[Help] ,Getting nicotine out of the ceiling.

Stat Brother · Mar 21, 2022

I've googled and YouTube, so I'm pretty much ready to go.
But as is customary I'd appreciate some help and tips from normal people - failing that I'm asking here... ...boom tish.

Having steamed off wallpaper the, originally looking decent enough, ceilings now has more than a passing resembles to toffee popcorn.
(Oh the joy of nicotine raining down on me as I worked, was something to behold).

I'm not replastering.
So am looking for advise and products to cover/clean what's seeping through and take a white top coat afterwards.

All for as cheap as possible.

Ta muchly.

Cowfold Seagull · Mar 21, 2022

Oh my God, what a grotesque job.

Good luck!

vegster · Mar 21, 2022

Calling [MENTION=5306]Questions[/MENTION]

dazzer6666 · Mar 21, 2022

Stat Brother said:
I've googled and YouTube, so I'm pretty much ready to go.
But as is customary I'd appreciate some help and tips from normal people - failing that I'm asking here... ...boom tish.

Having steamed off wallpaper the, originally looking decent enough, ceilings now has more than a passing resembles to toffee popcorn.
(Oh the joy of nicotine raining down on me as I worked, was something to behold).

I'm not replastering.
So am looking for advise and products to cover/clean what's seeping through and take a white top coat afterwards.

All for as cheap as possible.

Ta muchly.

Wash thoroughly (sugar soap works), and then use a primer (Zinsser CoverStain is great) to seal it. When we moved in here the whole family before us smoked, the walls and ceiling in the lounge were literally thick with amber scum............

AmexRuislip · Mar 21, 2022

Stat Brother said:
I've googled and YouTube, so I'm pretty much ready to go.
But as is customary I'd appreciate some help and tips from normal people - failing that I'm asking here... ...boom tish.

Having steamed off wallpaper the, originally looking decent enough, ceilings now has more than a passing resembles to toffee popcorn.
(Oh the joy of nicotine raining down on me as I worked, was something to behold).

I'm not replastering.
So am looking for advise and products to cover/clean what's seeping through and take a white top coat afterwards.

All for as cheap as possible.

Ta muchly.

Another shout for sugar soap.
When we moved into our house, I spent a day cleaning walls, ceilings and other such like.
The worst of it was in the bathroom, where on the wall tiles, that is condensation , was doing its own thing in trying to cut through the yellow gunk.
Disgusting habit IMO.

Bold Seagull · Mar 21, 2022

Stat Brother said:
I've googled and YouTube, so I'm pretty much ready to go.
But as is customary I'd appreciate some help and tips from normal people - failing that I'm asking here... ...boom tish.

Having steamed off wallpaper the, originally looking decent enough, ceilings now has more than a passing resembles to toffee popcorn.
(Oh the joy of nicotine raining down on me as I worked, was something to behold).

I'm not replastering.
So am looking for advise and products to cover/clean what's seeping through and take a white top coat afterwards.

All for as cheap as possible.

Ta muchly.

I had a few cracks in mine, I like the existing coving so didn't want to overboard it, and plastering would just meant return of the cracks eventually. So I screwed the existing boards with further fixings as they were old and nailed so come a bit loose over time. I scrapped out cracks to a V shape, then filled and fine sanded. This didn't take that long really. I then used a Wallrock Fibreliner which is a lining paper that has a slight stretch. You can get rolls of it and adhesive for it from Toolstation. I'm no decorating expert but me and the missus did a decent job on a ceiling that I think a lot of people would have written off as saving. It's pretty robust, and the adhesive has a good grab. I think it looks fine and is in-keeping with the age of the house - i.e. it's not perfect but it looks acceptable. They also do a thermal lining paper and a fireliner for improved fire resistence to the ceiling.

If you only need to paint and not suffering with cracks etc, head over to the Zinsser website, their stuff is made for this type of thing. Readily available from Toolstation etc.

happypig · Mar 21, 2022

Another vote for Zinsser B-I-N.

Stat Brother · Mar 21, 2022

Thanks chaps already I knew I was on the right track.

As usual it's reassuring to get that confirmed.

knocky1 · Mar 21, 2022

Mad not to get it skimmed. Perfect finish, cheap and easiest option.

