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

[Rodgydodge]

After sending two emails off to Valspar and complaining on their facebook page they made contact this evening. they said they didn't know what my complaint was about....durrrr....
I've resent a copy of the emails and reiterated exactly what the problem is!
I've had my windows open today and must admit the smell wasn't as bad as its previously been but then again its not been that warm here on the northeast coast. I'm like a dog with a bone now and can't let this go.
see what transpires tomorrow.

[Janeholla]

Quick update
After emailing valspar with the batch number they have replied asking for more info. E.g. What prep was done, what painted onto etc
They then offered me vouchers for valspar paint and no help to buy the alkali resisting primer as I was lead to believe from phone call

I responded that I was unhappy about this and the responded

'In the mean time we would highly recommend to speak to our B&Q Customer Service Head office team so this can be escalated to our High demand complaints team.'

Am I missing something? The reference to 'our' b&q etc. Is it the same company ??

I have spent an hour on phone to a very understanding girl at b@q customer services

Form filled in - asked how I wanted it resolved

I have asked for refund of paint, alkali resisting primer, new paint, brushes rollers and a decorator!!

Let's see what happens

[Janeholla]

Quick update
After emailing valspar with the batch number they have replied asking for more info. E.g. What prep was done, what painted onto etc
They then offered me vouchers for valspar paint and no help to buy the alkali resisting primer as I was lead to believe from phone call

I responded that I was unhappy about this and the responded

'In the mean time we would highly recommend to speak to our B&Q Customer Service Head office team so this can be escalated to our High demand complaints team.'

Am I missing something? The reference to 'our' b&q etc. Is it the same company ??

I have spent an hour on phone to a very understanding girl at b@q customer services

Form filled in - asked how I wanted it resolved

I have asked for refund of paint, alkali resisting primer, new paint, brushes rollers and a decorator!!

Let's see what happens

[Tubularowl]

I'm at the stage with Valspar where their technical director is supposed to be getting back to me about whether I can repaint over the BIN in Valspar emulsion. That was 2 days ago. First they said using BIN was fine. Then sent me a voucher for more paint then told me I couldn't use their paint anyway over BIN. Now they are not sure.
I am not looking to apportion blame. Shouting and carrying on is not going to solve this. Every manufacturer is having a problem with this but if only 1/100,000 customers are affected by it, statistically as a business, you would go out of your way to deal proactively with it. The problem is that it's not 1/100,000, it's now the elephant in the corner that needs addressing.

[Rodgydodge]

Oh janeholla looks like we're both going to lead a merry dance.

[Tubularowl]

Feel so bad for your situation lindylu. This smell is vile. Can you actually smell it on the walls or ceiling. We smelt the Valspar on the staircase about 2 weeks after the room started smelling then it appeared on the walls. The paint companies should be ashamed of themselves allowing their businesses to be in this position. Basically products so rubbish that they don't do the job intended. Not fit for purpose.

Been waiting 3 days for the technical director of Valspar to get back to me. Not heard a peep from them. Might as well let him go as he doesn't appear to have any answers. I said I didn't want to apportion blame to Valspar and I don't but I have no further time to waste on them.

There are solutions out there to solve this problem created by the manufactures. You. Are going to have to sort them out yourself though. Don't rely on the paint companies to help you.

[lindylu]

I sniff the walls but can't smell it on the walls, I am not sure I want to climb steps and crick my neck sniffing the ceiling. There is just an overwhelming smell in a large part of the house. Work was done on three separate occasions, starting last summer, and all decorated rooms smell. Work done by another company in two bathrooms and part of conservatory, does not smell (last year).

Crown still haven't got back to me, but at least they are taking an interest. The paint research association suggested trying our house insurance but as I am finding it impossible to get receipts off our decorator, I am not sure if that will work. I think I will call them after the Easter break. The cost is huge, especially as we now need all rooms treated, plus labour for that.

When I am home I have a permanent headache, which is undoubtedly caused by the smell. Smells give me migraines. It will only get worse when the warmer weather is here and I have windows open throughout the house, instead of just a few windows.

[Tubularowl]

I went to a proper decorating centre today for a good chat about paint that makes your house stink. The guy that owned it was ex B&Q. He said one of the problems with B&Q is that paint could stay on the shelf for years and by the time it was used it was full if all sorts of nasty things due to low VOC forced into manufacturers by the beloved EU.

I purchased another tin (4th one) of Zinsser BIN sealer and had a tin of Zinsser Perma White tinted in China White so I can repaint behind the radiator next week before a full redecoration of the living room, hall, stairs and landing. So far I've spent £240 on additional paint and sealer to sort out the stink. I've also ordered another £100 of Perma White Matt to overpaint the Valspar rooms which smell ok at the moment. The dead animal smell has fully gone now and this afternoon we painted the staircase in a high VOC, oil based dulux. I've spent about 8 hrs in extra painting so far as well. All because of substandard Valspar paint. I will never buy paint from B&Q ever again after this disastrous experience. Yes it is more expensive using a proper decorating shop but the hours it's taken to sort out just a couple of rooms would have made it cheap if I had gone there in the first place.

