How To Paint Over Stains

How to paint over stains:

Ever get to a job site to find that the homeowner has a child that is an aspiring art maestro? Is their canvas their bedroom walls and their medium of choice a permanent marker? Every contractor has their own methods but here are some hopefully helpful tips  and techniques to remove different types of stains from walls and how to paint over stains.

Kitchen Grease

How about ten years of kitchen grease built up on a cabinet refinishing job? No matter how much we try to avoid oil splashing on the wall behind our stoves it is near impossible to avoid. If you do not have a tiled backsplash you would have noticed the oils stains that have penetrated your paint which cannot be cleaned away. These steps will help you remove these stains:

1. Remove all the grease from the surface by using a solvent such as sugar soap or a degreaser.
2. Lightly sand your surface with sandpaper and remove the dust with a damp cloth.
3. Apply your primer. We suggest using a stain resistant primer to ensure any left over oil cannot penetrate through the new paint you will be applying.
4. Apply a thin layer of the matching paint once the primer has dried.

Permanent Marker

These contain chemicals in them that push through paint even after cleaning the surface. Follow these steps to avoid the marker seeping through your touch up.

1. Remove as much of the marker as possible with warm water and soap. Wipe the surface until no soap remains and allow to dry.
2. Lightly sand the stains taking care not to remove any layers of paint in the process but just creating a rough texture on the surface.
3. Apply a stain resistant primer. If the primer instructs you to apply two coats then proceed to do so after the first is dry. Lightly sand the area again.
4. Paint the primed area with the same color paint as the rest of your wall. Apply as many coats as necessary to match the rest of your wall but take care to wait for each coat to dry first as wet paint looks darker than when it dries.

Mold or Mildew

These can be found on walls that have not been properly waterproofed or surfaces that are exposed to dampness. Before cleaning and covering this type of stain you will need to find the source of the problem and fix it. After fixing the problem you can follow these steps:

1. Clean the mold or mildew from your surface using the relevant solvent and allow to dry.
2. Sand the area before applying primer.
3. Apply your paint as mentioned above.

We hope this blog has been informative and helps solve your stain problems.

Happy painting.