Put a coat of Killz on a 1970s paneled basement wall last month, came back 3 days later and the yellow stains still bled through

Had to strip it down and hit it with an oil-based shellac primer instead, which finally sealed it after two coats. Anyone else found a go-to primer for old nicotine and water stains that actually works the first time?

2 comments

2 Comments

harperschmidt1mo ago

Old stains like that remind me how some problems just don't go away with the cheap fix. You think a basic primer will do the trick, but the real solution always costs more time and money upfront. Isn't it funny how that pattern shows up everywhere from home repairs to relationships?

the_susan1mo ago

Wait, are you really comparing basement primer to relationship advice? I don't think that's the same thing at all. Some stains are just a chemical problem that needs the right solvent, not some life lesson about taking shortcuts. You hit it with shellac and it worked, that's all there is to it. People overthink this stuff way too much.