[lindylu]

I am not so sure B@Q and Valspar are to blame, though they are clearly no help at all. As I mentioned earlier, my decorator bought Crown trade and Dulux trade from Bromborough paints which many local decorators use. All paint was purchased fresh for my house. All three jobs, since August, have produced this stink.

Redoing this will be at least eight weeks and include paint, labour and the neutraliser. I will try my house insurance after the holidays but don't hold out much hope.

Amazing that Dulux admits they are well aware of the problem but their only advice is to put two more coats of emulsion on, they deny all knowledge of the need for a neutraliser.

[Rodgydodge]

Janeholla:
My experience with Valspar is pretty much the same as you seems like they've washed their hands of the situation.
How did you get on with your request from B&Q?

Tubularowl:
Did Valspar come back to you with advise on painting over the BIN with their emulsion?
I was also found your discussion with ex B&Q member on shelf life of paint! this was exactly my gut instinct about my tin of paint!

Had a dreadful smelly house this weekend only to open an email yesterday from Valspar, telling me that because I refused their offer of one tin of paint I've now got to take it up with B&Q's customer service.

Does anyone know what the outcome was with the crown situation has there ever been an announcement / public notice about this 'phenomena'? and how to rectify the problem.
all I can find is that bacteria on the walls is to blame. this paint I used is very watery I wondered if the bacteria was in the water within the paint, especially if the shelf life of these paints have drastically been reduced.
If I get no joy with B&Q I wonder what my chances are with Trade and Standards?

[lindylu]

I have had discussions with both Crown and Dulux, and they both say that the paint is not to blame. Hmmmm. My house did not smell, I had it painted and now it stinks of gas. Today, with the beautiful weather, I had windows open and not only does it stink of gas, it now smells like a dirty public toilet.

I am now calling decorators to try to get them to sort out the problem, but I simply can't afford another 3-4 thousand pounds (most of my house is affected). I am guessing they will run scared when they call here to provide a quote, once I explain the situation.

Please, somebody, contact the Daily Mail. The paint companies claim only a few are affected, but that is obviously not true. They simply fob us off by telling us it is not the paint, it is the house to blame. My insurance company won't help, they say they don't cover faulty materials. I just can't win.

The Crown rep called here a couple of weeks ago, but no response from Crown. That was a complete waste of effort.

[Tubularowl]

Valspar seem to have washed their hands of the problem. Nobody got back to me and it's been a week now. Will be overcoating the BIN with Zinsser Perma White tinted my colour. No nasty smells now since applying the sealer. The wall in the bedroom is just starting to make the room have a bit of a whiff. I can only smell it on the one wall though so am going to leave it for now as an experiment. I'll wait till the room gets proper whiffy then paint that one wall in BIN. If the smell disappears then it's definitely the paint at fault. If not then it's my wall.

[Rodgydodge]

OK... looks like a few of us are prepared to take this further
there's a guy on Facebook who is experiencing the same problem, I've been chatting with him this morning and it's ok with him to post this here, (as long as it doesn't infringe on any of the rules of the forum)
He's asking for names from people who have had similar experience from using Valspar paint. here's a copy of his request
I'd Title your email 'Valspar Paint'

[If you can all email me where and when purchased and if anyone still has the tin the batch number that would be great.
Email is talbot888@btinternet.com
Cheers
Oh and if was the Premium and tin size.]
I'm also going to try Watchdog to see what the outcome of the last 'smelly paint' issue was as I can't seem to retrieve any archive and to mention its still a big problem.

[Tubularowl]

So my central heating was drained today so I removed the radiators in the living room and halfway to seal behind them. Couldn't really smell anything in the rooms but the wall behind smelt disgusting that had been painted in Valspar. The BIN around the radiator was doing its job. I have given the wall behind the radiators 2 coats of BIN and a top coat of Zinnser PERMA White with high biocides. Just got full redecoration of the living room and hallway in PERMA White (tinted my colour) to do now. I would say I will have spent an extra 15 hrs redecorating so far to control this stench. No contact from the Valspar technical director despite a promise that I would.

Go for it Ian. B&Q, Valspar or Watchdog, I'm with you all the way.

[Janeholla]

Hi.
Just back from short break
Had expected a reply from b an q by now - they said 72 hours and I spent an hour going through everything over phone on 12 April

I have emailed customer support to ask what is happening
On this occasion no news is not good news