This paint stinks!!!! General decorating topics, questions and answers. find help, tips and advice on completing your decorating projects

[ciccia]

We have now re-painted all the ceilings with primer+1 coat of dulux emulsion and the problem does seem to have gone..... However, not in the sitting room - to my horror I have now discovered that my painters also used Crown on the walls (not Dulux as they normally do) and therefore we are now repainting the sitting room with the primer and emulsion...... I have heard back from Crown who have said there is nothing wrong with the paint samples which we used on the ceilings. I have informed them that I have another tin for them to test from the sitting room walls. The lady on the phone was reluctant to arrange for this tin to be picked up as she claimed 'we cant keep coming to pick up tins of paint, you've had 2 tested and there is nothing wrong with them'.......... she finally agreed to speak to her Manager so see if they could pick up further paint ????

[Susan C]

Oh my God…I cannot believe I came across this web site by chance.

We have developed an awful smell in the bedroom. I have described it as a cross between, damp/nettles and cat pee. When the smell first started I used to open the windows but this only made the smell worse. Unbearable infact. I was convinced that it was something to do with the drains, so we had them checked out…no problem found. I had my guttering cleaned out… again no problem found…I had my soil pipe raised…again did not solve the problem. We’ve taken the carpet up in the en-suite and checked under the shower tray…again no problem to be found. I’ve been in the loft space above to make sure nothing has died in there. Again nothing thank God. (Only in some ways I wish I had found something – problem solved) I’ve been on my hands and knees smelling the carpet and underlay…nothing!

At a total loss someone suggested sewer gas to me and whilst I was researching it on the internet came across this site.

Guess what…we decorated this bedroom in 2007 and used Mcpherson trade paint from Crown. It was mixed to a colour in the trade shop Sumptuous silk. The walls had three coats. Judging by you all on here this has just got to be the problem. We were only saying the other day the smell started when we decorated. Question is how do you get rid of it?. If I simply repaint it will that do the trick? Does it need to be sealed first? (Painted onto plaster not paper)

If anyone has solved this issue please let us know.

I emailed crown but have heard nothing back yet…surprise surprise.

Hope someone has an answer…these hot night with no windows open are unbearable.

[grantprc]

I experienced the rotten egg/gassy smell after painting over wall paper a few years ago, infact because it was by the boiler we thought we had a gas leak and called out Transco. The engineer that came out was also convinced there was a leak but couldnt find one.
Well here we are again, just painted the bedroom (over wallpaper) and the smell has returned. We have also painted the kids bedrooms which do not smell but are just plain plastered walls.
On both occasions and in all rooms I have used the same paint - Macpherson's trade matt emulsion. On the embossed wallpaper I diluted the paint with tap water.
During both painting sessions (2 or 3 years apart) there was exceptionally hot weather.
I actually work in the surface coating business so I've picked the brain of an industrial chemist who advises me that the odour is likely to be hydrogen sulphide caused by degradation of the calcium sulphate content in the plaster behind the wall paper. The degradation process requires heat and water void of oxygen.
This gas is dangerous and he advises not to sleep in there until it clears.

[Susan C]

Thanks for that information. But my paint is on plastered walls NOT wallpaper. My house is also 13 years old so the plaster is not new either. The more I think about it the more it has to be the paint. Overnight when its dark and the windows are open there is no smell. As soon as the light hits the front windows on a morning ( paint on recess behind curtains) the smell starts immediatley if the windows are open, but nothing if they are closed. Surely this is something to do with air and light hitting the paint. You would think opening windows would make the smell go away not intensify it. Looks like a major decorating job coming up. We've spent money on everything else so its worth a try for the cost of two tins of paint and some sealer. Rest assured though it will not be with crown Paint.

[redsocks5]

[color=black]Hello - thank goodness, we have discovered others have experienced the same problem as us. We are in the process of painting the kitchen of our house. Started with B & Q Kitchen and Bathroom paint in brilliant white matt, two coats, no problem. Then used B & Q Colours in Antique White Matt (they don't do a kitchen and bathroom paint in A. White). First coat fine, no smell. After second coat, we noticed a "Cat Pee" smell. Having two cats, they both got blamed and we spent several hours, nose to the floor trying to locate the mishap. After thorough cleaning smell appeared to have gone until the windows and doors were opened. As others have found, warm weather = nastier smell. The smell seemed to be moving around the kitchen and so we went round smelling the walls, so did anyone who visited! So it would seem, some problem with the paint but this was not CROWN paint. Could it be a chemical reaction between the kitchen and bathroom paint (which is supposed to be scrubbable) and the matt paint used on top or could B&Q paint be manufacturer/supplied by CROWN?

[catherine tucker]

i have the same problem with crown trade matt emulsion, it is horrendous. I am going to ring up the trade organisation Painters and Decorator Association tomorrow, phone no. 024 7635 3776, and ask them for advice.

[redsocks5]

[color=black][/color][color=black][/color][color=black][/color]
Hello Catherine - did yoy get anywhere by contacting Crown paints? We have decided to scrub off the emulsion paint and then seal with a shellac sealant called B-I-N, from USA (Zinsser) - which covers the likes of pet urine, smoke damage, musty mould. odours from fireplaces and furnace puff-backs, moth repellents, residual odours from flood and fire damage.

