How to paint or stain ceilings & architraves

Q. I am trying to paint a house we have just purchased the kitchen ceiling obviously was never cleaned by the old owners we have scrubbed it but some fly spots still remain. What can I do to avoid this coming through my paint?

A. When repainting, apply Resene Waterborne Sureseal. This will hide the fly dirt. Follow by applying two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint or Resene SpaceCote Flat.

If you are finding that flies are a problem, you could add Resene Fly Deterrent to any Resene waterborne paint as the time of purchase. This deters flies from sitting on the surface – the less they sit the smaller and fewer the fly spots.

November 2023

Q. I have been painting my ceiling which has wooden beams throughout. I believe they were oil stained previously. The shop assistant suggested that I use Resene Enamel Undercoat general purpose as the primer for the wood. I have painted over the wood with Resene Enamel Undercoat, and the white ceiling (not sure what material it is), with Resene Broadwall Waterborne Wallboard Sealer; however, the edges have started to turn yellow where I have painted the topcoat with ceiling white. I am not sure what to do now. Perhaps I should not have been recommended to use Resene Enamel Undercoat but, instead, a primer for oil stains. Or am I supposed to paint the whole ceiling with the Resene Enamel Undercoat primer - including the wood and textured ceiling?

I cleaned and sanded everything before painting. The undercoat was hard dried before topcoating.

A. I suggest applying Resene Enamel Undercoat over the yellowing areas as a block. This may or may not work as staining from wooden beams can be very strong and can be hard to keep back.

If you could purchase a different product, I recommend Resene Wood Primer Aluminium. This is the best product to work on active stains but try a second coat of Resene Enamel Undercoat first.

November 2023

Q. I have a stained ceiling on native wood beams. I was advised to seal with Resene Wood Primer. I put a topcoat on it which I have noticed a lot of bleeding is happening. Is there a topcoat I can use to help eliminate this without sealing the whole ceiling again?

A. If you are getting bleed through using Resene Wood Primer you could try Resene Aluminium Wood Primer. This product is oil based also but contains aluminium flakes that when painted lay, so they trap whatever is underneath. This product can take a very long time to dry – sometimes months before topcoating is possible. You will know if the product is not dry as it will remain slightly soft and leave fingermarks behind when pressed. Before top coating Resene Aluminium Wood Primer it is good practise to wipe the surface using turps to remove residue if any. You could try using Resene Decorator Alkyd Flat as another attempt of blocking. It wouldn’t be as good as priming again.

September 2023

Q. We painted our kitchen/dining/family ceiling with your fly deterrent paint. We had a lot of fliers over summer who still left fly marks on the ceiling.

I am wondering if you could advise why the deterrent didn’t work – was there some special way to apply the paint the I missed?

A. There is not a set amount of time that Resene Fly Deterrent is effective for. Testing has shown a significant reduction in fly spots when using the product. Resene Fly Deterrent discourages flies from sitting on painted surfaces but will not harm or kill them. It works best indoors in dry areas and is ideal for separate toilet areas, lounges, bedrooms etc and in commercial projects in ‘dry’ areas. In wet or steamy areas, the fly deterrent effect will wear off faster. Cleaning of the painted area will also reduce the fly deterrent effect.

The Fly Deterrent additive is not designed to kill on contact or uptake of the active agent but to repel flies and discourage them from sitting on the surface. The less they sit on the surface the fewer and smaller the fly spots. The repellence is only there close to the surface so using the product will not deter flies from entering or remaining in the room air space.

If your home is prone to lots of flies, you may want to use time release spray units as these generate airborne insecticide that will have a greater effect on the fly population.

July 2023

Q. I'm needing to seal some Tasmanian Oak lining boards which are going to be lining a ceiling in a bathroom and laundry, so exposure to moisture will be guaranteed. I’m looking for a clear coat, and was wondering what the most suitable product would be and whether there's any benefit to opting for one finish/sheen level over another?

The job is a renovation which has building consent, and the only building standards are the Aus National Construction Code, which has no restrictions regarding the job being undertaken.

The flattest finish we’d probably be able to get away with would be a satin to try to preserve the natural look of the timber.

Will an oil-based product still yellow off over time even if it’s not exposed to direct UV?

Do you know if there’s a difference in the % sheen between a water-based flat/satin vs an oil-based flat/satin?

We’ve previously used Resene Aquaclear in a satin with great results, but haven’t used it in a wet area.

A. The higher the sheen level the better the coating performs again moisture, as the coating is less porous.

In saying this more people do not want a glossy ceiling as the higher the sheen level the more imperfections can be seen.

An oil base polyurethane/varnish can be used in a wet area but these often have a very slight warm undertone that will slowly get warmer with age. Water-based versions do not have this.

Please note that the timber will also get a warmer tone as it ages, very slowly. A coating will not prevent this.

In New Zealand, it is required to use an oil based option in a moisture splash zone.

The satin version of Resene Aquaclear has a sheen level percentage of 30%. The satin version of the Resene Qristal Clear oil based polyurethane is 35%.

The Resene Qristal Clear flat is 7.5%.

We have an Aquaclear Natural finish (the most similar to a flat) in our range but we do not recommend this for your project.

The oil based polyurethane will still yellow even without direct sunlight unfortunately.

If you go with Resene Aquaclear you could apply four coats for added film thickness and steam protection, rather than the standard three coats.

July 2023

Q. What would be the best product to apply to a plywood ceiling (group 3) when we want a clear finish stain look not paint? Would it be Resene Colorwood and Resene Aquaclear?

A. Resene Colorwood stain and Resene Aquaclear would be the best-water based options.

Table A1, for Group fire ratings, will offer Group 3 with or without a coating.

July 2023

Q. Our recently purchased home has beautiful varnished timber beams and ceilings throughout. We wish to paint them white to create ‘The Hamptons’ look. We have been advised that preparation and the correct paint application is paramount.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal directly to the varnished beams and allow it to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better.

There is no need to sand the varnish, unless there are any paint runs or bumps etc that you would like to smooth out. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat or Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until a full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

February 2023

Q. I have foolishly used Sugar Soap Wall & Surface Wipes on the ceiling and now have glossy patches. I've tried rubbing it with a damp microfibre cloth as the supplier suggested but no joy. Any ideas how I can remove the glossy patches without necessarily repainting the entire ceiling?

A. Unfortunately this sounds like burnishing and cannot be reversed. You would be best to reapply the ceiling paint. If you like to regularly wipe the ceiling, use Resene SpaceCote Flat which is more wipeable than standard ceiling paint.

February 2023

Q. Can I use Resene Ceiling Paint to paint new scotia once the scotia has had a primer applied?

A. If the scotia is not in a wet area such as a bathroom and is not prone to regular cleaning/knocks then yes.

January 2023

Q. We are getting our bedroom ceiling painted by a painter and we have chosen Resene Alabaster as our colour. The ‘GIB® cove’ will be in semi-gloss. We have had conflicting information as to what our ceiling should be. The plasterboard is plastered to a grade 4 finish and it’s a reasonably light room with angled ceiling. Should the ceiling be painted in a ‘flat finish’ or ‘low sheen gloss’ or something else?

A. Traditionally ceilings are painted with a flat finish. Over the last 10 years low sheen has also become very popular for ceilings too. Flatter finishes hide more surface imperfections than a low-sheen finish.

Low-sheen finishes are popular because they only have a small amount of shine compared with semi-gloss and gloss finishes. They provide more cleanability and wipe ability than a flat finish.

Critical lighting is something to consider, I’ll add some information below.

Critical light, usually from a window and light fittings that cut their light at acute angles across walls or ceiling surfaces, will highlight the jointing and fixing points of plasterboard and other imperfections, such as repairs in otherwise smooth uniform surfaces. It is best to anticipate the effects of critical light on wallboard walls and ceilings in the lighting plan and window positioning at the design stage and by requiring a Level 5 finish for the wallboard fixing and stopping. Critical light issues are acerbated when higher gloss paints are selected and used, and /or paint with relatively high side sheens (when viewed at low angles). Resene SpaceCote Flat or Low Sheen utilise special technology that controls side sheen and should be considered, particularly SpaceCote Flat if critical light is anticipated to be or is an issue.’’

January 2023

Q. I am getting tracking marks in the paint on a ceiling. It’s like it is drying before I have finished the row of rolling.

A. It sounds like you’re losing your wet edge. I would thin the paint with Resene Hot Weather Additive, or even some water will help (no more than 5%) to slow down the dry time and give the paint a chance to level out.

In order to avoid unsightly roller tracking it is important to maintain the paint’s ‘wet edge’ by working across the shortest distance of the ceiling and completing each coat in a single application without stopping.

After this, if it still looks a bit patchy, I’d leave it to cure a few days and look back on it, sometimes the curing stage will help it flatten off a bit further.

I would sand to be on the safe side and try to remove any overlap marks which are extra texture the roller has left.

Roller texture is what we want to achieve but it has to be a consistent texture, so if you have uneven spots best to lightly sand and smooth out those.

October 2022

Q. I have a macrocarpa tongue-and-groove sarked ceiling which has been sealed but not stained. We want to paint it white. What paint should I use please?

A. Resene Quick Dry should work as the primer. You may be well advised to lightly sand the existing sealer timber to profile for adhesion, dust off/wipe down with a damp cloth to remove residual sanding dust before priming.

After priming apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat.

June 2022

Q. Our current ceiling paint is badly marked where the previous owner has attempted to wipe fly spots off it (there are shiny and discoloured patches where they wiped). We are about to renovate the kitchen – is there a ceiling paint variety we can use that we can wipe down without this happening?

A. Flat ceiling paints are burnished when cleaned, this creates a smoother finish to that of the surrounding areas. The best flat white paint we have for ceilings is Resene SpaceCote Flat.

April 2022

Q. We have a couple of old water stains on some textured ceiling we would like to paint (painting the whole ceiling, not just the marks). What would be the best paints, rollers and method to use on the ceilings? Especially with them being textured. Also, what’s the best method of cleaning these types of ceiling prior to painting?

A. Clean with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Seal any bare areas and the water stain with Resene Sureseal, followed by two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint in your desired colour.

A mohair 5 or 6mm or our PAL #4 microfibre will be best for the Resene Sureseal.

