thehallfamily Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Hi We have just bought a second seaside home . The house is circa 1900 and the walls are in a bit of a state! I have spent all weekend trying to cover nicotine stained ceilings and walls with white matt emulsion to little avail. I was snow blind by the end of the day! Anybody got any advice for something that I can do one more coat that will cover well and hide the staining?? Angela x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard T Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 This sounds like a job for Polycell Stain Stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I agree with Richard you need to apply a paint first that will seal the stain such as the polycell product this is easy to use and comes in an aerosol that is touch dry in 15 mins. It is quite expensive about £15 if I remember right but it will stop the stain coming through again..........Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I agree as well - but have you got limewash on the walls? I don't know how it works on top of limewash?....... Nicola? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Hi I have spent all weekend trying to cover nicotine stained ceilings and walls with white matt emulsion to little avail.Anybody got any advice for something that I can do one more coat that will cover well and hide the staining?? Angela x Black Matt Emulsion? Sorry, couldn't resist. The Polycell stuff is really good - we had soot stains coming through a chimney breast, & it stopped those in their tracks. Good luck - sounds like a labour of love Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 (edited) Nicotine often creates a coating rather than just a stain. You may find you need to remove it before painting because most paint wont stick. My brothers house was orange (from nicotine) and foam ceiling tiled when they moved in, they had to strip the walls right back before painting. Edited March 12, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Don't envy you that task Angela! Our house was pretty much the same when we moved in. Every time we painted the ceiling the brown stain crept through again. Only answer was to use a stain seal paint first. Worked reasonably well, but never been perfect. On anything else that could take it we used the Fl*sh spray with bleach (ie upvc windows and frames) I can still vividly picture the streams of brown gunk running down the windows! Good luck with the redecorating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 If it's wallpaper strip it all off. There's nothing worse than in years to come you decide you want to strip it all off and you find layers and layers of the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CannyCat Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 ...you can also use PVA glue mixed with water to seal the stain. My sister did this with nicotine, and I did it with a watermark on our ceiling, and it worked both times - much cheaper than polyseal. They sell tins of PVA for this purpose in B&Q, but I'd go to the Works or another cheap stationers and buy it there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Is it called sugar soap? that cuts through everything! get the surface ready for painting too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Sugar soap is very good for preparing surfaces, but you need to protect your skin and eyes We needed this and then stain block paint to cover the nicotine Good luck karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I've used PVA as well and it really does work and doesn't cost a fortune. Covered a nasty water mark on the lounge ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I swear by sugar soap as it cleans the surface to be painted really well allowing the paint to bond strongly. As mentioned though you do have to be careful with the vapour but I find walking around with the spray and a cloth with clean water in a bucket works well! A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I've used PVA as well and it really does work and doesn't cost a fortune. Covered a nasty water mark on the lounge ceiling. My brother is a plumber and swears by PVA glue mixed with a bit of water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I've had to wash all the walls in our en-suite with a PVA solution - when we were painting them the paint came away from the plasterboard - it was something to do with the walls not being dry when they were originally painted. The subsequent later two colours peeled away with it! A quick coat of PVC and the paint's gone on no problem! As for your brother Christian, I hope he doesn't seal the joins with PVA! - still better than Barratt, they just let the leaky joints seal the pipework! A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I had a damp patch problem in my last house (the wall not me ). He recommended PVA and it did the trick. He always has some in his van! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One Man Banned Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I had a damp patch problem in my last house (the wall not me ). A xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...