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Brown marks on newly painted ceiling.

We're redecorating and we painted the ceiling 2 weeks ago in the hallway landing.  Now brown patches are forming (and increasing) on the ceiling and coving.

It's right outside the bathroom door and we've painted in the bathroom but there's no marks there.  I've checked above and there's no leak in the loft an it's completely dry.

Any ideas? Normally mould should be black? It's randomly appearing in areas and not spread out like a leak.

What can we do? Is it possible the newly painted paint has somehow got something wrong with it?

 

Comments

  • ka7e
    ka7e Posts: 3,113 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic
    It looks like the new paint has reacted with something on the old surface. That type of textured finish is impossible to prep like normal flat surfaces. I don't suppose a heavy smoker lived there at some time? It almost looks like nicotine staining coming through. You could try a stain blocker over the affected parts and then repaint.
    "Cheap", "Fast", "Right" -- pick two.
  • rob7475
    rob7475 Posts: 913 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    you could try something like zinsser BIN before repainting. two coats of BIN should stop any staining coming through if you're sure there's no damp there.
  • jbainbridge
    jbainbridge Posts: 2,016 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Agree .. I'd try a couple of coats of stain block and see what happens.
  • Annemos
    Annemos Posts: 993 Forumite
    Fourth Anniversary 500 Posts
    edited 5 August 2021 pm31 5:18PM
    I also suspect it might be nicotine. 


    20 years ago, I moved into my place and the previous lady had smoked 30 a day in the kitchen for 20 years. 

    The decorator managed to use soap solution on the walls to clean them before painting. 

     But when he tried that on the ceiling, it was not successful. So he ended up putting another layer of artex on and that solved the problem. 

    (Although of course, I now have artex with big circular swirls instead!) 


    I wonder if you can detect nicotine traces in other places, to confirm the suspicion. 

    I was finding it in the door bell and behnd the burglar alarm. And in my case, even the kitchen sink had long stalactites of nicotine hanging off it, underneath. 

    (I only just got rid of a remaining faint wiff of nicotine after 20 years, when I recently replaced the old doorbell with a new trendy Wi-fi one!)





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