Water stains on a ceiling are not only an eye sore and nuisance but they may even reduce the resale value of your home.
Painting over water stains can be a simple and inexpensive fix you can do yourself or call on a painting company in Ottawa to repair the damage to the drywall on the ceiling.
Before you start out to paint over any water stain, here are a few tips we recommend you do.
What You Need To Paint Over Water Stain
Before you paint over a water stain on the ceiling you need to find out the cause of the water damage. Was it a roof leak, a tub or toilet leak, finding the source of the issue that caused the water damage to the ceiling is where you need to start in order to make sure you prevent it from happening again. A moisture leak to any drywall whether on the ceiling or walls has the potential to create mold.
Although there are times you can simply remove mold by washing it away, while other times painting over the mold can be hazardous. Knowing if just a touch up is necessary or having to repair the ceiling to avoid future paint problems such as future leaks from moisture build up that leads to mold build up is fundamental to getting the damage repaired for good. Here are a few quick tips on what to do if you want to paint over the water stain.
Here is what you need to paint over a water stain on a ceiling
- Move all furniture to the middle of the room and cover with plastic and or drop cloths.
- Put drop cloths on the floor to protect any flooring or carpet
- Cover up any light fixtures like ceiling fans or chandeliers
- Prepare yourself with a face mask and eye protection if you are scraping off any stipple from the ceiling
Know how to remove mold from the ceiling before painting and use the best products to ensure quality end result that you will not be doing over and over again every few months.
If damage is extensive and goes beyond just the patching ceilings part where the drywall needs complete replacing you should be aware of asbestos you can find more information about this at Asbestos Information by Government of Canada.
Use a Primer To Blocks Stains
A primer that blocks stains is the ideal product to use to ensure the water stain is sealed and won’t show up after painting. There is a difference between the paint-primer-vs-all-in-one-paint that will make all the difference when using it to cover up the water stain permanently.
Painters in Ottawa use the Kilz Products. Whether it is a small stain on the ceiling that a spray can of the Kilz stain blocker can cover or a larger section that needs to be primed with a roller, the kilz line of products is extensive. You can also choose to have the primer/sealer stained to match the existing paint colour.
Apply the primer sealer first. Let it dry and you can apply a second coat depending on whether the first one completely covered the stain. There’s nothing wrong with applying 2 to 3 coats as it will only offer extra protection and very good coverage to hiding that stain.
How To Paint Over Water Stained Area
Once all the patching, sanding and priming has been taken care of you are now ready to begin painting over the water stain. Depending on how long ago the ceiling was first painted, a small area can be covered well with a simple touch up paint job.
If there is a noticeable difference in the way the paint colour looks after the touch up, the original paint is older than a few months therefore a complete repaint of the entire ceiling is required in order to make it look unified. It is a normal process for paint colour to fade with age.
If you have a textured stipple or popcorn ceiling you should know that these types of textured surfaces will absorb more of the water based paints compared to a flat ceiling with no texture. The reason is that a textured ceiling soaks up more of the paint as opposed to an already flat ceiling does not.
When To Call On Professional Painters
If painting over a water stain on a ceiling or walls seems like to much of a task to take on yourself, invest in the professional services of painting companies in Ottawa as they have all the necessary equipment and tools along with the experience and knowledge to get it done.
If you need to schedule an appointment visit the contact page of Ottawa painters to help you get started.
