A friend got a new apartment (5 floor building built in 2008). The walls and ceiling of the apartment were renovated a few months ago.
Unfortunately, the ceiling color (Flügger Flutex 2S) started to smell. The smell is "lying in the air" like vinegar or old socks. Very subtle but noticeable. I assume that either the new color got bad or the new color chemically reacts with the old undercoat.
A repaint was done: Primer and a completely new color applied (Ekocolor Eko 3). This removed the smell by 90 %.
However, a few days later the smell is slowly noticable again!
My guess: The wall absorbed the primer and the new color and now the smell can escape the wall again.
The question: What to do next?
A: Complete removal of the surface? That's a lot of work. There is no wallpaper, so sanding would take place on 50 m² of ceiling.
B: Using an ozone device in the entire apartment for a day. Hoping it destroys the smell particle. But I have read positive and negative things about it.
C: Paint over again – but with isolating paint
- I think anti-mould paint could have very good isolationg effects. Example "Anti-mould": https://www.amazon.de/Zentrallager-13401144-Schimmelblocker-Isoliergrund-Schimmel/dp/B0050G8RS6
- Or maybe a "Wet blocker". Example: https://www.amazon.de/0-75l-Molto-Feuchtblocker-weiss/dp/B00FSA4P4E
Doing C would be my suggestion. But I don't know which color to choose and also: Should another primer be applied before applying the color?
Can an experienced craftsman/painter can give advice?
Best Answer
I'm willing to bet they used a basic latex primer, which will do little or nothing about the odor. Take the time to buy the primer yourself and make sure it specifically lists "odor" as something it will work against. Most oil-based primers will handle odor (although they themselves contain a strong odor initially). There are also some newer products that are water cleanup that claim oil-based features, including blocking odors (Kilz says this product will do it but I've never used it myself).