Cure for walls reeking of cigarette smoke
#1
06-09-15, 01:28 PM
Cure for walls reeking of cigarette smoke
I bought a foreclosure in 2012 and the bank freshly painted the whole house. When the fresh paint smell subsided we started smelling cigarette smoke. It's very apparent when coming in from fresh air outside. Once inside the smell is less noticeable because the nose gets desensitized. I've heard you're supposed to clean the walls first with ammonia or vinegar. Using cheap paint without cleaning tends to trap the nicotine/smoke and allow it to bleed through as nicotine is water and oil soluble I believe.
Should I try to paint with a 'filtering' additive (ionic might be the brand) which should last 8-12 years or should I buy Zinnser Bin 2 Shellac based paint to seal the smoke smell? Or is there something else you recommend? Thanks
Should I try to paint with a 'filtering' additive (ionic might be the brand) which should last 8-12 years or should I buy Zinnser Bin 2 Shellac based paint to seal the smoke smell? Or is there something else you recommend? Thanks
#2
06-09-15, 01:31 PM
An oil base primer or pigmented shellac [BIN] will effectively seal odors and nicotine stains in the drywall/woodwork. That should help with odor but doesn't address any odor that may be in other parts of the house [carpet, duct work, etc]
#3
06-09-15, 01:55 PM
Group Moderator
Oil based primer should be sufficient. As Mark said, carpet, drapes, trim/woodwork and other such materials can trap the smell as well.
Were the ceilings painted?
Were the ceilings painted?
#5
06-10-15, 03:51 AM
It takes a solvent based coating to seal in the odor. I'm not a chemist but it's something like the molecules are closer together in solvent based coatings than with latex and that allows the coating to seal odor/stain better than latex.
While it is ok to spray the walls they will look better and touch up better if the sprayed on paint is back rolled. While I've done a lot of spraying with new construction it usually involves too much prep and clean up to be a viable option for repaints.
While it is ok to spray the walls they will look better and touch up better if the sprayed on paint is back rolled. While I've done a lot of spraying with new construction it usually involves too much prep and clean up to be a viable option for repaints.
