Mervyn - Nicotine Stains

Dear Fred,

 

I got your e-mail from the decorating website.

 

I am trying to paint a ceiling that is covered with tongue and groove pine boarding, apparently varnished with a sort of chestnut brown colour.   I have applied two coats of Dulux white emulsion but there is brown staining bleeding through the coats.   Do I have to seal it or is there another solution?   If I have to seal, what do you recommend?

 

Best Regards,

Mervyn

You can get water staining on a ceiling if there has been a leak from above but this sounds like Nick O'teen.

Before painting it is best to wash with sugar soap to remove nicotine stains.

But you can paint the stained area with normal oil based undercoat and when dry give it another coat of emulsion.

Hope this has helped in some way.

 

Fred