[Birchglen]

I HAVE A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM!!

I suffered with the smell for about four months, during which time I tried everything from overpainting to Crown's suggested Alkaline Resistant Primer. Nothing worked. Then I decided to wallpaper over the walls and the smell disappeared immediately and completely.

Hope this helps someone!

[robinx]

Has anyone got anywhere with Crown about their smelly paint? We repainted the study more than two months ago with some crown emulsion and it still smells! - chemical type smell.

Is the only option to re-prime and re-paint?

Am going to try an onion in water now, but am not getting my hopes up :(

[guiseppi]

Hi. I'm devastated.
Just painted my hall with the above paint, leaving a day between coats.
The paint is still soft and tacky after 4 days, it doesn't seem to have set at all and is easily marked and scuffed. Even worse, it now stinks very, very bad. The smell is like strong cat spray. I almost gag when I walk in the door from outside it is so pungent.
I do have two (female) cats and they got the blame briefly, but I am also in the middle of removing all the carpets, so that was ruled out quickly. If I put my nose to the wall the smell is definitely coming from the paint.

What a nightmare!
I DIY'd this job (can't afford to get trade in) and this is the first time I have used a paint other than Dulux on walls. I wished I hadn't.

How can I get compensation from Crown for their stinking paint?
This is going to be more expensive than another tub of paint over the top to assuredly fix. I will probably have to strip and repaper now.
I have emailed them twice, with no response at all.

Help :(

[merich1]

We painted a small room with Crown Silk White with the Pink Indicator. The day after I painted a second coat of the same then came the STINK.
When we realised it was the paint after a couple of weeks we contacted The Crown Decorating Centre in Wolverhampton. They said they had no problems with the paint but took the batch number. They sent us out 2 vouchers for a 5L Trade Alkali Resisting Primer and one for 5L of Crown Decorative products. I was very reluctant to use Crown again in case the same STINK happened. I went to Focus and bought International Alkali Resisting Primer and a Focus matt colour. The smell has gone.
I told my daughter of the problem and during another conversation a few weeks later with her, she said she had seen a TV bulletin about Crown Paint and it stated that Crown had used a new supplier of one of the chemicals and this had caused the problem.
I have not found any reports on the net to confirm this yet

[guiseppi]

After complaining to Crown and having the paint allegedly tested, all I got was a voucher for another 5l of Crown paint. Ummm, ok.
But what if the same thing happens again?? :roll:

I think I may press for a refund so I can buy another brand of paint, but imagine that might be extremely difficult.

Yes.
The hall still stinks of tramp sprinkle and all the pictures, radiator covers and hangings stick to the paint like glue and pull chunks off.

These paints (breatheasy, CROWN) are not worth it.
I mean, emulsion never smells of paint for very long, this stuff, under the right (or wrong) circumstances stinks permanently and/or never sets.

Very Smelly Merry Christmas Crown

[Gas-smell]

Well, we have had a case of a gas-like smell - just a bit at first - on and off and then today - the warmest/sunniest day of the year so far - we had a horrendous gas-like smell that built up so bad - I called the emergency gas leak line - convinced we had a leak. Not brilliant on the Easter Bank Holiday Monday!

The guy came and carried out his thorough investigation into the problem and no gas leak evident - not in the slightest. He agreed it smelled gas-like but being so used to gas smells - he could tell it was different - sweeter - according to his nose.

He asked how long ago had we decorated - which was about 4 weeks ago. He suggested he used to be a painter and decorator and occasionally had problems with paint smells - although he admitted this would be due to old paint being used or possibly watered down paint being stored and used - being the cause of the problem. We told him we have not used water and the paint is not old.

His Gas-Tec machine eliminated the problem of it being a gas leak - but he smelt the wall and guess what? Yep - it smelled gas-like!

It stinks and we are not happy. I went online and found this forum with previous comments. I went and checked our pot. Crown Trade 10 litre pot of magnolia emulsion paint! Now there's a surprise.

Paint Talk 0870 240 1127 is Crown's number on their paint pot. There are Mon-Fri and Saturday am only. They don't work on Bank Holidays - mores the pity - because I am all fired up and ready to go in all guns blazing!

I have notified B&Q which is who I bought the paint from in the first place.

I will come back with the outcome.

[Gas-smell]

I have been in touch with Crown on the Paint Talk line after my experience yesterday - and they are being most helpful - yes, genuinely - most helpful!

They have asked if they can pick up the remaining paint.
They are sending us 'authorising vouchers' so we can pick up some Alkali Resisting Primer and some more paint!!

I am going to push for Crown to pay a decorator in to do it for us - because we haven't got the time nor inclination to redecorate because of Crown's problem with the paint.

Let you know what happens - watch this space!

[Sibh]

Got the same problem with crown trade paint, gas like smell - has anyone managed to resolve this problem? I tried painting over it with 1 coat sealer and 1 coat emulsion, but as soon as the new paint smell went away, out came the gassy smell. Again it is only when air gets in with a window or door open that the smell is worse, when i keep the windows and doors closed - no smell!! - very strange!!. Seems to be some sort of a reaction.