Kilz Clean Start Primer and a Giveaway---CLOSED!

I was contacted a month ago to see if I'd be willing to try Kilz Clean Start Primer...and giveaway a starter kit to one of my readers.  It took me about 5 seconds to say, yes please!  (Please know this review is my honest opinion, and all words are my own.  I was not compensated beyond receiving the primer to use.)

I was intrigued because when I repaired and repainted our half bath, I used the tried and true regular oil based Kilz primer.  My papa always used Kilz primer, and so that's what I've always used for my small DIY projects.  There are two big draw backs to the original formula.  #1, it's oil based which makes for tricky clean up.  #2, it works great but stinks, literally.  I used the Kilz Clean Start Primer for two different projects.

I built a floating shelf, using Jessica's modification of Ana's tutorial.  The half bath needed some storage...any storage!  After filling all the screw and nail holes, using wood filler for the gaps, and sanding A LOT, I was ready to prime.

The primer went on very smoothly.  One thing you need to understand about primer, it is okay for a bit of wood to show through.  This is normal.

The primer dried quickly, and I then applied two coats of paint to match the trim in the bathroom.  It took longer to wait for the paint to dry!  While it did dry, I installed the guts of the shelf to the bathroom wall studs.

Once the shelf was dry, it was a little tricky to slide it over the the supports.  Trust me it's not going anywhere!

Here's how it looks with the baskets to hold tp, and cleaning supplies.  The metal canister holds borax for cleaning the toilet.

I have been so pleased with how my shelf turned out!

The second project was more tedious and time consuming.  As you may have guessed, the previous owners did not take great care of this house.  There were several places where the woodwork was damaged, and then there were the holes left from removing the ugly vertical blinds.  Since all the woodwork was painted with an oil based paint, I was advised to prime the areas prior to painting.  Kilz Clean Start Primer to the rescue!

To repair the woodwork, I rebuilt the missing portions with wood filler and filled in holes and cracks with spackle.  Then, I primed each area, and finally painted the problems.  The results are not perfect or in original condition...but they look a ton better!

Chipped paint on exterior door:

Holes from removed blinds:

Rebuilt and repainted door casing:

Conclusion...I  love this primer!  It works great, does not stink up my house (it's even less smelly than latex paint), and I would heartily recommend it.

Would you like to try some too?  I thought so!  I get to giveaway a starter kit to one lucky reader.  We have to limit the giveaway to US residents because we're shipping a can of paint.  To enter, leave a comment on this post.  Simple and easy.  Please be sure to include your email address so I can notify the winner.  The giveaway will end May 31, 3011.  Winner will be chosen via random.org.  Good luck!