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janicedallas

Paint blotch or bleeding through??

janicedallas
11 years ago

My tenants painted upon move in approximately 1 year ago. They claim some blotches started appearing about 6 months ago and that they didn't see them before.

I looked at the walls and there is a rather large blotch (about 2' x 3') above the left side of the bed in the MB and also spots (they look like large grease spots) in a 5' x 3' area in the LR. I'm trying to figure out what caused this and also how to cover the problem without it reappearing.

The tenants used flat__________. There is a possibility the previous workers used a semi gloss. HELP

Comments (12)

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    11 years ago

    BIN

    Here is a link that might be useful: primer

  • Faron79
    11 years ago

    They could be from darn near anything....

    Food spills, paintball battles, water leaks...??!?!!?

    If you're brave, cut a sample piece from the wall. You'll then know if it's from a water leak!
    If not soft, wash wall with powdered Dirtex, let dry, and use Chrisn's primer advice.

    Faron

  • well_rooted
    11 years ago

    To prevent bleeding through, brush on shellac, let dry overnight, then paint. A drywaller taught us that trick many years ago. Really works well when your child has used a felt pen to draw on a newly painted wall.

    I also use shellac when painting over bare wood. I skip the primer (cause it doesn't work), paint the first coat, then wait to see if there is any bleed-through and wherever there is, I paint with shellac.

    There may be water damage. If gyproc/wallboard has been used, press on it and look for wrinkling to help determine if there is water-damage.

    The greasy look above the bed could be caused when there is no head-board. One's hair has grease.

  • Michael
    11 years ago

    Are they kids in the house?

    A personal lubricant? Oh my.

    LOL

    In a more serious tone, check out GARDZ for primer sealer use.

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    11 years ago

    Hey root, BIN is shellac

    Gardz ia a great product for what it is intended for. I would not trust it to block stains

  • Faron79
    11 years ago

    A colored Shellac "could" be used, but Zinsser's "BIN" primer, as Chrisn said, IS Shellac in an Alcohol carrier.
    I've used them both, but if I had to choose for you, I'd pick BIN.

    In this case...I wouldn't rule out 2 coats of BIN!

    Faron

  • Michael
    11 years ago

    Is it a stain? Is it bleeding?

    Have you tried washing it?

    Don't discount GARDZ. :)

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    11 years ago

    Again, Gardz is a great product but nowhere does it say it will seal in, out, stains

    Recommended Uses � Apply to interior walls, ceilings and
    related surfaces. GARDZ is recommended for sealing probleml
    porous surfaces such as bare and damaged drywall, plaster,
    cement and cementitious coatings, spackling paste and joint
    compound, calcimine, stucco, acoustic and texture finishes,
    uncoated wallpaper, etc. GARDZ will also adhere to and seal in
    old wallpaper paste and adhesive residue.

  • paintguy22
    11 years ago

    There is a water leak and those are stains. BIN or Kilz, they both work. I like to use the aerosol spray cans for killing water stains because then I don't have to clean any tools and will choose the Kilz every time because the spray cans of BIN are just too runny and drippy. Be sure to address the leak from the roof or whatever it is above that room first. From my experience, Gardz is more of a sealer, not a stain killer.

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    11 years ago

    From my experience, Gardz is more of a sealer, not a stain killer.

    Correct, as I tried to point out.

  • janicedallas
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Dear Paintguy,
    I see no sign of a water leak. One of the walls is only blotched about 1/3 of the way from the bottom and is an interior wall. The other is an outside wall but the blotch or bleed is limited to a small area above the headboard. Do you still think it could be a water leak?

  • Michael
    11 years ago

    Maybe there's a dead animal in your wall.