A damp patch on a wall or ceiling can bring down the character of an otherwise attractive room. And, if your damp patch is accompanied by mold, there can be a health risk involved too due to the spores that the mold releases.

Unfortunately, the solution is more complicated than just painting over the problem with a standard emulsion. Damp patches can be notoriously hard to get rid of and many homeowners are frustrated when they start to notice the patch appear through a new coat of paint.

However, by following the steps outlined below, your damp patch will soon be a thing of the past.

Find the source of the damp patch first

Before you even consider painting over the offending area, you first need to find where the damp is coming from – otherwise you’re just leaving yourself a bigger problem to deal with a few months down the line. Whether it’s a lack of ventilation or a leaking pipe, fix the source of the problem and make sure that the wall, ceilings and room are completely dry before painting over.

Fix plaster

Damp patches can cause damage to plaster in your wall or ceiling and cracks may appear. Fill these with a filler mixture and make sure that the plaster is smooth and flat before proceeding.

Wash walls with anti-mold spray

If your damp patch is accompanied by mold, wash down the wall first with an anti-mold spray and leave it to dry overnight. This will kill any spores and should help prevent them from returning in future.

Undercoat

Now for the painting stage. You will need to apply an undercoat to your wall to cover the damp patch. You can either use an oil-based undercoat or choose a specially manufactured stain blocker which you can purchase from most specialist hardware stores. Paint over a couple of layers and leave to dry until you are sure that the stain is no longer visible.

And of course – don’t use any water-based paint products for obvious reasons!

Top coat

Once the undercoat is dry, you’ll want to paint over with a top layer in the same color as the rest of the wall or ceiling.

If you have followed all the steps above, you can be confident that your damp patch won’t reappear any time soon. Having trouble with a recurring damp patch – contact me today for help.