A PAL #2 12mm roller sleeve on a roller handle with an extension pole is best for a textured ceiling.

April 2022

Q. I have used linseed oil on my Doug fir ceiling but as some of it was grey and some pink it looks terrible. I would like to even it out by staining but don’t know what I can use over the linseed.

A. With our Resene Colorwood stains being semi-transparent, the underlying colour from the different grades of timber will show through. It could work with a dark enough coloured stain but then the entire area will darken. You may be best to consider painting some of the areas that you are unhappy with, with paint rather than a stain?

February 2022

Q. What can I apply over an old linseed oil finished ceiling?

A. Use Resene Colorwood in a colour of your choice.

February 2022

Q. Can we use Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel on the ceiling?

A. Yes it can, as long as it is applied over an appropriately prepared and primed surface. It is a semi-gloss finish which may highlight surface imperfections is certain lighting conditions.

October 2021

Q. Our ceiling has a lot of little patches showing when light is coming in horizontally. I tried cleaning an area but the patches don’t go away. It seems like it might be more like incorrectly prepared or painted. It is more obvious when there is more light coming in from windows in background.

A. Critical lighting, critical lighting related to architecture occurs when light from fixtures or windows reflects onto a surface and highlights imperfections. In the case of suspended wood ceilings and walls, their proximity to glazing and light fixtures can be a crucial design consideration, however not sure why these defects have become noticeable recently. Have there been any roof leaks?

Critical light issues are usually best addressed by application of a flat ceiling paint, not sure if the existing paint is a flat gloss level. White is also the best to reduce the impact of critical lighting. In your case it may be difficult to resolve the issue if the cause is indeed critical lighting.

October 2021

Q. Do I need to sand between coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat on my kitchen ceiling?

A. No, freshly applied waterborne paints do not sand easily and sanding is not required for intercoat adhesion.

September 2021

Q. How do we paint timber-panelled, exposed-beam cathedral ceilings? The timber panelling is tongue-and-groove Douglas Fir. We would like to paint the panelling to lighten the place up and modernise. We have spoken to a number of painters all of whom recommend different methods! Some insist on gap filling the tongue-and-groove while others claim that the natural timber movement will result in unsightly cracking. The panelling and beams do not appear to be varnished - my guess is that they are clear oil finished as there is no ‘build’ that you normally see with polyurethane or varnish.

A. We don’t recommend trying to fill the gaps between tongue-and-groove panelling. While it can be done, the gaps are often far too wide and deep to use standard gap fillers. Assuming the timber has been oiled and the oil has hard dried, then a clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and a thorough sand to profile/degloss is the required prep. Then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat.

August 2021

Q. I have recently painted a ceiling with semi-gloss waterborne enamel but would now like a matt finish. What do I need to do to repaint it?

A. Lightly sand to key then wipe down and apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat.

August 2021

Q. My ceiling has areas of crackling/peeling paint. What fillers, primers and paints should I use?

A. You are best advised to strip the existing paint, then apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal, an undercoat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint. If this is a bathroom the topcoat will be Resene SpaceCote Kitchen & Bathroom.

August 2021

Q. We are about to install a Cedar batten ceiling in our kitchen and family room. We want to retain the natural colour and look of the cedar as much as possible. A painter suggested that a satin product would be best in this type of area to aid occasional cleaning. However I don’t think this would happen very often at all, perhaps only after an accidental dose of champagne!

A. You could use Resene Aquaclear Natural.

August 2021

Q. I have some cracks in the ceiling of my lounge. I’m getting a plasterboard stopper in to fix them. What type of paint should I use?

A. As the ceiling is in a dry area, prime the plaster repairs with Resene Broadwall Waterborne Wallboard Sealer then finish with two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint or Resene SpaceCote Flat.

June 2021

Q. We have a 1950s home with fibrous plaster ceilings. The ceilings were repainted with Resene SpaceCote Flat about 11 years ago. They are in sound condition, but we have done alterations and are redecorating. Can we apply two coats of new Resene SpaceCote Flat directly over existing, or do we need to use an undercoat?

A. Bare fibrous plaster needs to be sealed with Resene Sureseal. Sand the existing waterborne enamel to profile for recoating, wipe clean to remove sanding dust then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry over the new sealed fibrous plaster and prepared Resene SpaceCote Flat before reapplying two coats of waterborne enamel topcoat, such as Resene SpaceCote Flat.

June 2021

Q. I am preparing a ceiling in a 1920s house for repainting. The ceiling has sustained some water damage through a leak and has been stained as a consequence. My preparation has included filling larger cracks and small holes and imperfections. I have let them both dry for two days and have sanded them down to a smooth surface.

Should I use Resene Sureseal to seal the affected stained parts appropriate before I apply a water based, flat white ceiling paint, or should I just apply a couple of coats of ceiling white?

A. Yes, apply Resene Sureseal to seal off areas of water staining. If not sealed then the stains will become activated and move into the waterborne top coat paint.

May 2021

Q. I’m painting a bedroom with lighting that picks up any ceiling imperfections. Does Resene Ceiling Paint provide a flatter finish than Resene SpaceCote Flat?

A. There is no real difference in gloss between the two products, however Resene Ceiling Paint may have a slightly lower side sheen which would be required in your situation.

May 2021

Q. I have painted my windows and skirting in a Resene off white. I asked for a ceiling paint to match. I was given Resene ceiling paint waterborne paint. It is more cream and yellow based than my white trims. I was sold this and told it would be a little different due to being more flat but it is not as bright white as the trims. What can I do to get the ceiling paint more bright white?

A. The gloss level of the paint has a huge effect on how sharp a white will be. Gloss paints are the sharpest white, ceiling paints tend to have a creamier tone. Ceiling paints are formulated using a large volume of pigments to achieve the flat finish, these pigments by nature do not have the whiteness of titanium dioxide which is the standard white pigment used by the paint industry. To achieve a brighter white you could use Resene SpaceCote Flat White.

May 2021

Q. Can we use ceiling paint on cornices?

A. Yes, you can use Resene Ceiling Paint for cornices.

March 2021

Q. We are building a new house and want to use plywood on the ceiling inside as well as on the exterior just under the covered deck roof. We would like the plywood inside and outside to be the same finish so that it looks consistent. We have a raking ceiling with the stacking glass doors at the end leading to the covered deck, with triangle/raking windows above. If we use a standard pine plywood (treated ply on the exterior), we aren't sure how to finish the plywood. We want to keep the natural blonde colour of the pine. Would Resene Aquaclear or Resene Qristal Polyurethane work for a satin finish? Can those products be used outside?

A. The interior/exterior continuum is becoming more common. It’s easy to achieve when a solid paint system is required, not so easy for a semi-transparent stain finish. Exposure of the stained surfaces to UV is the issue, a wide canopy cover is better, but the pitch of the canopy can be such that UV exposure could hit areas at the outer edge. So, in principle, to achieve a whitewash finish the system would be a basecoat of Colorwood Whitewash, over coated with a clear. The clear would need to have UV protection to both the interior and exterior sections as the interface will be open on occasions. The best clear would be Resene Clearcoat UVS, this is a gloss clear but can be overcoated with Resene Concrete Clear of a lower gloss level. So, apply a full even coat of Resene Clearcoat UVS over the Resene Colorwood Whitewash base and then two coats of Resene Concrete Clear.

March 2021

Q. What are the suitable (clear) products to use on a new birch plywood ceiling?

A. Birch will yellow over time, even if used indoors. You can apply a Resene Aquaclear waterborne varnish system, the product contains a small amount of a UV blocker (this is not present in the Resene Aquaclear Natural) which will extend but not stop the yellowing of the Birch substrate. The UV blocker will give the dry Resene Aquaclear film a slight yellow colour. I suggest that you apply the system to an off cut of the ply to check you are happy with the finish.

February 2021

Q. Do you have a suitable product to air spray and protect an asbestos stipple ceiling? It might be PVA based.

A. Our recommended sealer is a saturation coat of Resene Sureseal. The sealed surface can then be overcoated with waterborne ceiling paints. Resene Sureseal also acts as a stain blocker.

January 2021

Q. I have few fully sanded Douglas Fir rafters (in my cathedral ceiling) that I want to protect and preserve the light colour. I am considering Resene Colorwood Whitewash and Resene Aquaclear.

A. Resene Aquaclear is a waterborne varnish, it does dry to a pale yellow clear film but this does not change upon ageing unlike a solventborne clear varnish. If the previous waterborne varnish that you used was a gloss then there may have been a perception/degree of wood darkening if the cedar did become absorbed into the timber, the best way to explain this is the dry/wet stone effect. This can happen with any gloss clear, tends to be less for a waterborne gloss however. If the whitewash effect is film forming then application of Resene Aquaclear should not result in a darker timber colour. For a tannin containing timber the best clear to use to prevent tannin staining is a solvent borne varnish, the seal coat can then be overcoated with an waterborne clear.

January 2021

Q. We have a plywood ceiling at a low key bach in Coromandel that has previously been sealed with a 4-way mixture of tung oil, mineral turps, polyurethane and linseed oil. We are wanting to lighten the look of the ceiling perhaps with a whitewash or paint. We would prefer to get away with as little preparation as possible and hopefully use a waterbased product, but what would you recommend we use?

A. You can use Resene Colorwood Whitewash but the existing coating will need to be degreased and thoroughly sanded, sorry there is no short cut on this one.

December 2020

Q. I need to paint the internal roof of our packaging room, it is lined with thermal panels, which are a polystyrene type material. Can I paint this? Also I will need to do some prep work as there is a bit of mould and mildew that won’t wash off. Would I need to seal it with something and can I get a paint that has mould/mildew inhibiters in it?

A. If any areas of moss or mould infestation exist then treat them with Resene Moss & Mould Killer, diluted and used to label directions. For heavy infestations more applications may be needed. Apply a base coat of Resene Quick Dry then for the best topcoat option apply Resene Kitchen & Bathroom waterborne enamel.

December 2020

Q. I will get engineered timber for the bathroom ceiling. What type of coating should I get for protection from moisture?

A. Apply a primer coat of Resene Wood Primer followed by an undercoat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom.

