Painting a Smokers Room

danjo-xx

Should a sealer be used to stop bleed through and what is the best type of paint to use.

LostinKildare

This was recommended to me by several different painters as the best primer for covering smoke-damaged surfaces after a house fire. Supposed to be great for covering nicotine stains and odours as well.

Hideously expensive -- I found it at a paint supply store for 90 euros for 5 litres; Woodie's, B&Q, Atlantic didn't have it. It's shellac-based so the fumes will be bad and you'll have to throw away the rollers unless you want to mess around with methylated spirits. But it's supposed to be the best -- quick-drying and you can then use any kind of paint on top of it.

Haven't actually used it yet but will post back at the end of the week when I try it.

Wertz

BIN is great but it might be overkill in this situation. Nicotine stains will come off with a sugarsoap washing which would be preferred. BIN pricing means you could triple the cost of doing the room and from experience, the primer itself can be tough to cover with emulsions (tends to 'slide'), sometimes needing an extra coat.
I'd only use BIN on large surfaces where washing wasn't an option or where there was real smoke damage (from a housefire) or damp/water stains...

LostinKildare

I defer to your experience!

Wertz

You're not necessarily doing anyhting wrong by using it, just it's not the easiest stuff in the world to apply and clean up (and god forbid, spillage) is not straightforward. There are some water based stain blockers available and some oil ones too that are both cheaper but not just as effective as the shellac.

CarrickMcJoe

Best to wash down with sugar soap or one I found lately was UBIK 2000 (its an industrial cleaner and is far better than sugarsoap). Then get a cheap oil based undercoat and coat the whole room. Fiinish with emulsion and there will be no bleeding.

danjo-xx

thanks lads, want to avoid anything toxic or hard to use.

@ CarrickMcJoe have sugarsoap in stock:D like your suggestion of an oil based undercoat. Think I'll run with that. thanks.

Is that Ubik 2000 is it very toxic or hazzardous to use in any way. Looks the bees knees!

CarrickMcJoe

Use the sugarsoap if you have it. I got the UBIK from a company called AV Direct, it can be used neat or diluted up to 100-1.
As for being toxic, it is, but so are cigarettes last time I checked

I think you can get small bottles of it.

ParkerNicole

I think you should try Kilz as a sealer, and then use good quality paint. I hope it will help you. Good luck.

Wertz

Where did you see Kilz? Haven't used that stuff since I worked in the 'States.
Zinsser cover stain is the same thing anyways.

danjo-xx

As this room will continue to be a smokers room is it worth doing all this preparation at all.

Dont smoke myself btw

Wertz

I'd have said so...no point in painting it at all if you're not going to prep it. Like I said the nicotine/tar just needs washing off (or it will stain the paint), using stain blockers probably isn't required (since smell of smoke won't be an issue).
Washing will add maybe a couple of hours extra work to the entire job and the benefits will be seen at the finish. It will takle a lot of cigarettes being smoked to stain it again.

danjo-xx

Finally going to tackle this job.

What is the best type of paint to use on walls and ceilings, as it will still be a smokers room.

Emulsion
Acrylic
Other

nothing too pricey though:D