Painting ceiling after water leak

ocemeer

Just a quick check - If I used PVA this should stop the stain from coming through? (I hope so as have loads of PVA, so would save me a fortune in expensive paints)

mundibananas

Polycell Stain Block works!

hollymcr

ocemeer wrote: »

Just a quick check - If I used PVA this should stop the stain from coming through?

Just for the benefit of anyone reading this thread, I just tried PVA as I had the same problem.

Before PVA: two coats of paint hadn't touched the stain.

After PVA: One coat pretty much did the job, the second nailed it.

I used cheap PVA (500ml for £1 from Poundland), mixed with a little water to about the consistency of paint. It's the first time I've used PVA in decorating, don't blame me if it goes horribly wrong for you!

DVardysShadow

hollymcr wrote: »

Just for the benefit of anyone reading this thread, I just tried PVA as I had the same problem.

Before PVA: two coats of paint hadn't touched the stain.

After PVA: One coat pretty much did the job, the second nailed it.

I used cheap PVA (500ml for £1 from Poundland), mixed with a little water to about the consistency of paint. It's the first time I've used PVA in decorating, don't blame me if it goes horribly wrong for you!

Ancient thread revival noted.

PVA may do very well as a stain block. But it is not recommended, because paint peels from it all too easily.

hollymcr

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Ancient thread revival noted.

Indeed; it comes very high up when Googling for dealing with water stains (that's how I found it), so I figured it was worth updating.

PVA may do very well as a stain block. But it is not recommended, because paint peels from it all too easily.

That's what I would have expected, but it is always recommended as the first thing to put on new plaster before over painting (which is why I happened to have some out). You sound like you know what you're talking about (and I freely admit I don't), so what's the difference?

ukcarper

keith969 wrote: »

I've used PVA glue before - thin it down with water and paint on, wait to dry. Then paint the emulsion over it, it acts like a barrier.

I've uses PVA sealer worked ok.

DVardysShadow

hollymcr wrote: »

.....
That's what I would have expected, but it is always recommended as the first thing to put on new plaster before over painting (which is why I happened to have some out). You sound like you know what you're talking about (and I freely admit I don't), so what's the difference?

Actually, if you head over to the DIY forum http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=39, you will find that majority opinion is strongly against PVA on new plaster. What is generally recommended is a 'mist coat' - ordinary emulsion diluted by 20% to 50% according to preference. Although I do something different.

My one experience of PVA was an idiot plasterer who did some new work for me and then proceeded to get rid of his PVA for sealing the walls before starting by applying it to the new plaster. This then caused my excellent Johnstone's eggshell to peel in under 3 months.

In the end, the sand and cement rendering he used came away from the walls in sheets and had to be redone. Probably because he PVA'd the brickwork. This time no PVA was used - I used alkali resisting primer and the same eggshell which remained sound.

If you just feel a surface which has been treated with diluted PVA, it really does not feel good for taking paint. So, although I agree PVA is likely to do a good job as a stain block, I would never use it and I would go with the oil based paint recommendations.

Catslovelycats

Brilliant thread. I'm off to buy POlycell stain block tomorrow to sort the stain on the ceiling. Thanks for your helpful comments everyone, even if it's old!

Road_Hog

Always good to drag a 7 year old thread up. If the ceiling is plasterboard, then just go down to Wickes and buy some, where it is just over £6 a strip. The local mini-cab company will usually have someone with a Transit van to get it home.

mundibananas

another vote for Polycell Stain Block !