November 2020

Q. What sealer and paint do I use on an Artex ceiling?

A. Depending upon the age of the Artex ceiling, the ceiling may contain asbestos as a reinforcing fibre. The only possible sealer would be Resene Sureseal followed by two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint.

November 2020

Q. What paint do you recommend for a bathroom ceiling?

A. If new Aqualine GIB® then a seal coat of Resene Sureseal, an undercoat of Resene Quick Dry and two coats of Resene SpaceCote Kitchen & Bathroom paint.

September 2020

Q. We have a tongue-and-groove ceiling, probably coated with polyurethane, that we wish to repaint white. What primer would you recommend before we apply the finish coats?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Sand flat sections of the existing polyurethane using 220 grit sandpaper to profile for recoating. You do not need to sand off the existing clear coating. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat or Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen.

September 2020

Q. I am a part owner in a commercial building where a few ceiling coatings have a whisper texture applied. We had it tested and it contains asbestos. We are taking the encapsulating option of spray painting the surface ourselves. Is there a special paint we must use? We believe we need to spray an oil base coverage first before two acrylic coats.

A. Asbestos was used as a reinforcing filler in textured ceiling coatings. The paint system would be to spray apply a saturation coat of Resene Sureseal then apply two coats of a waterborne topcoat.

June 2020

Q. I want to put some varnish on my bathroom ceiling. The ceiling is quite low near the shower area. As wood on the ceiling becomes weak and mould grows, I want to protect them with a strong water resistance vanish. Could you recommend me a product please?

A. Mould growth is associated with poorly ventilated areas where there is high humidity. You can treat the mould using Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions but, unless the room environment can be changed, mould growth will return. Have you considered fitting a Showerdome over the shower top? This will reduce steam condensing on the timbers above the shower top. Alternatively you can look to install efficient steam removal along with the Showerdome.

May 2020

Q. Can Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel exterior/interior paint be used for ceilings and architraves?

A. Yes it can as long as it is applied over an appropriately prepared and primed surface. It is a semi-gloss finish which may highlight surface imperfections is certain lighting conditions.

April 2020

Q. I am going to paint a celling with Pinex tiles on it and want to know if I should brush paint the joints before using a roller? They are smallish tiles.

A. We recommend applying a full coat of Resene Sureseal before topcoating these tiles. If the joints are powder coated metal apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer.

April 2020

Q. When sanding my ceiling in a 1960s built house small fibres appear – why is this?

A. If this is a textured celling do not continue to sand as the fibres may be asbestos. Suggest that you contact a company in your area that undertakes asbestos testing.

April 2020

Q. I believe I have mildew growing on my garage ceiling. It's not bad but is thin yellow white film. The garage is not insulated. It is low single pitch with a small cavity and the door doesn't form a seal.

What paint shall I use to reduce mildew in my garage? And I am wasting my time and should I just fix the installation issue?

A. Mildew growth is usually a sign of poor ventilation along with high air moisture content and low light conditions.

Treat the celling with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions, Ensure the area is wiped down with water and a cloth, with water changes. Allow to dry put then apply two coats of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat. The Resene Quick Dry has a package that will inhibit future bio growth but existing growth must be killed first with the Resene Moss & Mould Killer treatment.

April 2020

Q. I have a T&G varnished wood ceiling that I would like to paint but don't want to sand it. I have heard of a bonding primer and want to know if this is available.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. A light sand always assist in achieving the best adhesion of the primer.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene SpaceCote Flat.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

March 2020

Q. What is the best process to paint over a wooden ceiling painted with polyurethane (I think)? Built in 1996.

A. Clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Apply a full coat of Resene StainLock and finish with two coats of white topcoat paint.

January 2020

Q. I have my bathroom ceiling paint peeling off. I need an undercoat and paint to replace it.

A. You will have to strip the existing paintwork back to sound then apply a coat of Resene Sureseal, a coat of Resene Quick Dry and two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom.

December 2019

Q. i have a mouldy ceiling I need to paint. Can i use the Resene Sureseal to cover it as the undercoat?

A. You will need to treat the mould areas using Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Then apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal followed by a coat of Resene Quick Dry before applying two coats of topcoat paint.

Q. I have an open plan lounge, dining and kitchen area. The ceiling is currently painted with a flat white paint and is in need of refreshing. The ceiling is in very good condition as the house is only 10 years old. However, the log burner has caused the ceiling to go quite black with soot/smoke. I have tried washing it off but it just smudges it further. What ceiling paint would you recommend I use and would I need to put some kind of undercoat on to cover the black first?

A. Apply Resene Sureseal to areas of smoke damage, then apply waterborne ceiling paint, such as Resene SpaceCote Flat or Resene Ceiling Paint.

Q. We have a conservatory area with polyurethane finished douglas fir rafters that have become water stained. What would be the best way to renovate these rafters so that the water stains are no longer visible? We would like to retain the natural timber finish if possible.

A. The only way is to strip the clear varnish back to bare timber then thoroughly sand to remove the water staining, or treat the bare stained areas with a 5% solution of oxalic acid, then sand.

However if you reapply a clear, the staining may reappear unless the water source that is generating the staining can be identified and blocked.

Q. We have a new Pinex ceiling which is very porous. Can you suggest an undercoat or suitable sealer?

A. Resene Sureseal would be our recommendation.

Q. We are having a macrocarpa tongue-and-groove ceiling installed and I would like to know which is the best product to use for oiling or staining and ease of use and touching up later?

A. For oiling, we recommend Resene Danska Teak Oil. For staining, we recommend Resene Colorwood stain overcoated with Resene Aquaclear waterborne varnish.

Q. We have polyurethane coated chipboard ceilings, with wooden beams. We want to paint them to lighten the rooms. There are some gaps between the beams and ceiling panels - my question is what do we seal the gaps with, and what paints and processes do we need to use for the ceiling and beams?

A. You can use the following system to paint a varnished substrate, using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene waterborne topcoat paint.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

The topcoats can be applied to cartridge filler that can be topcoated with a waterborne paint.  There is no need for Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer for painting cured sealants. There are often requests to fill the gaps in tongue and groove ceilings. The sealant often breaks as a result of movement of the tongue and grove boards even though it is extendable.

Q. I am a do-it-yourself homeowner. I am not a novice painter and have had good results in the past.

I am painting the ceiling of my living room/dining room. The area is 9.5m x 5m. The long wall is north facing, with floor to ceiling windows supplying a lot of light. It has been undercoated twice with Resene Broadwall sealer and covered with Resene ceiling paint. I have used a roller and the correct sleeve. I had no trouble with the undercoats. However, with the topcoat, most of the joins are obvious in certain light. There is also a slight roughness to texture of the paint at the joins. I have recoated, but the joins are still obvious. Because of same colour on same colour and the glare, I found it quite difficult to see as I painted the topcoat. I enquired if the heat is a factor and if drying the paint before returning to paint the next segment and work it into the previous segment, or I am not using enough paint, or I am doing something else wrong.

A. What you are battling is critical lighting.

The issue with joints is probably is a result of sanding of the stopped joints, resulting in furring of the paper face at the paper/stopping overlap. Suggest using a fine sandpaper grade to denib the areas showing the defects then apply 1 or 2 coats of Resene Broadwall Surface Prep and Seal to the affected areas (maybe best to coat the entire ceiling) then finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. We have inherited a ceiling which we want to leave exposed in a commercial office tenancy reception. The timber is rough sawn H3 Pine and has been finished with Resene Aquaclear satin. There is some white staining which we believe is lime leaching through from the concrete floor topping above.

We want to apply a treatment to the timber (not paint) to keep the timber grain visible however want to camouflage the white staining. We wondered if a lime wash type application will work and if Resene has such a system.

A. Yes it is likely that the white leachate has come from the concrete. We recommend a coat of Resene Colorwood Whitewash or Resene Aquaclear with Resene Colorwood Enhance White. The Resene Colorwood Whitewash must be applied without overlapping as the overlap areas will dry to a more intense white. The Resene Aquaclear with Resene Colorwood Enhance option allows for a more subtle white effect and if the level of whiteness is not sufficient additional coats can be applied.

Q. I am trying to repaint a ceiling that has recently been painted.  The fly dirt is still showing. Is there an acrylic stain block I can use?

A. We recommend Resene StainLock.

Q. What is the best method to clean fly marks off ceilings that have matt ceiling paint, without causing damage? I tried a wet microfibre cloth which has left white shiny marks in certain lights.

A. It's very difficult as standard flat ceiling paints are easily damaged, burnished and in some cases removed by wiping with standard cleaners.

We recommend that a change of a waterborne enamel paint finish such as Resene SpaceCote Flat will facilitate cleaning.

Q. I had a professional painter repaint some of our indoor ceilings and walls with another ceiling white and mixed colours for the walls. The issue is, the ceiling (I think) has a continuing pungent odour ... it's not the paint smell, more like rotten egg gas. It is worse when the rooms heat up. I can only imagine it's the ceilings, but it could be the walls or woodwork (door trims, skirting etc.). I will have to repaint. Have you ever heard of this problem with another brand?

A. Lingering odours can often occur with new paint jobs but usually are gone after a week with good ventilation of the painted area. From what you describe, it is probably bacterial contamination of the paint that was used. Bacterial contamination can occur for many reasons, but is not usually found with freshly opened waterborne paint.

Q. We have some old (40 years) plasterboard on the ceiling of our bach. It obviously wasn't sealed properly when painted originally and the paint has started to peel and now shows old green plasterboard. What prep and paint do you recommend please?

A. You will need to strip the failing paint and then prime the bare plasterboard with Resene Sureseal and then apply the topcoats. If the existing paint is very old it may pay to apply Resene Sureseal to the remaining sound paint.

Q. Can I use a white ceiling paint direct to the interior side of a glass conservatory roof, to reduce the heat, or is there a special product? Due to the height where the conservatory is my only option is painting from the interior, not the exterior.

A. Unfortunately not. You'd need to use an adhesion primer first to paint glass (Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer) then topcoat with ceiling paint or another selected topcoat. The only problem is that the colour of the adhesion primer will be visible from the exterior.

You may be best to look at other options, e.g. a shade cloth or similar, before painting out the glass.

Q. We have an old house with what looks like Artex on the ceiling. It is discoloured but don't think it is from cigarette smoke and definitely not grease, just age. I want to repaint using ceiling white but I’m not sure how to clean it. Can we just paint right over it with the ceiling white? I am a bit doubtful about wetting it and am sure scrubbing it would make it break up.

