It’s 7:00 pm, the house is spotless, the table is set, and dinner is almost ready. Your guests are due to arrive in thirty minutes, you make one last check and everything looks perfect. You start towards the kitchen for your final preparations and you see it. Those ceiling stains your husband repainted two weeks ago is back and just as embarrassing as ever.
Related: Learn How to Update Vinyl Walls in Mobile Homes.
It doesn’t matter if you are a homeowner or you have a home renovation business it seems that no matter what you try, covering those pesky stains on your walls and ceilings is next to impossible. Well, you are not alone, a lot of ordinary people and professionals alike are faced with this reoccurring and potentially expensive problem. Painting by itself rarely ever works, the stain always seems to make its way back you are faced with repainting several times only to end up with minimal results at best. So what do you do? Make an informed choice.
Learn more about covering mobile home ceiling stains here.
Cover Ceiling Stains with Primer 
The market is filled with primers/stain blockers that all promise to get rid of that unsightly stain for you, but which ones really work? How can you be sure? The answer is simple, oil based. Oil-based primers/stain blockers are going to offer you the best results for covering up all those ugly, unsightly and embarrassing stains the first time around.
Primers can be any painters lifesaver. They provide a clean smooth uniform surface and stick to almost any surface you are prepping for paint.
Cover Ceiling Stains with Stain Blockers
Stain-blocking primers can be water or oil based. The oil-based type can have an unpleasant odor and like all oil-based products require a paint thinner for clean up. A good quality oil based primer such as KILZ is an excellent choice for covering existing water damage, nicotine, and smoke. Water-based stain blocking primers are not recommended for problems like water damage. Instead, water-based primers are primarily used for ink, crayon, and scuff marks in general. Water-based primers are virtually odorless and offer ease of clean up with only water needed.
Learn more about covering water stains on wikiHow.
When using primers its always a good idea to keep in mind the final result intended. If your final finish is white or a light color then your probably okay to use the product straight from the container. However if the final finish is a darker color you should use a tinted primer, you can ask your supplier to do this for you. Typically after you have applied the primer you should apply your finish coat within 48 hours as most primers are designed to chemically bond with paint. If you miss the allotted time frame to apply your finish coat you will need to reapply another coat of primer. As always though you should check the manufactures specific detailed instructions.
On a final note if the water damage you have is so severe that the cover material needs replaced completely it is always recommended.
Before you paint any new surface to use a good quality primer first.
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I have a question. I have an old Mobile Home with a Swamp Cooler. Around the Swamp Cooler where cool moist air is impacting some portions of the Ceiling Tile, I am wondering what type of spray paint to use to cover the places where the white paint on the tiles have vacuumed off (after letting the tiles dry out). I was told by a handyman, that you have to let the ceiling tiles “breathe” if they are to come in contact with moisture. Anyone have any experience with this?
Is Zinsser 123 Primer just as good for on paneling in a 1973 mobile home? If not, what is the difference between them?
Hi Sherrie,
Zinsser is a very good primer from what I hear. You should have no problem, just make sure you clean the walls well before you prime or paint. Best of luck!
Thanks y’all for the tips, especially the hair spray tip. I can’t rid of the stain even after the Kilz. I have done the whole ceiling in Kilz and it looks great except that spot. I hope it works on that spot after the Kilz.
Years ago I bought an old 1950’s mobile home from an acquaintance of mine. The home had been left for decades abandoned in a field so of course the roof had leaked and there were unsightly water stains on the ceiling. I put 9 coats of Kilz on one of the stains and it still bled through when I painted. A part-time employee at Lowes (associate by day; band member by night) told me to get the cheapest aerosol hairspray I could find (think Aqua-net) and spray the spot with that then put a coat of Kilz and then a coat of paint. Worked like a charm! He said to always spray the hairspray on first and I could save a fortune on Kilz. I have used this technique many times since and have shared this secret many times over the years and it works every time.
An inexpensive alternative to a stain blocking primer is old fashioned shellac. It comes in both clear (“white”) and amber; either works very well and both paint and wallpaper adhere well to it.
Thanks for the tip Allison! Appreciate you!
Thanks for sharing this informative post. Stained ceiling is not good to look at and it will really be important to know the techniques and useful tools to get rid of imperfections that affect the entire look of your home. Some DIY techniques work and you may even be surprised to see how you can do a lot without mess by simply choosing the right tools.