How a home looks is usually important to the majority of homeowners. We do all kinds of cosmetic repairs inside and outside on a regular basis to enhance the beauty of our house. While the cosmetic issues of a home may not affect the sale value that much, it is always easier to live in or sell a home when it looks nice. One of the most used ways to improve the appearance of a house is by painting.



Painting is something that is usually done every few years either because of a change in decorating taste or because the paint gets scratched up, chipped, or just plain dirty because of children and everyday life. Painting can normally be done by the homeowner if they choose to do it to save money, but many prefer to have a professional to come in and do the messy job.

One issue that many homeowners have a problem with when painting themselves is if they have to cover very bad wall or ceiling stains. Sometimes these stains can be caused from previous water damage. Anytime there has been water damage to sheetrock or wood on the walls or ceilings, before any painting at all is done, it should be checked thoroughly for mold growth. Mold does not develop every time these surfaces are exposed to water. It will usually depend on how much water there was and how long it was wet.

If the water only penetrated enough to cause a surface stain and was dried quickly, there very well may not be any mold issue, but if you see any evidence of mold at all, you must make sure it is either killed completely or tear out the area and replace it. Once you have resolved a mold issue if there was one, then you can begin painting over the water stained spot.

There are special paints available that will cover water marks and other hard to paint over stains. You might need to ask for help when you go to purchase your paint to make sure what you are buying will be effective. Many of these paints will cover in one coat. Sometimes darker places may require two coats to cover the stains thoroughly.

You might not be able to scrub away water stains at all before you begin painting, but some stains like scuff marks could be lightened or removed completely by beforehand cleaning. The cleaner your wall or ceiling surface is before you start painting, the easier the paint will cover over all.