clean it up everyday. It's a simple 2 minute process though. I take a plastic shopping bag and put my hand inside of it using it like a glove. I pick up the poop and a good bit of mulch surrounding it. I then turn the bag inside out which leaves the poop and dirty mulch in the bag. This is walked outside to the trash (not put in the kitchen trash) immediately.

When I stick my head inside of the cage, it smells like mulch. If daily maintenance is not maintained, the potential for foul odor increases...


Just to mention, when you buy Drylock (possibly Kilz also), they will be resistant to adding color. The manufacturer suggests against it for maximum performance. But keep in mind "maximum performance" for Drylock is to seal a basement from pressures of constantly fluctuating groundwater... not wet mulch... Adding the tint will void the manufacturer's warrantee, but the manufacturer's warrantee will not extend onto your project as you are not using the product exactly as recommended by the manufacturer.

Simply tell them "I understand this will void the manufacturer's warrantee, I still want the tint added". If that doesn't work, "let me talk to your manager" always works ;-)


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## rmzsuzuki89 (Feb 16, 2010)

Toby_H said:


> Kilz is an odor barrier... but will not prevent the cage from being able to be smelt in the room...
> 
> The example Kilz makes is, if you have a room that was heavily smoked in, the cigarette odor can get into the walls. The walls can be washed and repainted and they will still emit cigarette odor. But if they are washed and repainted with Kilz, the odor will be locked into the wall and not be smelt in the room.
> 
> ...



Alright, I'm not too worried about odor, just trying to ease my dads mind lol. I'll probably clean just as I do with my beardies. If I see them pooping, I clean it the second that their done, or the second I see it.

Is Drylock pricey? I was gonna get some to do the inside of both of my beardies enclosures, each is 4'x2'x20".


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## Toby_H (Feb 16, 2010)

It's $20 per gallon...

It goes on thicker than standard latex paint, so 1 gallon covers less area than paint...

According to the can it covers 75~100 square feet with two coats...

I've used Drylock several times on both masonry (block/concrete) and on wood (lumber & plywood) as well as on styrofoam (backgrounds for aquarium/terrariums). When using it on wood, I've learned to put a very very thin first coat, then a typical second coat. For my Tegu cage I went with a third coat on the bottom and the bottom of the sides since this area I wanted to be truly water tight.


At almost two yeas old and after being moved over a dozen times my Drylocked cage is still water tight.


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## rmzsuzuki89 (Feb 16, 2010)

Toby_H said:


> It's $20 per gallon...
> 
> It goes on thicker than standard latex paint, so 1 gallon covers less area than paint...
> 
> ...



Alright cool, I'll go with that then.

I don't have any experience with any kind of enclosure other than the glass ones from pet shops. So does the color make it look dramatically smaller or bigger.


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