A. Apply a full coat of Resene Sureseal then two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint.

The ceiling should be degreased using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner then the Resene Sureseal applied. Resene Sureseal is recommended to block possible stain migration into the waterborne topcoats.

Q. I’m painting my bathroom which has a new ceiling. Can you tell me which undercoat and paint to use on plasterboard with some new plaster over screws and joins?

A. Apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal followed by a full coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom.

Q. I want to paint three bedroom ceilings an off white (Resene Quarter Alabaster). Currently the colour is creamy; I think it is Resene Quarter Spanish White. Will two coats of ceiling paint cover the creamier colour? Alternatively, should I undercoat first or use a different product such as Resene SpaceCote Flat to ensure good coverage?

A. You should be able to achieve coverage using two coats of a Resene ceiling paint but if you are concerned you could apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry as an undercoat before applying the celling paint.

Q. We have soft board tiles in our holiday home, a few have been water damaged due to a roof leak during a recent storm. The roof has been repaired and we would prefer not to have to replace the tiles. Are we able to paint the ceiling and if so what paint would be best? Apart from this one spot the ceilings are in good condition.

A. If the tiles are water stained but otherwise sound you could consider painting. I suggest using Resene StainLock (stubborn staining can require more than one coat to hold staining back) followed with two coats of a waterborne topcoat such as Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. We have lived in a house from new, for 22 years. The ceilings are matt white - likely acrylic paint and they are in a need of refreshing. We have the old fashion downlights which have developed heat ‘rings’ on the ceiling around the downlights. What would you suggest I do to prepare the ceiling for repainting and will I need to apply an undercoat? I will be using flat white acrylic paint again.

A. We recommend washing down the surface with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner to ensure all dust and contamination is removed prior to painting. Any staining or discolouration such as you mention, should be spot primed with Resene Sureseal first. Then apply two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint in your selected colour.

Q. What is the best way to remove mould from a kitchen ceiling painted with Resene paint? It is a black/damp mould coming down from the roof we think.

A. Treatment with Resene Moss & Mould Killer is the only way to control mould growth. If you can effect complete kill then application of a coat of Resene Quick Dry and two coats of a Resene Kitchen and Bathroom waterborne enamel will assist with long term control of mould growth.

Q. What’s the best paint to use if I want to paint corrugated iron for an inside ceiling? I want a matte gold colour.

A. Degrease then apply a primer coat of Resene Galvo One and then two coats of the required Resene FX Metallic colour.

Q. I am after any information you might have about painting over polyurethane. I'm doing a renovation for a friend who has a polyurethane pine ceiling and he wants it with a standard black/white finish.

A. Degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner following label directions and then apply an adhesion coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours, and then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat, tinted to the required colour.

Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer is not designed to be applied as a heavy wet coat or to give opacity. The product viscosity is similar to water and as a result the product cannot be spray applied.

Q. We have just brought a house and need to repaint desperately. The previous owners thought it was a good idea to paint bits of the ceiling, red. It’s a shiny paint and I wonder if its oil based? Could you please tell me how we can paint over it (we want them to be white) without it turning pink. Is there a certain type of undercoat or something that would cover it so we can paint it white? We also want to get rid of a black strip in the middle of the room.

A. If you wet a cloth with meths and quickly rub the paint, you may see a softening of the red paint. If this occurs, then the red paint is likely to be a waterborne paint. If not, then it will be oil based paint.

If the outcome suggests the latter (i.e. oil based paint) then sand with 240 grit sandpaper and apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and then finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. If the paint does soften, then there should be no need to sand before applying Resene Quick Dry and topcoating.

Q. Can I use acrylic paint on a plaster ceiling in kitchen/dining room?

A. It really depends upon the humidity that is present; if there is a lot of steam generated and poor ventilation then a conventional waterborne paint no, but you can use Resene waterborne enamel paint, Resene SpaceCote Flat, for ceilings.

Q. Can I apply Resene SpaceCote Flat or Low Sheen directly over existing ceiling flat or do I have to apply a coat of acrylic undercoat first?

A. Most ceiling paints are high in pigment and low in binder; there are usually no problems overcoating with a waterborne paint of a similar binder to pigment ratio but to be certain a sealer would need to be applied prior to application of a higher sheen paint. If this ceiling is outside of a wet area (e.g. bathroom) apply a coat of Resene Broadwall Waterborne Wallboard Sealer before applying the Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. Over what period, is the fly repellent additive effective? Once it has ceased to be effective, can the additive be sprayed on to the paint again or do the walls and ceilings need to be repainted?

A. There is not a set amount of time that Resene Fly Deterrent is effective for. Testing has shown a significant reduction in fly spots when using the product. Resene Fly Deterrent discourages flies from sitting on painted surfaces but will not harm or kill them. It works best indoors in dry areas and is ideal for separate toilet areas, lounges, bedrooms etc and in commercial projects in ‘dry’ areas. In wet or steamy areas, the fly deterrent effect will wear off faster. Cleaning of the painted area will also reduce the fly deterrent effect. Because of this, it is generally not recommended for bathrooms. If the fly deterrent effect wears off, repainting would be required by painting on one coat of your chosen Resene waterborne topcoat dosed with Resene Fly Deterrent.

Q. I would like to specify a ceiling paint for use in a commercial shower cubicles where standard kitchen and bathroom paint will not be fit for purpose.

A. Apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal, a coat of Resene Enamel Undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Ceiling Velvet.

Q. Please advise your recommendations on solving this problem. A painter painted the plaster ceiling with Resene Alkyd Flat. The ceiling was previously smoke damaged from a leaking fire in an adjacent room. I did the meths test on the final coat and the one before and nothing came off on the cloth. It appears paint is only peeling back one layer. I am thinking he should have used a coat of Sureseal between coats.

A. For a situation of flaking paint, we recommend removing the loose flaky paint with a scraper back to a sound surface. Sand the surface to feather the edges, but also to provide a mechanical key. If it goes back to bare substrate, this is when you would be looking to seal the area with a coat of Resene Sureseal. If the underneath coating is a glossy enamel, then use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as an adhesion primer.

Q. Can I paint over heat stains on the ceiling of a lounge?

A. Yes, I suggest that you wash down the areas using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, then apply Resene Sureseal, then two coats of your chosen Resene topcoat.

Q. I am looking for a sealer to put on our timber sarking ceilings. It is bleeding through where there are knots.

A. We recommend Resene Aluminium Wood Primer. The dry time for this primer is quite slow and only can be overcoated once hard dry.

Q. I want an opinion on the finish of ceilings. We get a lot of flies and therefore, fly marks on the ceilings. The ceilings in our last house were painted in a flat paint, which showed marks when wiped. It was repainted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, which was great for wiping. Our new house has a large, high vaulted ceiling which the builders tell me will show reflection if is painted in a low sheen. Do you think this would be the case? I would hate to paint it in a flat again and have all the fly marks.

A. If there is light falling across the painted ceiling, then this is referred to as critical lighting condition and yes, any non-flat paint may result in surface imperfections being seen. Resene SpaceCote Flat would be the only flat paint that will not burnish upon wiping to clean.

Q. My pitched ceiling is made of rough sheets of ply and timber beams that have been painted and the ply looks whitewashed. I want to completely paint it. What type of paint should I use? i.e. ceiling paint or Lumbersider as it is self-priming? It looks like rough ply sheets painted and either ragged off or just one thin coat of white paint. There are screw holes visible. I also want to do similar to the stairs.

A. For a painted finish, I would suggest applying a coat of Resene Quick Dry followed by two coats of either Resene Ceiling Paint or Resene SpaceCote Flat.

It would be difficult (if not impossible) to hide the screw holes when using a clear or semi-transparent product. I think most people don’t fill them and just leave them exposed. You could use Resene Colorwood Whitewash. It would need overcoating with Resene Aquaclear on the walls, and at least three coats of Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K or Resene Qristal ClearFloor 2K for the stairs. I would suggest doing some trials with the Resene Colorwood Whitewash on off cut just to make sure that it gives you the look you want to achieve and a chance to practice application before you start.

Q. I would like to paint my douglas fir ceiling white (or if it's a better option I could whitewash it). It has never been stained or varnished previously. Do I need to use a stain blocking primer?

A. Make sure the timber is clean and dusted. Apply a coat of Resene StainLock then at least two coats of a Resene waterborne topcoat like Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. I am painting part of a ceiling in the hallway after a water leak, which is all fixed and plastered, sanded and sealed. However, the existing white is between a semi and flat finish, and is waterbased. It is about 8 years old. What paint do you have in-between a semi and flat finish?

A. We recommend Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, which is a low sheen finish.

Q. What type of paint would you recommend for a ceiling in a steam room? It is James Hardie Villaboard® substrate.

A. I assume there is no extraction system; otherwise it wouldn't be a steam room. My recommendation would be three coats of Resene Aquapoxy applied over a seal coat of Resene ArmourBond.

Q. Our painter has purchased a flat ceiling flat from Resene Albany in Resene Pearl Lusta and it appears to have a slight sheen in it. This is something we have never come across before. We will leave it over the weekend to see how it settles.

A. If it was Resene Ceiling Paint then after a few days it should dry to a flat finish.

Q. What is the best way to paint over a stippled ceiling?

A. Generally the most straightforward painting method is brushing and rolling. It is possible to spray ceilings, if you have the appropriate equipment and are practised in spray painting.

Q. I have fibrous ceilings and have had my kitchen recently painted about a year ago. It is now peeling off in patches. The insurance is saying its workmanship. But I know the painter used the correct sealer and undercoat. This has happened in other rooms too. Some painters have said the fibrous reacts after many years because of what it was made of. Do you have any other reports of old ceilings doing this? What paint should I use?

A. The cause is probably due to the primer/sealer used for bare fibrous plaster. The Resene product for this is Resene Sureseal. Waterborne primers/sealer will not adhere to bare fibrous plaster.

