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How To Paint Over Fire And Smoke Damage (Water-Based Method)

See our 3-step guide below for painting over fire and smoke-damaged interiors.

If you’re a business or a landlord that has recently suffered from fire damage, Zinsser’s low-odour, water-based products provide quick and professional redecoration of walls and ceilings.

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The Benefits

Step 1. Surface Preparation and Priming

Step 2. Priming

Step 3. Decoration

More Information

Further Reading


The Benefits

Zinsser listens to contactors and develops new products – or adds features to existing products – to meet their changing needs, delivering world class products that meet “real world” challenges, providing tried and tested solutions to painting problems, such as painting over fire and smoke damage.

Using water-based, low-odour Zinsser products can help a business that has suffered from fire damage to re-open quickly, minimising downtime and being less disruptive to customers and staff with fast drying times and low odours.

Landlords can quickly return properties back to the rental market after suffering damage from fire and smoke, blocking stains and redecorating to make a comfortable living space for future tenants.

Step 1. Surface Preparation and Priming

Make sure that surfaces are clean and dry, with nothing that will interfere or affect the adhesion or application of Zinsser products or materials. Scrape or brush (with a stiff-bristled brush) to remove loose and failing material to a sound edge, using a fine grade abrasive paper to feather the sound edges.

Prior to painting, the moisture content should not exceed 12%.

Remove all dust and then all visible signs of organic growth, treating the affected areas with Zinsser Mould Killer & Remover in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and allowing to dry.

Small surface defects and cracks can be filled with a suitable filler as appropriate in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, allowing the surface to dry before rubbing down with a fine grade abrasive paper and then removing all dust.

Patch prime all bare and filled areas with one coat of Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and allow to dry for a minimum of two hours (in normal drying conditions).

Step 2. Priming

Use one full coat of Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 to prime all areas, with best results when using two coats. Leave for 2 hours to dry when using as a stain blocker.

Step 3. Decoration

Decorate the suitably prepared and fully primed surface with two full coats of Zinsser Perma-White Interior and allow two hours to dry between coats. Perma-White Interior is available in more than 4,000+ colours from RAL, NCS, and British Standard across Matt, Satin and Gloss finishes.

*For severe staining or odour blocking, use Zinsser B-I-N Primer and follow the steps in our “How To Paint Over Interior Fire Damage” guide.

More Information

If you require more advice on painting over fire and smoke damage, give our technical team a call on 0113 2455450 (option 2) or send a message to [email protected].

Further Reading

More resources on the topic of painting over fire and smoke damage:

How To Paint Over Interior Fire Damage

Upgrades For Fire Doors

Fire Safety in the Workplace

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