Is this damp or just the way its been painted?

[ellierd94]

I recently got a housing association property. We checked for damp (couldn't find any) and had the flat for 6 months before any decorating (not lived in). No damp appeared.

My sons room has been painted with matte paint ( a sage green colour) and these spots on the wall have appeared. They look wet but aren't wet when I touch them. They don't get worse or better, they've just stayed consistently like this since being painted.

Is this damp or just the way it's been painted?

Thank you in advance!

 

[michealangelo]

It's either old staining or its staining due to old style heating systems

I would go for stains that are old , not active ......as you say they are not getting worse or bigger

Therefore I would treat the wall or walls they are on with a stain blocking paint ......applied to the stained area and two inches either side ....just in case

This could be ......oil based undercoat , slightly thinned......coat x 2 .....leave overnight or a good 8 hours between coat 1 and two

Zinser BIN ....... 2 x coats ......an hour between each coat , meths based

Zinser Cover Stain ......my favourite .....slightly thin it with meths ......2 coats in a day is fine , leaving 4 hours between coats

Polycell Stain Block , Thompsons Stain Block , Wickes Stain Block undercoat ......all similar products ......2 coats preferably as above

There are lots of water based Stain blockers and sealers out there.....Zinser 123 being one ......but I don't use them .....Zinser BIn Aqua seems to have a good reputation

I say two coats of all the above ...but you want to try and get it sealed and not have to keep going back

Once sealer is dry then two coats of your matt should be ok

In an ideal world a initial coat of white matt might even out the surface ......after your Stain blocking .......then two coats of your chosen sage green paint

 

[ellierd94]

It's either old staining or its staining due to old style heating systems

I would go for stains that are old , not active ......as you say they are not getting worse or bigger

Therefore I would treat the wall or walls they are on with a stain blocking paint ......applied to the stained area and two inches either side ....just in case

This could be ......oil based undercoat , slightly thinned......coat x 2 .....leave overnight or a good 8 hours between coat 1 and two

Zinser BIN ....... 2 x coats ......an hour between each coat , meths based

Zinser Cover Stain ......my favourite .....slightly thin it with meths ......2 coats in a day is fine , leaving 4 hours between coats

Polycell Stain Block , Thompsons Stain Block , Wickes Stain Block undercoat ......all similar products ......2 coats preferably as above

There are lots of water based Stain blockers and sealers out there.....Zinser 123 being one ......but I don't use them .....Zinser BIn Aqua seems to have a good reputation

I say two coats of all the above ...but you want to try and get it sealed and not have to keep going back

Once sealer is dry then two coats of your matt should be ok

In an ideal world a initial coat of white matt might even out the surface ......after your Stain blocking .......then two coats of your chosen sage green paint

Thanks so much, really appreciate your help. Relieved it doesn't seem to be damp!

 

[michealangelo]

No problem Ellie

If the stain isn't getting bigger or causing paint to flake its unlikely to be damp

Your job is to SEAL that stain using one of the ways above

Give it a go , leaving time for the stain block to dry

 

[michealangelo]

That second photo , the lighter one , could be old crayon or pen ? Kids room maybe ?

Either way 2 coats of a stain block before your matt on top should be enough to block it