Q. We have exposed beams that are varnished on our ceiling, and would like to paint them white. How should we do this?

A. Ensure the beams are clean and then apply a coat of Resene StainLock, then two coats of any Resene interior waterborne paint, such as Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. We have just bought a 1986 home which was built using macrocarpa. We want to know if it's possible to paint the macrocarpa ceilings and walls white and if so, how do we best do this and will it be easy to maintain? They are varnished.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene SpaceCote Flat (ceilings). Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. I would like to specify ‘Sheer Black’ wood oil stain for an internal plywood ceiling.

I understand ‘Sheer Black’ is in the Resene Woodsman range for external use but it is my understanding ‘Sheer Black’ colour can be specified as a Resene Colorwood product suitable for interior staining, is this correct? Is this Resene Colorwood range suitable for internal plywood linings for ceilings/walls?

A. We would not recommend using Resene Woodsman for interior but Resene Colorwood can be used to stain interior timbers. Resene Colorwood is normally clear coated with Resene Aquaclear.

Q. What is the best product to use on mould on the walls and ceilings?

A. Mould growth is a sign of one or a combination of the following; low light level, poor ventilation and moisture. To achieve long term control of mould, these conditions need to be changed.

Mould must first be treated with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Then apply 1-2 coats of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of any Resene Kitchen & Bathroom waterborne enamel finish. The Resene Quick Dry and finish coat contain extra anti-mould additives to inhibit mould growth, but to be successful, mould and spores must first be killed, using the Resene Moss & Mould treatment.

Q. We've had rats in our plasterboard ceiling and they have stained the ceiling. If we clean the area with sugar soap and repaint with your acrylic ceiling paint will the stains comes through? Can you recommend a paint that will stop the stain coming through? Perhaps a kind of primer?

A. Apply Resene Sureseal to the stain then apply a coat of Resene StainLock. I have not had this before but the combination of the solvent and waterborne stain sealer should achieve the required level of stain blocking.

Q. We want to paint white inside stained rafters. What prep and paint would you recommend? It appears to have a clear varnish on it.

A. Clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 24 hours. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. Does wet on wet spraying on a ceiling achieve as good a finish as two coats with a roller, and/or as good as leaving it for two hours, before you second spray?

A. Spray application will always give the best finish, assuming the spray set up is what is required for the paint. Roller application will always give some degree of an orange peel effect, which is not that visible with a flat paint finish.

I see no reason why wet on wet application by spray of a ceiling paint would be a problem, unless the existing paint or ceiling is very porous and not sealed.

Q. Is it necessary to undercoat over Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer when used on shiny old enamel ceilings and being topcoated in a normal acrylic topcoat?

A. No, but leave the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to cure for a couple of days before overcoating with a waterborne paint finish. Note: this only applies to non-wet areas.

Q. I have mould on the shower/bathroom ceiling and it appears the paint is flaking on the ceiling, can you suggest something to use to fix this problem please?

A. Remove all loose and flaking paint then treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Ensure areas where the paint has been removed is sanded back to a sound feathered edge then spot prime bare substrate with Resene Sureseal. Then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of any Resene Kitchen & Bathroom waterborne enamel topcoat. Allow at least three days cure with good ventilation before subjecting the newly painted surfaces to steam/condensation.

Q. Is there a flat ceiling paint that is suitable for bathroom ceilings and is washable?

A. We recommend Resene SpaceCote Flat Kitchen & Bathroom.

Q. Can I paint a water based ceiling paint over an alkyd undercoat?

A. There is no technical reason why you cannot overcoat the alkyd undercoat (as long as the undercoat is not more than four weeks old) with a waterborne ceiling paint.

Q. I have just read about your Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and was wondering whether this would work on a natural varnish wooden tongue and groove ceiling. I’m looking to paint it a light colour but prefer not to have a massive sanding job, including the gap between each wooden board. Would your sealer product provide the adhesive ability for the coats of paint rather than having to deep sand all the varnish off?

A. Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer is our adhesion primer for previously varnished surfaces. If there is a possibility of smoke/soot contamination then the surface will need to be cleaned down to remove these contaminants.

Q. Which product should I use to paint over a stained timber ceiling, currently a translucent yellow finish with white topcoat?

A. We recommend Resene Sureseal.

Q. I am having my house repainted and I was thinking of having my ceilings painted in a low sheen finish so they can be wiped and the doors and trims to be painted in semi-gloss enamel.

A. You are correct, the higher the gloss level, the easier the painted surfaces are to wipe without burnishing/damaging the paint. Standard ceiling paints are easily burnished (wiped areas are glossier) with cleaning but is the common gloss level used, however Resene SpaceCote Flat gives good wipeability.

Q. My builder is installing a plywood ceiling in the bathroom. How do I make the product waterproof/water resistant? I wish to retain the look of the natural plywood grain so is there a clear coat finish that can be applied which will achieve this?

A. Our only recommendation would be for four coats of Resene Polythane with an envelope seal coat (all sides) as the first coat.

Q. My house has fibrous plaster ceilings, built in the 1960s and paint will only stay on them 12-18 months before starting to peel. I have had them repainted by at least three different professional painters, one of which came back and repainted after 18 months. Each time the loose paint has been removed. The ceilings have insulation above and there is no indication of leaks or moisture. Can you suggest a cause and more importantly a cure?

A. Bare fibrous plaster must be sealed with oil based pigmented sealer such as Resene Sureseal. Waterborne sealers do not adhere to the substrate.

You may need to do a full strip as the only way to achieve adhesion is to remove and apply the correct sealer and topcoat system. Care will be needed to avoid significant damage to the fibrous plaster surface. If the paint adhesion is poor, a wide flexible flat blade such as is found for plastering can be used, once you start at an area of detachment then work away from it the paint should come off relatively easily.

Q. We have painted our ceiling with white ceiling paint, two coats later and the yellow staining is still there? Do you have an idea of how to fix this?

A. The yellowing staining is more than likely from smoke stains. Apply a coat of Resene StainLock and then re-apply the Ceiling Paint.

Q. I've just painted my lounge ceiling with a roller and I've just noticed as it dries, that I have missed a few places (painted same colour as previous). Do I need to re-roller the whole ceiling, or can I just roller the places I've missed?

A. Touch up of ceiling paints can leave the touch up area as a visible difference even if the same paint and application method is used. However, there is no harm in trying, when rolling, feather out past the touch up area to blend the new with existing. Allow the touch up areas to dry for a couple of days and then see how well they blended in, if they are visible then the only option is a total repaint.

Q. I need to repaint a ceiling that has crazed paint. The paint seems well adhered and the crazing may have been caused by heat from a fire in the space. Can you recommend a sealer and topcoat to avoid stripping?

A. Sorry but we recommend removal of the crazed areas of paint prior to painting.

Q. I am painting a 1900 villa ceiling. The original base coat is shellac. I have removed the existing top coat plus most of the shellac with a hot air gun but there is still shellac left. It melts and spreads. It is secure and not peeling. What is the best paint for a primer/undercoat?

A. Sand and then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat. Thorough sanding is the key to achieving adhesion.

Q. My wooden ceilings are made of Douglas fir with stain (I don't think they are varnished as they are not shiny nor do they have a slippery feeling). The stain has been on for over 30 years, untouched. I now want to paint the ceilings with a light colour. How do I prepare the ceilings so I can paint them with lighter paint?

A. Apply a coat of Resene StainLock then two coats of a Resene waterborne topcoat.

Q. I have just had a new plasterboard ceiling put up and the stopping has been completed. It’s time to paint. What do I need to use before using a ceiling white (or whatever)?

A. If this is not a bathroom or laundry ceiling then apply a seal coat of Resene Broadwall Waterborne Wallboard Sealer then two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint. For wet areas or for a more durable finish use Resene Sureseal as the sealer and topcoat in Resene SpaceCote Flat in place of Resene Ceiling Paint.

Q. I have a rimu ceiling with a polyurethane coating on it. Is it possible to blonde or whitewash the rimu? Also I will need to find a wood that matches as I am building an extension and that would need to be blonded.

A.If you sand the clear polyurethane to provide a mechanical key then apply Resene Colorwood Whitewash this will give a blonded finish. Not sure about locating a matching timber but it may well be difficult to get the same effect as the Resene Colorwood Whitewash is being applied over an aged polyurethane which will have discoloured over time.

Q. A client has mould growth on the painted set joints of a large fibre-cement ceiling that is partly over a swimming pool, partly over an outdoor eating area. The painted ceiling clear of the set joints has no mould growth. The preparation and paint system used is unknown. Please advise how to eliminate the mould and your recommended paint specification for repainting.

A. Treat the mould areas with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Then apply two coats of a Resene exterior waterborne paint with added Resene MoulDefender.

Q. I'm going to be painting my living room ceiling. There are hairline cracks – what causes these?

A. Hairline cracking indicates movement of the ceiling sections.

Q. I have a kitchen ceiling which has wood cladding and is varnished. I now want to paint it white.

A. Ensure the varnish is thoroughly degreased using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Leave to dry for 24 hours then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat Kitchen & Bathroom.

Q. I have an enclosed building with a Clearlight roof, what type of paint should I use to paint the roof on the inside? The room gets really hot in summer but I still need light to come in.

A. Any Resene interior waterborne wall paint should work.

Q. I have painted my ceiling with Resene Ceiling Paint flat. Can you wash this e.g. after my husband has squashed 20 mosquitoes on it?

A. Flat ceiling paints such as the Resene product you have on your ceiling are not easily cleaned without burnishing the painted on rubbed areas (rubbing causes the paint to increase in gloss level). The only Resene flat paint that can be cleaned without burnishing is Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. I have a large ceiling to paint with thirteen downlights above the kitchen cupboards and a drop down in the ceiling. Is there something I can do to slow down the drying process so I can get to the edges before they start to dry. There is a heat pump in the room so I can set the temperature to help slow down the process. I will be using waterborne semi-gloss and applying it by roller.

A. Assuming you are using waterborne paint, if so then add the maximum allowable quantity of Resene Hot Weather Additive.

Q. I have just had an Eco ply, grooved plywood ceiling installed in my living room. What would be the best way to seal this? I am not keen on a varnish, I would prefer an oiled finish to nourish the timber and to be able to see the grain. A painter suggested using decking oil, but I was not sure if that would dry in an interior.

A. We would start with a clear solvent or waterborne varnish system or Resene Danska Teak Oil. Once timber is harvested it cannot be nourished; this is one of many myths within the coating industry.

