Transcription
Hi there. In today's video, I'm gonna show you how to successfully eradicate and paint over mold and mildew stains performed in a badly ventilated area behind a storage unit. And this is the storage unit itself, which sits next to a cupboard I built several years ago to house our washing machine and tumble dryer. I'm pulling away the unit, we quickly see mold all over the walls, which is so common in areas where you've got poor air circulation.
Now, a quick word before we start on safety. Our owner net just recommends you should only tackle mold if it's caused by condensation and covers an area of less than one square meter. If it covers more than this, or is caused by sewage or other contaminated water, you shouldn't tackle it yourself and you should get an expert involved.
In today's video, we're going to be using Zinsser as a universal degreaser and cleaner and mold killer and remover. We're then going to be using Zinsser BIN primer and a stain killer and Perma-White interior paint top coat. To avoid confusion, I should just point out this is the new design of the can, whereas the can I'm using in the video is the old design. The change is rolling out, but some of the old cans may be in circulation for a while.
It's a good idea to have a paintbrush, mini roller and roller tray, and potentially a scrubbing brush, sandpaper. And I find disposable latex gloves are also a really good idea, as is a paint scuttle, 9-inch roller and quick-release extension pole when you're working on ceilings or other difficult to reach areas. And finally, when tackling mold, you must protect yourself from mold spores by wearing the correct gear. I bought these goggles from Screwfix and these two face masks from Travis Perkins. And by using the mask, you'll not only protect yourself from mold spores, but also from inhalation of these sprays. And details of all the tools used in today's video, well, as usual, will be in the description below the video.
So, why Zinsser BIN? Well, if you watch my videos regularly, you'll know I'm a big fan of Zinsser BIN shellac primer. I'm doing the old video series at the moment, showcasing some of that paint in real-life scenarios, and I was well impressed with the way BIN and Perma-White combined to block the mold stains you'll see today. So I thought I just had to share with you. But don't take my word for it. Let me know in the comment section below if you've had good experiences with other paints in this scenario, and also just generally what you think of today's paints.
Step one, preparation. Now, mold forms for a reason. It forms when moisture in the air is deposited on a cold surface, and that means that this cold surface is damp and felt wet to the touch just after I pulled away the storage unit. So, if you can get out a dehumidifier, for example, to remove the moisture from the wall, fantastic. Or, the very least, get a heater in the room to dry out the wall as much as possible. So you've dried out the surface and prepared it for painting. And the paints we use today will prevent that mold coming back through in the future. But speaking of the future, you want to prevent new mold forming down the line, and to do that, you've got to tackle the sources of the mold in the first place, which in my case were bad air circulation and damp. I did a video comprehensively dealing with all this a couple of weeks ago, and a link to that is coming up on the screen now.
So, all surfaces want to be clean, dry, and free from anything that will lessen the adhesion of the paint. When you can remove all loose and failing skills with a stiff bristle brush to a sound edge, and feather those sound edges with a fine grade abrasive sandpaper. I'm using 120 grit here. Then give the surface a really good clean with Zinsser's Universal Degreaser and Cleaner. Make sure that, unlike me, you use your rubber gloves here, and rinse thoroughly to remove any residue. With a dehumidifier running for a couple of hours on a good wash down with the degreaser and cleaner, and the wall is already looking so much better.
Next is time to treat all mold affected areas with Zinsser Mold Killer and Remover. We spray the mold killer directly onto the surface and leave it to dry before painting. It's a good idea at this stage to fill any cracks or surface defects with a suitable filler. In my case, this involved a two-part wood filler on the skirting board and a gypsum-based wall filler on a few surface defects. You want to let these set and again, rub them down with a fine grade abrasive sandpaper, removing all dust with a vacuum. And these HEPA filter bags I always use in my Henry give me the best possible chance of retaining any harmful dust inside the vacuum. And then the finishing flourish here was to re-caulk the skirting board.
