Painting over nicotine stains: this is how you do it

Surfaces exposed to cigarette smoke will eventually show signs of nicotine stains and smell. Do you have to paint a room where people smoked for years? With the right products and approach, you can remove both the stains and the odour quickly, and, most importantly, keep them gone for good. 

A home or space where smoking takes place never comes out unscathed. Nicotine penetrates deeply into plaster, wall and ceiling panels, and porous paint layers. If you need to repaint yellowed walls or ceilings and want a stain-free result, it is important to know that you cannot just paint over them with any ordinary wall paint; the stains will eventually bleed through. You need to thoroughly clean the surface and use the right products.

Nicotine stains are more stubborn than you might think. The typical yellow-brown residue can penetrate deeply into surfaces and may even bleed through multiple layers of paint. The lingering smoke odour is also often difficult to remove. That is why you need a solution that effectively blocks both stains and odours. 

For surfaces affected by nicotine, Zinsser® B-I-N is the ideal solution. This fast-drying, single-component shellac-based primer blocks even the most persistent stains and odours. Thanks to its sealing power, it perfectly closes very porous surfaces, ensuring that your finishing coats are smooth and even. Moreover, its exceptional adhesion to even the most challenging materials also provides them with greater durability. For your topcoat, you can choose Zinsser® Allcoat Interior or PermaWhite®.

Follow these steps to optimally prepare the yellowed substrate.

Measure the moisture content of the surface with a moisture meter. Is it more than 12%? Then you cannot start priming yet and must first allow the surface to dry. Once you are below that 12%, you can get started.

To finish the surface, you can choose between Zinsser® Allcoat Interior or PermaWhite®. 

• Allcoat Interior is a fast-drying, acrylic-based primer and topcoat in one. Thanks to its innovative formula, it adheres well to almost any surface inside, like wood, masonry, concrete, plasterboard and plaster.
• If the surface is located in a damp area, you do well to choose PermaWhite® instead. This water-based primer and topcoat in one adheres well to smooth surfaces and prevents dirt from sticking and mould from growing.

Surfaces affected by nicotine require a specific approach. Three factors are crucial: (1) stains must not bleed through over time, (2) odours need to be neutralised, and (3) the topcoat must adhere properly. With Zinsser® B-I-N you address all three challenges with a single product.