Q. I have just purchased a home with Pinex ceilings painted in enamel and wish to repaint. Can you suggest the best product please?

A. You sound very sure that the existing paint is enamel. Can you please check by taking a cloth and wetting it with meths and quickly transferring to the painted surface and rub. If there is no softening of the paint or colour transfer to the cloth then it is a traditional solvent borne enamel. It was not common to paint these tiles with anything other than a waterborne paint.

Q. My interior ceilings are corrugated iron. Is there a safe interior paint for corrugated iron?

A. Any Resene waterborne topcoat can be used over appropriately prepared and primed metals.

Q. We have cedar beams in our lounge that have been stained with a stain varnish. We want to paint the ceiling and beams to modernise the room. What should we use as a first coat?

A. To get adhesion to the existing varnish apply a thin coat (this product is not designed to give opacity or high film build) of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, leave to cure for 48 hours then you can apply any Resene waterborne interior paint.

Q. The lounge in my new house has a number of exposed beams which I believe have been polyurethaned. I wanted to paint them white so I have lightly sanded them, applied a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, then put on three tops coats of ceiling paint but there are still some brown bleeding spots around the edges of the beams. Can you please advise what I need to do to fix the problem?

A. Apply a coat of Resene StainLock then reapply the topcoats.

Q. We have a Douglas Fir cathedral ceiling in our home and I would like to paint it. Do I have to sand the varnish off first and am I able to use a gap filler in between the boards where there are gaps?

A. Clean down the areas to be painted using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for at least 48 hours with good ventilation. Then apply two coats of a Resene interior waterborne paint finish; most use Resene Ceiling Paint flat. Based on experience and comments from the field I would not recommend trying to fill the gaps between the boards with any filler type. A better result will be obtained if you overlay plasterboard and then paint.

Q. How do I prepare a rimu ceiling for painting? My house has a cathedral ceiling (tongue and groove). Am guessing it is clear. About a 1980s home.

A. Wash using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner following label directions then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Leave to cure for at least 48 hours with ventilation then apply two coats of a Resene waterborne paint in your selected gloss level.

Q. I've put half a cup of undercoat water based paint in my ceiling paint, which is also waterbased. Has it ruined my ceiling paint?

A. Without knowing what both paints are I cannot be sure but it will depend upon how much paint was in the ceiling paint can/pail. If both are waterborne and only a small amount of the waterborne undercoat was added there may well be little to be concerned about.

Q. Is Resene Zylone suitable for a bathroom ceiling?

A. We don't recommend Resene Zylone Sheen in a bathroom as it is a standard acrylic. For a bathroom you could use Resene SpaceCote Flat for a ceiling, which is a waterborne enamel, or Resene Ceiling Velvet for a solventborne option.

Q. I am painting two small bathroom ceilings which are currently glossed and showing water stains. What is the best way to prepare them and what is the recommended paint to use? Gloss/Semi?

A. Wash down using sugar soap then sand to de gloss. Apply a coat of Resene StainLock and finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. I've stained with oil on macrocarpa beams and don't like it. It's on the exterior and the oil is dry but isn't really a hard film. I would now like to paint over it, hopefully with Resene X-200 which I have already. What prep and primers etc do I have to use to achieve this?

A. Based on what you have said I do have concerns about the adhesion of a pigmented paint system to the oiled surface. Resene X-200 is usually applied to a cementitious substrate and not timber; however it can be applied to appropriately primed timber. I would suggest allowing the oiled timber to weather for six months then re-check hardness; the oil should weather away or possibly fully harden over this time. The key is to ensure painting over the oil will not create another issue down the track.

Q. Can I paint flat enamel over flat acrylic ceilings to hold back nicotine stains?

A. It's best to use a coat of Resene StainLock or Resene Sureseal over the stains then you can stay with a waterborne ceiling paint.

Q. I am painting a home ceiling in a house built in 1998. The white ceiling has never been painted. I used a ceiling paint and soon after spraying on a yellowish checker board like pattern appeared. Tried to repaint a section and it still appeared. What are my options? Will a quality stain blocking primer eliminate the pattern?

A. Staining is probably is due to tannin leaching form the ceiling framing. If you apply a full coat of Resene StainLock then a flat Resene Ceiling Paint this should resolve the issue. Resene StainLock is waterborne. If you want a solventborne sealer then use Resene Sureseal. The primers will not give a solid opaque finish so will need to be overcoated.

Q. How do I stop my ceiling paint drying so fast? I hear Resene might have a product that slows down the drying of paint?

A. Add Resene Hot Weather Additive to the paint. Also remember that hot air rises so the ceiling is often at a higher temperature.

Q. I have some ceilings to do and an automatic fly spray dispenser has sprayed across the ceiling. I'll be painting them in a flat waterbased ceiling paint. What should I spot prime the marks with?

A. You will need to clean back the marked areas using Resene Emulsifiable Solvent Cleaner following label instructions then apply a solventborne sealer, Resene Sureseal, and follow with a waterborne sealer, Resene StainLock, then apply two coats of topcoat paint.

Q. There seems to be some leakage on the ceiling of my living room which is directly below my second floor bathroom. I tried to use the paint for ceiling left by my builder. It covers the stains for a bit, however when it's dried the stain comes back. Just wondering if there is special paint or other product to use to cover the stain?

A. Firstly you'll need to sort any leak from bathroom above if this is causing the stain. No paint will eliminate staining if the source is still there. Once sorted, to seal old water stains you should use Resene Sureseal (oil based pigmented sealer) prior to topcoating with your ceiling paint.

Q. Do you have polycarbonate paint for a conservatory glass ceiling?

A. Resene acrylic paints can be used to paint polycarbonate (excellent adhesion, fully opaque finish in all Resene colours) but have not come across a paint based on a polycarbonate resin system.

Q. I have a varnished clad ceiling over 18 square metres in size. I want to emulsion it with soft sheen white but really do not want the prep work. Is there any other way around it please?

A. We would recommend using Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as the adhesion primer before topcoating with a waterborne topcoat.

Q. Can you use Resene Zylone Sheen on ceilings?

A. In principle, yes in any area other than those areas that are subject to condensation from steam such as bathrooms, laundries and poorly ventilated kitchens. The paint does have side sheen which will highlight surface defects when used on ceilings in critical light areas. This is the main reason why flat paints are used for ceilings.

Q. I have just completed coating a fibrous plaster ceiling with Resene Resitex textured coating after sealing surface first with Resene Sureseal. I now want to overcoat with a waterborne flat ceiling paint. Do I need any further application before applying a ceiling flat paint?

A. Should be fine to apply a flat Resene Ceiling Paint over the Resene Resitex ceiling (assume this is not in a bathroom area).

Q. We have a steel framed house. Recently the ceilings are showing shadowing of the framework. Does this indicate that the ceilings need a paint? The paint on the ceilings is quite a deep cream and I don't know when they were last painted as we have only been here for two years. Would a white shade be a better choice?

A. The shadowing is usually due to a temperature difference between the boards in contact with the framing and often this is a line where condensation can form. There is also often a different gloss level along the framing lines due to the drying conditions when the paint was first applied. Different gloss levels of the same paint colour can also produce the effect you describe but if this was the situation you should have seen it earlier. Without identifying the exact reason it would be difficult to advise if painting the ceiling white would remove the framing line appearance.

Q. I have a 10 litre pot of Resene ceiling white that I used 18 months ago (used approx. 1 litre). I opened the pot yesterday and mixed it together. However the issue I have is the smell is terrible. It smelled rancid. The odour was overpowering and is similar to sour milk. I did have a small ceiling area to paint and the paint seems to cover ok but the smell was so bad I had to open all the windows. Is this usual? Is there anything I can do to change the smell?

A. The odour is more than likely due to bacterial contamination. This is common with acrylic paint that has been opened and not all used and then resealed. Contamination can be from the application tools used, the brushes, exposure to bacteria ridden air and storage conditions. In any event the paint should not be used as the bacterial contamination breaks down the resin component of the paint. While we add additives as in-can preservatives this only applies to unopened cans.

Q. We went into a hardware store to purchase paint for the ceiling in the kitchen and lounge which is open plan. The sales assistant recommended the flat finish but said that it can leave marks if we needed to wipe it or clean it, so he said that a low sheen would be better for it. So we purchased Resene Zylone Sheen. We painted it and we are happy with the low sheen, but we didn’t do a great job applying it and it's a bit patchy particularly when the sunlight comes through. Does this happen because we went with the low sheen? Or are there tips for applying this?

A. The lighting conditions you describe are defined as critical lighting and any paint like Resene Zylone Low Sheen will highlight surface defects under the lighting situation vs a flatter paint. Resene SpaceCote Flat can be used to paint ceilings that are regularly wiped. Most standard ceiling paints cannot be wiped without burnishing or removal of the ceiling paint.

Q. I am renovating a 1950s home which has high gloss oil based enamel on the ceilings. What are my options for repainting it? What preparation do I need to do and what paint should I use?

A. Given the age of the property there is likely to be contaminates on the ceilings that may discolour waterborne paints so apply a coat of Resene StainLock prior to topcoating.

For areas outside of bathrooms, laundries and kitchens you can use Resene Ceiling Paint or Resene SpaceCote Flat. For wet areas or areas prone to steam contact with the painted surface apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat over the coat of Resene StainLock then you can apply Resene SpaceCote Kitchen and Bathroom paint. Use two coats of topcoat paint.

Q. I have an oil based ceiling to paint and I want to paint it with waterbased paint. What sealer can I use so the waterbased paint sticks to the sealer?

A. Resene StainLock will also lock in any stains that may bleed through when applying the waterborne topcoats.

Q. Could you use waterborne low sheen for a ceiling, or is it too glossy?

A. Yes but I would not use it for a ceiling that is exposed to critical light - that is light from a window that glances across the ceiling surface. Low sheen paints will also highlight any surface imperfections more so than a flat paint.

Q. We have a late 1970s house with exposed timber beams and chipboard ceiling. We would like to paint out both the beams and the ceiling to lighten the place up. The chipboard has some varnish on it (though probably the varnish is 30 years old) while the beams have been stained. The stain may have been applied less than a year ago when the last owners were preparing the house for sale. What products should we use to prepare these surfaces for paint? And then what paint type do you recommend? (We have the colour sorted). Also other than filling the gaps between the chipboard sheets is there anything we need to do to prepare the ceiling or beams prior to application of the preparation product/paint - ie cleaning with particular products, or sanding etc?

