A single strain can change the entire look and feel of a room instantly. Have you ever toured a home or an apartment and as you walk through a room you can see a stain from water damage or yellow spotting from smoke stains above on the ceiling. It can take a home that is otherwise beautiful, and ruin it. It’s terrible when you’re just looking, but it’s worse in your own home. You’ll want to get those stains cleaned as soon as you can, but where do you even start? Can paint alone cover the stain and the smell? Water and smoke stains are an eyesore and removing them can be a big undertaking on your own.

Make Sure Surfaces are Properly Prepared

Prior to any paint or primer application there are some important steps to cover. It is necessary to clear the area of all dust and debris for a clean surface before starting. If the stains come from smoke and there is discoloration due to tar and nicotine you will need to fully clean the surface to ensure that discoloration does not seep through the new layers of paint. This can be done with a combination of warm water and vinegar or commercial products specifically designed for this. Make sure to wipe down the surface sufficiently after and patch any holes if necessary. Any left over debris will cause an uneven coat of primer and paint leaving more issues behind after covering the stain.

Primer Makes Perfect

Once the spots are cleaned the next step is a good coat of primer. When covering stains the best bet is to use a low-odor oil based primer or a stain blocker primer. Check this carefully, water based primers may let the smell or color through both the paint and primer layer. Another option is to use a shellac primer. These are known for blocking stains and odors, specifically smoke and tobacco. With a good primer coating it will be ready to cover with a coat of paint of your choosing. You can apply it with a brush or a roller depending on the area you need to cover. It is important to get a fully covered smooth coat of primer. Remember to give the primer enough time to dry completely before starting to paint. Depending on the stain it may be best to consider using a darker color that will continue to help cover the stain and prevent it from showing through.

The CorsPaint Stain Solution

At CorsPaint, we have years of experience in paint and primer, but we also know how to tackle stains and we know it can be daunting. If you need assistance covering a stain in your home CorsPaint is here to help. We know it can be a lot of work so when you feel like you’re in over your head, contact your local painting, priming, and strain removing pros at CorsPaint today and we will get your home looking good as new!