Stain resistant paint?

[Minouette]

Apologies if this topic has already been covered, but I couldnt find a way to 'search' beforehand.

I have 'inherited' a couple of wooden ceilings with what look like planks of wood running underneath them.  Sorry, but I can't for the life of me think of the correct carpentry term!  The ceilings (and planks) are painted white but look very stained.  Sort of pale khaki blotches.  I have been told that this is because, prior to the first painting, the wood was not properly sealed and it's oils (?) are leaching through. 

There is no way that I can afford to have all the paint stripped off in order to seal the wood but I have heard mutters that there is a type of paint that prevents these blotches when used as a primer. 

Does anyone know whether it is available in France?  If so, it's name?  And are there any special precautions to be taken when using it.  I'm no DIY person so I'd rather have too much info than too little.

Many thanks, Minou

[Bobc]

Are these flat ceilings with wooden strips 7/10 cm wide fixed over the joists above?

The term in France is lambris and is widely used to hide a multitude of defects.

Lambris is usually pine and does not leach out any oils. The usual cause of patches such as you describe is water damage from above. Are these ceilings on the upper floor of the house?

Kind regards,

Bob Clarke
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/grindoux

[Minouette]

[quote]Are these flat ceilings with wooden strips 7/10 cm wide fixed over the joists above? The term in France is lambris and is widely used to hide a multitude of defects. Lambris is usually pine and does...[/quote]

Hi Bob

No, not lambris.  I know that word!  The rooms mentioned are on the ground floor.  When looking at the ceiling, it is like looking at the floorboards of the room above.  And then there are planks of wood fixed at right angles to the ceiling, running the whole width of the room.  They are almost like beams, but.... well, like planks!  Almost begging for a plasterboard ceiling to be attached to them but I dont want to do that.

I've checked the rooms on the upper floor and it definitely does not look like water damage.

Does that help you to help me more?

Minou

[Alcazar]

I've got two tins of that paint in France, one from Screwfix, (cheap) and the other from a builder's merchants, (dear).

Both have been used. Neither covered the stain on the wall!

Alcazar

[Liz]

Not only does it look like the floor above, it is the floor above. My first thought is to give the boards a wash. It could be that it is nicotine staining. It may also be that it has been painted with acrylic paint so you could try an oil based paint, either gloss or matt. This generally blocks stains reasonably well.

I am fairly sure that stain blocking paint does exist here but it is not easy to come by and I have brought it from the UK before now.

We had a similar problem and although oil based paint was successful, in the end we infilled with lambris and it looks 100% more attractive.

Liz (29)

[P.Shute]

Stain Block is available from Jewsons in the UK it worked well for me... it took three or four coats with plenty of drying time between coats.

Never seen it here in france though...and by shear coincidence I was asking the same question to a a few builders yesterday too...and they have never heard of it here.

phil

[Dick Smith]

I agree Phil - I've never seen it in France. We took ours out from the UK to cover the nasty patches on the ceilings where something had been nesting above...

[Minouette]

Thanks everybody.

Well, I don't have the option of getting the paint from UK.  Ryanair is a tad strict on the weight limit, as I know only too well to my cost!   And, even if I did get the paint, I don't really have the time (or inclination!) to apply up to 4 coats (4!) as well as the actual 'colour' paint.  I'd still be doing it this time next year.  Mind you, with renovation, that's about par for the course.....

I think I am just going to have to 'refresh' the colour with a couple of coats of standard paint and then resign myself to the fact that this will need to be done every five years or so.  Sigh.

Minou

[0FontclaireauddMMyyyy0Falseen-USTrue]

The patches are bleeding through due to the wood not being knotted before first coat of paint, you can use any oil based paint on the patches, this will seal them then paint it as normal, its easy when you know how.