A. Apply Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as a thin coat on the varnished areas and leave to cure for 48 hours then overcoat with two coats of any Resene waterborne interior paint. For the stained beams apply a coat of Resene StainLock then two coats of any Resene waterborne interior paint.

Q. We have a polyurethaned macrocarpa tongue and groove (t & g) ceiling between concrete ribs. The proposal is to paint the timber ceiling white. Will it be necessary to paint with Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer first before using Resene Quick Dry undercoat and then Resene Lustacryl as finishing coats?

A. If the timber is coated with a film forming polyurethane clear then what you propose should work.

Q. Is it best to use a water based or oil based undercoat on plaster joins? I will be using ceiling white over the top.

A. For non-wet areas you can use Resene Broadwall Waterborne Wallboard sealer or for wet areas such as bathrooms Resene Sureseal (oil based). Resene Sureseal can be used for both wet and non-wet areas.

Q. I am painting an old ceiling. When I put the new paint on the old paint underneath bubbles off. Can you help me with this please?

A. This is often seen when painting over an old multi-layered paint system. The stress of the new paint causes an old underlying paint layer to fail. Apart from stripping back the old system to a sound base there is unfortunately not a lot else that can be done.

Q. I have bought an older house where the ceiling in the kitchen and dining area, side by side rooms, had patterned wallpaper on the ceilings. Now I have taken the wallpaper off the marks of the paper design are still on the ceiling but are brown and I can't get the paint to hide it; they just keep showing through.

A. The brown staining is due to stains that are activated by application of a waterborne paint. Apply a coat of Resene StainLock then two coats of Resene Ceiling Paint and the staining problem should be history.

Q. What is the best primer for fibrous plaster ceilings?

A. Resene Sureseal is the sealer to use for sealing fibrous plaster.

Q. I have an old house with timber ceilings with a shellac finish. Could you please advise what undercoat and topcoat I should be using? I wish to paint them white.

A. Make sure the ceilings are clean of any contaminants especially any smoke residues then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. I am painting an ornate plaster ceiling where the surface paint has flaked. Underneath is probably a glossy enamel. So after removing the flakes I'm thinking it would need a sealer/binder before topcoating and am wondering if Resene Sureseal would do that job?

A. If the surface is smooth it may be the original fibrous plaster then use Resene Sureseal; if it is a glossy enamel then use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Apart from colour it is not that easy to distinguish between the two.

Q. Can we use a clear coat over a ceiling paint to make it more durable?

A. Ceiling paints are formulated for areas that are rarely if ever subjected to wear and tear. They by nature are not a robust coating and clear coating will not necessarily change this.

Q. We're applying Resene Broadwall Prep & Seal to a ceiling (that we've had to repair in places with plaster so some of it is plaster, some paint), but the spec sheet doesn't say whether we should then undercoat it before topcoat, or just go straight to topcoat. Can you advise?

A. Resene interior acrylic topcoat paints can be applied direct to the product. You will need to apply two coats of topcoat paint.

Q. I recently painted a ceiling with latex paint and accidentally spattered some of the paint on the wall (wall paint is also latex). Is there any way to remove the splatters?

A. Sorry but no, the only remedial action would be to repaint over the splatters with the original wall paint colour.

Q. When painting a ceiling with sand in it (for fine texture) should the roller strokes overlap in one direction only or should I then go over it a second time at 90 degrees while still wet?

A. Recommend one direction with a 50% overlap when laying off. Laying off should traverse across the ceiling across the shortest distance. The first coat may look uneven but this will act as an anchor for the second coat. Would apply the second coat at 90 degrees to the first.

Q. I have just finished the second topcoat on my lounge ceiling. It has dried looking ok from some angles but streaky in others. I might have put too much paint on. I think I should sand it and have another go. Could you please advise?

A. You have what is referred to as a critical light situation. To correct this you will need to locate any ridges and sand smooth then using a roller and a Resene No.1 sleeve apply a full coat of the ceiling paint with the addition of Resene Hot Weather Additive. Apply a good wet coat of about three roller widths then lay off with a 50% overlap without re wetting the sleeve. Try to layoff from one side to the other side without stopping in the middle.

Q. Our house is about four years old. I spot cleaned the ceiling to get rid of fly marks, using only water and a brand new soft white cloth. Now we have spots all over the ceiling where I cleaned; they look almost shiny. It's only really obvious in the largest, sunniest room of the house. Can you please give me some information on how I can get rid of these marks?

A. Almost all flat ceiling paints will gloss up if rubbed. This is because they are formulated to be very flat and the flatting pigments burnish when rubbed. A touch up or repaint of the ceiling is the only remedy. If the ceiling is subject to critical light issues then I would recommend a total repaint. Our best option for ceilings is Resene SpaceCote Flat, which is a flat waterborne enamel and much more wipeable than a standard ceiling paint.

Q. A ceiling with exposed beams with particle board in between has had a textured ceiling removed. What product should we use to finish it? The builder has said he can't get a level 4 finish for painting. Would Resene Sandtex work?

A. It may be worth trying a high build application of Resene Broadwalll 3 in 1 as a spray on surfacer. Fill deep imperfections then apply the product.

Q. We want to paint an existing suspended ceiling grid. What is preferable?

A. The frame work is usually powdercoated. Ensure the surface is clean and then apply an adhesion coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply 2 coats of any Resene waterborne enamel, such as Resene SpaceCote Flat.

Q. What do you recommend I use to get nicotine stains off a ceiling tile?

A. These stains cannot be removed; standard practice is to apply a stain sealer such as Resene Sureseal or Resene StainLock to the stains then repaint.

Q. We have just installed a new v-groove pine plywood ceiling. We wanted a rimu or walnut colour so we used an oil based stain. This created many blotches and marks of uneven stain (a water based one had similar effects).

What kind of pre sealer would you use to get a uniform colour?

A. The differential stain colour is due to either differential absorption of the stain into the ply or surface defects in the ply sheets. The ply may have been filled using a filler.

I am not aware of any sealer that can be used pre staining. Resene has the Resene Colorwood Enhance additives which can be added to Resene Aquaclear to increase the depth of colour.

This can be used over a stained finish.

Q. I painted my light cream colour ceiling with a white latex primer and before the primer dried I paint sprayed it with white latex paint. Is that ok to do?

A. Resene always recommends that primers/sealers/undercoats are allowed to dry for the recommended time before topcoating.

Q. We have some wooden beams in our house that were stained. We had the ceiling they are in sprayed with undercoat for ease - the beams are therefore now white. Are we able to stain brown again over this undercoat or will we have to paint them?

A. The beams will now have to be painted in a solid colour.

Q. I have just started to paint our lounge ceiling with ceiling paint. At the third roller load some of the original paint has peeled off around the roller. It leaves bare plasterboard. It looks like the previous owner may not have sealed the plasterboard. Have I any option bar scraping/sanding the whole ceiling?

A. Sorry no alternative but to scrape back to a sound edge then seal bare areas with Resene Sureseal then apply the ceiling paint.

Q. I have Resene SpaceCote Flat Kitchen & Bathroom to paint my ceiling in the bathroom. How long after the final coat should I wait till we start using the shower?

A. Maintain good ventilation and warmth for at least two days, the longer the better.

Q. We have an exposed ceiling with rafters and a tongue and grooved ceiling, which is varnished wood. We want to paint this. What can you recommend to seal the wood and then to paint over (in white)?

A. Apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as the adhesion primer to the varnished surfaces then you can apply two coats of any Resene interior wall or ceiling paint.

Q. A textured ceiling on fibrous plaster when stripped showed much black spotting. Sponging with mould killer faded it but it still remains. Does mould have to be bleached white to be dead?

Similarly paper wallpaper had spots, evident still in the plasterboard once the paper was removed. Much of the mould killer will be absorbed into the plasterboard. The spots are faded but not eliminated. Is mould killer damaging to plasterboard and subsequent primer sealer? A final sponge over with water is practical but a full wash not really so, and would not remove that which has soaked in.

I have had problems in the past with plasterboard ceilings from which paint forever peels despite all primers and sealers tried. No leaks. Is there a risk of this problem following mould treatment?

A. Bleach normally will bleach colour from mould infested areas and this is a visual sign that the mould has been killed. However if spores remain than mould growth will return. Visual recognition of residual spores is often difficult to recognise.

Application of Resene Moss & Mould Killer to wallpaper or bare plasterboard should not damage the paper but damage can occur if the paper is rubbed while wet. The residues of the Resene Moss & Mould Killer treatment needs to be removed from the surface as the byproduct of the use of hypochlorite based mould killers is common salt and this is deleterious to waterborne paint coatings. Appreciate that a wash down of treated surfaces is not possible for internal plasterboard walls so repeated sponging with water is all that can practically be undertaken.

You are correct in identifying that leaks can lead to paint peeling from painted ceilings but the wrong choice of sealer is more often the cause. Many older properties have fibrous plaster ceilings and a solvent borne sealer such as Resene Sureseal must be used for priming of bare areas.

Q. I have Resene Texturecote on the ceilings. This product is 30 years old approx. What is the best way to remove this 'plaster' to reveal the plasterboard underneath.

A. No easy way to remove apart from scraping as much as possible back to a level surface then apply a skim coat of plaster.

Q. We bought a new house that has brown beams, but we want them white. What paints do I need to do this please?

A. The beams are probably stained. Seal the existing colour using Resene StainLock then apply two coats of any Resene interior waterborne paint to suit your gloss level.

Q. I have a villa with timber ceilings. My initial response was to paint them out as the timber is very very orange. However is it possible to remove the orangeness?

A. The colour is more than likely due to old varnish and there is no way to bleach the colour from an old varnish layer.

Q. What causes paint to peel from a lounge ceiling?

A. There are a couple of possibilities but the most common is water getting behind the applied paint or the wrong sealer was used. Where there is loss of adhesion what is revealed where the paint flakes off and what is on the back of the paint flakes? Also check if the back of the paint flakes are powdery.

