How To Paint Over Nicotine Stains (Odourless Method)

Nicotine stains are tough to cover, often seeping back through paintwork and requiring more time and money to correct it. Our 3-step guide will show you how to properly prepare and prime nicotine-stained surfaces caused by cigarette smoke, finishing in over 2,700 RAL, BS and NCS colours.

 

The Benefits

Zinsser’s odourless products make short work of covering nicotine stains caused by cigarette smoke and have none of the nasty smells that cause disruption to shop floors and stockrooms, meaning staff and customers can continue to work and use services. Where nicotine stains can seep back through conventional paints, causing more time and disruption stripping them back and repainting, Zinsser Allcoat Interior blocks stains properly and is available in more than 350 colours to help match existing décor and company branding schemes.

Their fast drying times means that landlords and letting agents can return properties back to the rental market quickly without fear of the stains returning, whilst businesses, particularly those moving to a new premises, can open quickly to serve customers and provide services without losing out to the competition.

Such properties may include:

• Ex-council houses
• Rented homes with long-term tenants that recently moved on
• Pubs not decorated since the smoking ban came into force
• Restaurants

Zinsser listens to contactors and develops new products – or adds features to existing products – to meet their changing needs, delivering world class products that meet “real world” challenges, providing tried and tested solutions to painting problems, such as painting over nicotine stains.

Step 1. Surface preparation

The affected surfaces must be clean, dry and free from anything that will interfere with or affect the application or adhesion of the materials and coatings to be applied.

Remove loose and failing material by scraping or brushing with a stiff bristle brush to a sound edge, feathering with a fine grade abrasive paper, removing all dust.

Prior to painting, the moisture content should not exceed 18%.

Remove all visible signs of organic growth, treating the area with Zinsser Mould Killer & Remover in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and allow to dry.

Any remaining sound paint should be cleaned down with Zinsser Universal Cleaner & Degreaser to remove any contaminants, removing residues by rinsing thoroughly with clean water, and allowing the surface to dry.

Step 2. Priming Nicotine Stains

Degrease the area with methylated spirits, changing the cloths regularly, and then fill any cracks and small surface defects with a suitable filler (as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions), allowing the surface to dry before rubbing down with a fine grade abrasive paper and removing all dust.

Patch prime all bare and filled areas with one coat of Zinsser AllCoat Interior (Solvent-Based) in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, allowing a minimum drying time of 2 hours (in normal drying conditions) before bringing forward patch primed areas with another single coat of Zinsser AllCoat Interior (Solvent-Based).

Allow the area to dry and then prime all the areas to be decorated with one full coat of Zinsser AllCoat Interior (Solvent-Based) and allow a minimum drying time of 2 hours, in normal drying conditions.

Step 3. Decoration

Now the previously nicotine-stained surface has been properly treated, prepared and primed, it can be decorated with one or two full coats of Zinsser AllCoat Interior (Solvent-Based), in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, in one of over 2,700 RAL, BS and NCS colours.

More Information

If you require more advice on painting over nicotine stains with odourless products, give our technical team a call on 0113 2455450 (option 2) or send a message to [email protected].