Okay, so we're on to the all-important priming stage. And for this, we're going to be using Zinsser BIN. Now, this paint has replaced all other primers I use on my YouTube channel. So let's find out a little bit more about what makes this paint so unique. For a start, it's a shellac-based primer, sealer, and stain killer. It offers unparalleled adhesion to glossy surfaces, including glass, without the need for scuff sanding, and blocks stubborn and persistent stains. It seals porous surfaces, even sealing bleeding knots, water stains, fungal degradation, nicotine, oil stains, marker pens, I could go on. It also blocks every kind of odor from smoke and fire damage to odors from pets and nicotine. When dried, is non-toxic and hypoallergenic, perfect for interior ceilings, walls, doors, and also spot priming on exterior metal trims, PVC, and wood. What's perhaps most remarkable about this paint is it's dry in 15 minutes and recoatable in 45, which means you can get so much more painting done during the day. And finally, it's tintable to mid-tone colors. As I've only got a small area to paint, I'm using my mini 4.5-inch roller to prime all stained, bare, and filled areas with one coat of BIN. For larger areas, you might want to consider using a 9-inch roller, and you should allow 45 minutes drying time in normal conditions. And I also took this opportunity to prime the skirting boards and the cupboard that houses the washing machine and tumble dryer that I made several years earlier out of scrap wood. And even with just this primer coat, the transformation from what we had a few moments ago is dramatic.
Now, whilst the Zinsser official line is that you can spot prime, my advice to you would be to paint the entire wall wherever possible. This paint is so quick drying, it's tempting to apply more than one coat. And in this situation, I had a little bit of a line between the primed area and the rest of the wall, which I felt I needed to feather so that it wasn't obvious when I applied the top coat. Now, now, some of this being a shellac-based paint is you're going to need to use Zinsser's own brush cleaner or alternatively methylated spirits. However, I don't see this as being a massive issue because, if anything, the paintbrush with the shellac paint on is, I think, easier to clean than your typical solvent-based oil-based paint. What I tend to do is get as much of the paint off as I can using a bit of kitchen roll. I then have two jars. I tend to have a clean jar with some brush cleaner in it, and then an old jar with a lid on which has historic brush cleaner, and I clean off the majority of the paint in the old jar. Again, get the brush a good wipe with a kitchen roll, give it a final rinse in the jar of new brush cleaner, a quick rinse under warm water, and it's good to go again. I've said what these paint brushes are, professional paint brushes from the Johnstone's Decorators Centre, and I do find them a little bit bushy for the more delicate jobs. Clearly, if you're using a mini roller, it's not going to be as easy to clean. And I have to say, when I'm using a mini roller, I tend to, after each application, wrap it in cling film on the roll. If I'm using it again a couple of days later, store it in a cold place. Alternatively, just store it in a sealable plastic bag and then throw it away after the last application.
And so we're onto the final stage of decorating with two full coats of Zinsser Perma-White. Why is this paint so good for this application? Well, it's mold resistant and contains a biocide which protects against fungal degradation. It bonds to multiple surfaces such as existing solvent-based or glossy paints, flat paint, new drywall, cement, block, and concrete. And it's ideally suited for any area of persistent high humidity, frequent temperature changes, and poor air circulation. It comes in a matte and satin finish, is touch dry in 30 minutes, recoatable in 2 hours, and finally, it's tintable. And this is great because I've been able to get the matte version that I'm using tinted to the Farrow & Ball color I've got in my kitchen. And one thing that strikes me when using this paint is just how impressive the coverage is. And with the first coat now fully dry, all that remains is for me to apply a second coat to the wall.
So that's it, the job's complete. And with the help of Zinsser BIN and Perma-White, we've totally transformed a moldy, damp space into a pristine new environment. I really hope you found today's video useful. For more information, go to Zinsser's website where you'll find a lot more how-to guides and information on their products. And you can also download a free pocket guide which has information on all the paints and how to use them. If you liked today's video, do please click on the like button below. And if you're new to my channel, I would absolutely love to have you subscribe. You could do that by clicking on the link here. See you soon.