Comrade Sam · Mar 21, 2022

And another vote for Zinsser B-I-N. It's made of shellac and dries in 20 minutes, give it 2 coats. You'll need to keep the room well ventilated. It's very watery so cover everything with plastic dust sheets. Use nail varnish remover to wash your hands and spills. Just chuck the brush and roller sleeves away. Job done. Alternatively paint your ceiling brown.

dazzer6666 · Mar 21, 2022

knocky1 said:
Mad not to get it skimmed. Perfect finish, cheap and easiest option.

That’s what I’ve done with every room since……..easy emulsion job thereafter.

knocky1 · Mar 21, 2022

dazzer6666 said:
That’s what I’ve done with every room since……..easy emulsion job thereafter.

I've been lucky with 3 plasterers at hand. Brother in law in Burgess Hill, mate of a mate and good old Bernard from Hackney now Hangleton.

Durlston · Mar 21, 2022

Reminds me of my gran and grandad's place in the eighties.

The ceiling was more yellow than Katie Price - hundreds and hundreds of Silk Cut finished grandad off in the end. He never smoked in the house when we visited though.

Saturdays - celery, Ceefax and flying my kite once a month. Childhood memories.

Wrong-Direction · Mar 21, 2022

5 minute job that

Sent from my SM-A326B using Tapatalk

Billy the Fish · Mar 21, 2022

Also used zinsser products, although I used bullseye. Bloody great stuff, covers anything

Easy 10 · Mar 21, 2022

Reminds me of a large office I used to work in back in the early 90's, which had a corner set aside with ceiling-to-floor glass panels for the smokers to go in and do their thing. Every now and then I'd have to poke my head round the door to say there's a call for so-and-so. My god, you couldn't see your hand in front of your face in there. I could have hung a medium sized hock from the cieiling, and it would've been thoroughly smoked by the end of the day.

Once the smoking ban came in they took those glass panels down, and that little corner of squared off ceiling was the colour of David Dickinsons arse. And the chairs STUNK.

Elbow750 · Mar 21, 2022

knocky1 said:
Mad not to get it skimmed. Perfect finish, cheap and easiest option.

Agreed. If there is any damage, cracks or sagging I'd always get it skimmed/ overboarded/ reboarded. Scummy nicotine or years of dirt and its a nightmare to get a decent finish. Fresh plaster finish also removes lingering odours and you have a fresh start.

Elbow750 · Mar 21, 2022

dazzer6666 said:
That’s what I’ve done with every room since……..easy emulsion job thereafter.

Shout out for Wickes new plaster paint. I used this for my re-plastered kitchen and it was amazing. Brilliant coverage and reasonably priced too.

Stat Brother · Mar 21, 2022

Durlston said:
Reminds me of my gran and grandad's place in the eighties.

The ceiling was more yellow than Katie Price - hundreds and hundreds of Silk Cut finished grandad off in the end. He never smoked in the house when we visited though.

Saturdays - celery, Ceefax and flying my kite once a month. Childhood memories.

Pa Stat was a fairly heavy smoker.
The ceiling above 'his' chair in the lounge was pretty grim, but I don't remember it spreading throughout the house.

Last week I was steaming the landing stairs and hall.
When I got to the hall the ceiling went from white enough to dark brown.

Today I did the chimney breast, and this time I was ready.
It literally took a matter of seconds from when the steam hit for the 'white' it turned brown.

The government wasted so much on anti smoking advertising.
All they needed was my new house and a wallpaper stemerofferer.

Grim doesn't even cover it.

WATFORD zero · Mar 21, 2022

Easy 10 said:
Reminds me of a large office I used to work in back in the early 90's, which had a corner set aside with ceiling-to-floor glass panels for the smokers to go in and do their thing. Every now and then I'd have to poke my head round the door to say there's a call for so-and-so. My god, you couldn't see your hand in front of your face in there. I could have hung a medium sized hock from the cieiling, and it would've been thoroughly smoked by the end of the day.

Once the smoking ban came in they took those glass panels down, and that little corner of squared off ceiling was the colour of David Dickinsons arse. And the chairs STUNK.

Hope you don't mind me asking, but how do you know the colour of David Dickinson's arse

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