Painting Over Water Stains

 

PAULINE: Well, what’s going on in my house is that on my bathroom window and also my den window, which are both on the same side of the house, there’s a water mark as though there was a spill on the windowsills all on the right side and it looked a little blown up. I was away and I came home and it was a little blown up and now it’s dried up but we’re left with water marks as though there’s still a spill on it but they’re dry. What can I do or is there a possibility that it’s not dry somewhere else underneath?

LESLIE: This is on the sill not on the glass, correct?

PAULINE: Yeah, on the sill and a little in the bathroom where there’s a Jacuzzi underneath; you know, it’s flush against that wall which wasn’t used at all.

TOM: I think you’re going to have to keep an eye on it because we need to know if it’s still active or not.

PAULINE: No, it’s not active now. It’s totally dry.

TOM: OK.

PAULINE: But it looks as though there had been a spill there, you know, and now it’s stained. It’s sort of – it’s the same color but it looks – there’s a watermark like you get sometimes in carpeting? That line?

TOM: I understand. But it’s on the windowsill. Is the windowsill …?

PAULINE: It’s on both sills.

TOM: The sills are painted or stained?

PAULINE: Painted.

TOM: OK, well then this is easy to fix. Do you happen to have any of that paint around?

PAULINE: Yeah.

TOM: Good. Don’t put it on before you put a primer step on first.

PAULINE: Mm-hmm.

TOM: OK? You’ve got to use a primer coat because what’ll happen is if you try to repaint that with a water stain …

PAULINE: Yes?

TOM: … that stain will put right through the paint and it’ll show up again and you’ll …

PAULINE: Oh, OK.

TOM: … you’ll just be – you’ll be hating yourself. So …

PAULINE: Is there any particular kind of primer? Is there a kind that I have to use?

TOM: If it’s just a little water stain like that you can use a water-based primer. You can go out and pick up a Behr water-based primer or a KILZ water-based primer. Get a little small can of it. They come in the pint-sized can. Get one of those foam brushes …

PAULINE: Mm-hmm.

TOM: … as you have a really small paint job here and do a coat of primer first. Prime the entire sill, not just the spot …

PAULINE: Mm-hmm.

TOM: … because otherwise when you put the paint on it won’t sort of lay right.

LESLIE: Not going to match.

TOM: Yeah. Well, it’s like rougher in one area than the other. And then just repaint the sill …

PAULINE: How long do I wait in between the processes?

TOM: Just enough for the primer to dry; you know, an hour or so if it’s a warm day. Shouldn’t be a problem.

PAULINE: OK. Thank you so much. I appreciate your help.

TOM: You’re welcome, Pauline. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.