Knots showing through paint

[Magda Alvarado]

Wooden stairs. My husband painted the stairs without using knotting solution and prime. The steps have small dark circle holes. I looked at some youtube videos and all suggest different process. I thought to do the following, please let me know if the order is ok and any suggestions;

1. To apply wood filler on the knots and other cracks.
2. To sand it down the knots and cracks.
3. To apply the knotting solution, do I need to use if I am going to use Zinsser BIN Primer-Sealer stain killer?
4. To use Zinsser BIN Primer-Sealer stain killer or Bulls Eye 1 2 3 stain killer for wooden stairs as a primer. To apply two coats.

 

[footprints]

BIN (two coats) should do fine it is better than standard knotting as it is white.
Spot treating would be OK too, but you will need an undercoat over it as it is well known to "flash" (showing through the top coat because it has a different finish) if done in patches.

 

[opps]

Those images look like screw holes and not knots.

Just fill them, sand back, and prime.

BIN is pretty much the same as knotting solution, by that I mean that it is a shellac based product, rather than regular (and cheaper knotting solution), it has white pigment.