Q. I am wanting to repaint my ceiling in two rooms and the bathroom. There was some leaking a few years ago which we have fixed. An HRV system dried everything out and cracked all the ceiling paint. The surface isn't plasterboard. We are wanting to know what we can do to fill in the areas where thick chunks of paint have peeled off to make it smooth again, and then what products we need to use to paint our ceilings.

A. If the ceiling is not plasterboard then it is probably fibrous plaster. The flaked areas will need to be scraped back to a sound edge then the ceiling skim coated with a gypsum plaster compound. To restore the ceiling, this is best undertaken by a professional stopper. The remaining sound paint will need to be sanded with 180 grit sandpaper to provide a mechanical key for the new paint system.

Before painting any new gypsum and any old bare fibrous plaster will need to be sealed with Resene Sureseal before applying two coats of new ceiling paint.

Q. I applied alkyd waterborne sealer undercoat on my bathroom celling. Can I apply waterbased enamel on top of it?

A. We would recommend application of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat prior to application of the enamel topcoat.

Q. Have a house built in the 1960s. It has a fibrous plaster ceiling, paint cracking in places and delaminating back to plaster in small patches (coming off as one complete sheet of paint). No sign of water ingress. Is the cause of this poor preparation going back 50 years or simply the sealer failing after this time period? What is the advisable method to strip an entire fibrous plaster ceiling of paint?

A. The usual cause is water ingress but if this is not the case then simply a case of the original primer/sealer (assuming one was used) has embrittled with age and the stress has caused loss of adhesion. If the adhesion is poor then use a wide broad wall knife to strip back the failed coating. Then seal the fibrous plaster with Resene Sureseal and follow with two coats of any Resene waterborne paint (usually a flat celling paint). You will need to be careful during removal as it is highly likely that the original coating may contain lead.

Q. Some rooms in our house, which we rent out but are separate from our house, have yellow staining on the ceiling. We have an old 1903 villa all on the same level but we don't have this yellow staining on our side of the house. In the 6 years we've owned the house there haven't been any smokers in there, unsure of beforehand. What could this be and how would we get rid of it when we renovate/paint?

A. If it is not smoke staining then the other usual reason is a leak in the ceiling cavity. You should get a builder to check for dampness and if not then it could well be smoke staining which you can seal by applying Resene Sureseal to the ceiling before painting with acrylic celling paints.

Q. What is the sheen level recommended (and perhaps minimum sheen) for a new plasterboard ceiling in a lounge with a woodburner fire?

A. The ceiling should be treated like any other as the common issues with ceilings remain i.e. critical light, jointing imperfections etc therefore a flat coating is usually preferred. A modern woodburner is a closed unit and there shouldn’t be any airborne contaminants etc that will settle on the surface. If some cleanability is required then the use of Resene SpaceCote Flat would be an excellent option.

Q. I have applied Alkyd Wallboard Sealer Undercoat on a bathroom celling, can I apply waterborne enamel on top of it?

A. We recommend application of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat prior to application of the waterborne enamel topcoat.

Q. I have a ceiling sarked with oregon timber that was stained about 35 years ago. The ceiling is in good shape apart from this patch where the roof has leaked and washed out the stain. I want to match the stain and restore these washed-out parts to as close to the original as possible. Can you please advise as to what prep to do and what type and colour of stain to use on the boards?

A. You will need: Resene Aquaclear satin 1 litre, Resene testpots – Resene Rob Roy, Resene Saddle Brown, Resene Coffee Bean, 2 small brushes and 1 metre 180 grit sandpaper.

Sand water stained areas then apply a coat of Resene Aquaclear and allow to dry. Apply a second coat of Resene Aquaclear slightly colour blended with the Resene Rob Roy colour to match the timber’s lightest tone and allow to dry. Blend a little of the darker tones with Resene Aquaclear and ‘drag’ the mix along the boards to replicate the timber grain. You may want to practice before tackling the ceiling - a cardboard box surface is ideal.

Q. We have our ceilings painted in Resene Decorator Acrylic Ceiling Flat Interior and spot cleaned insect spots and it has left on the ceiling noticeable marks where the cleaning was done. A clean cloth and only water was used but it looks really bad in certain lights. What would be the reason for this?

A. Ceiling paints are formulated to give a flat finish and to achieve this level of flatness the paints are extender rich and a minimum amount of resin is used to bind the pigments in the paint. As a result when these paints are cleaned they burnish and what I expect you are seeing are areas of gloss change, the cleaned areas will appear higher in gloss. To produce a waterborne cleanable flat paint chemists use waterborne enamel resins which give a harder paint film than paints made on conventional waterborne resins. Resene has Resene SpaceCote Flat which is a flat finish suitable for ceilings and walls and when fully cured has much better burnish resistance when cleaned. We also have a version with an added fly deterrent, while this will not stop fly spotting we know from independent trials that the incidence of fly spotting is reduced.

Q. I have a games room with a concrete ceiling. I painted it some time ago with waterbased paint and it has now bubbled, blistered and peeled in sheets. The exterior has been covered with butynol to stop water leaking through. How can I rectify it?

A. The blistering is most likely due to water ingress. The first job is always to ensure that that is fixed first, which it sounds like you have done. To finish the inside area, scrape off any flaking paint back to a sound edge, remove any efflorescence by wire brushing, dust off and apply Resene Sureseal to areas of bare concrete. You can then apply two coats of a ceiling flat paint, such as Resene Ceiling Flat or Resene SpaceCote Flat to the ceiling.

Q. We had some mould on our 'cottage cheese'/textured plaster sleeping room ceiling. Three weeks ago our landlord sent somebody to clean the ceiling with a ‘secret chemical’ and since then there is a persistent odour in the sleeping room that made us sleep in the lounge. We would now like to do some DIY and seal the ceiling surface with something that also blocks odour.

A. I am not aware of any paint coating that could be used to seal in the odour, especiailly as you cannot identify what the chemical that was used. I suggest getting as much ventilation into the room as possible and washing the ceiling down with water and detergent.

Q. Our house is painted with Resene paints and unfortunately I placed an automatic fly spray too close to the ceiling resulting in a stain on the ceiling. Any suggestions on how to remove it prior to repainting?

A. The affected area will need to be wiped down with a rag wetted with mineral turps, repeat this with a new rag at least three times. Allow the area to dry then seal off with two coats of Resene Sureseal before repainting.

Q. I recently purchased a house which, after a week and some rain, old water stains and paint blistering appeared on the ceiling. The roof was leaking. We replaced the old tiles with a new roof. The blisters, prior to the roof replacement seemed to disappear when the weather was fine and reappear when it rained. This is still occurring in the same places, despite the new roof. Is the roof still leaking? Or are the bubbles from the initial leaking? I am really worried that the new roof has been a complete waste of money.

A. Blistering paint on ceilings is usually associated with water on the reverse side of the painted ceilings. There is a possibilty that the blisters can re-appear with increased humidity associated with rainfall but it’s not that common. When the blister re-appears next time cut one to see if the blister contains water, this should give a definitive answer to the leak origins. Also check if there is any ceiling water piping that runs on top of the affected area.

Q. My hallway ceiling has some cigarette staining from the previous owner - what is the best way to clean this and do I need to seal it before I paint it?

A. Wash down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash in accordance with label directions, wipe down with clean water, allow to dry and apply Resene Sureseal. Then you can apply two coats of Resene topcoat. Generally Resene SpaceCote Flat or Resene Ceiling Paint is recommended.

Q. Which Resene product would be most suitable for re-staining interior Douglas fir ceiling beams? I've been told that the existing stain on the beams might be shellac. I'm hoping to darken the colour from the existing reddish brown to more of a blackbean colour.

A. Shellac is a film forming varnish and seals the timber surface which rules out staining unless the shellac is completely removed. If you are looking to darken the existing shellac varnish surface an alternative would be to clean down the beams using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, sand lightly to profile then apply Resene Aquaclear with added Resene Colorwood Enhance.

Q. What is the recommended white paint to use for ceilings in residential homes?

A. The most popular product that retail customers use in areas like lounges is Resene Ceiling Paint, which is available in 10L pails. It's not suitable for wet areas. If they want a colour then the most popular choice is Resene Alabaster, which is just off white. This can be tinted into a range of Resene ceiling paints.

Resene SpaceCote Flat is our best ceiling paint option as it is wipable so that fly spots etc can be wiped off, it can be used in all areas - including lounges and wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens and tints true to the colour chart (whereas the Resene Ceiling Paint colours tend to have a slight variation from the chart due to the nature of the product).

If cost isn't an issue then Resene SpaceCote Flat is the best performing ceiling paint option for most areas. For wet areas we recommend Resene SpaceCote Flat Kitchen & Bathroom with anti-bacterial silver and Resene MoulDefender.

Q. We are going to paint our kitchen and lounge ceilings. We live on a farm so we have a bit of a fly problem. Which product would best to use – Fly Deterrent or Bug Juice?

A. Bug Juice is most effective against crawling insects as opposed to flies who tend to land and then depart relatively quickly. The insect needs to be in contact with the painted surface for sufficient time to absorb the active material and the amount required to kill is also a function of body weight. On both requirements flies are less likely to suffer mortality than ants or other crawling insects.

The Fly Deterrent additive is not designed to kill on contact or uptake of the active agent but to repel flies and discourage them from sitting on the surface. The less they sit on the surface the fewer the fly spots. The repellence is only there close to the surface so using the product will not deter flies from entering or remaining in the room air space.

Of the two products, Bug Juice would be better of the two for you, but in a rural situation with a major fly issue the most effective control may be to use time release spray units as these generate airborne insecticide that will have a greater effect on the fly population.

Q. Can I paint waterbased over oil base on an interior ceiling?

A. Yes but it is standard practice to sand the old oil based paint first to provide a mechanical key for the new waterborne paint.

Q. Have just finished painting some dark stained beams. I used Resene Sureseal as a first coat and two coats of Resene Zylone Sheen but still got some bleed through. What did I do wrong?

A. Usually Resene Sureseal will block stain migration into the Resene Zylone Sheen topcoats. Resene Sureseal will block most stains - in your case there must be a stain that is solvent soluble that is then solubilised by the topcoat. To resolve the bleed through, apply Resene StainLock and then topcoat in your chosen topcoat.