Can I Paint Over Mold Stains

Mold and mildew can commonly appear on painted surfaces on the exterior of your home because of the moisture.

Can i paint over mold stains.

Don t worry this does not mean that it s antimicrobial properties are not working. Painting over mold is one of the most common methods to hide mold. Paint the area with mold resistant paint. Looking for a quick fix and wondering if you can paint over mold.

Before painting over the surface with a mold resistant paint make sure that the surface is as clean as possible that all the mold is either removed or covered with a mold sealant and that the surface is as dry as possible. When painting indoors choose a latex stain blocking primer because it creates a non porous film that prevents mold from feeding on atmospheric moisture. An additional sealer may be required such as kilz oil primer found in an easy to use spray can. One of the few things that are worse than painting over mold is painting over wet mold.

Instead of painting over mold remove as much mold as possible from a surface before painting it. More importantly if not properly treated mold can present serious health risks to you and your family. Mold can stain walls putting a major damper on the aesthetics of a room. The black and green spots don t typically make for a beautiful home.

Once that is done you can cover the area with zinnser bulls eye 1 2 3 waterbase primer. The bulls eye is mold and mildew resistant. Try as you might to hide it with a moisture resistant paint primer it always has a way of showing its face again especially if the source and reason are not discovered and taken care of. You might even consider applying two coats.

Painting over any mold or mildew can be done only after taking the necessary precautions and recommended steps. You must take a few extra steps that you might bypass when preparing a normal wall for paint. If you have a lot of water stains you may want to go with something stronger like zinnser guardz but kilz will not help you out in the water stains or mold issue. Use an antimicrobial cleanser we like foster 40 80 and a brush to clean the surface thoroughly.

This includes removing peeling paint sanding rough edges and removing dirt and mold. Mold grows quickly so if your walls are wet they may quickly become covered in it. Zinsser mold killing primer is a water based epa registered fungicidal protective coating that can be used to paint over and kill all existing mold mildew moss fungi odor causing bacteria and any other fungal organisms. The thicker the primer coat the better it can protect so apply the primer liberally.

Ignoring the issue around your home will continue to cause you mold and mildew health problems. Simply painting over mold stains is not going to remedy the problem.