Happy Tuesday to you! So happy you’re here. {big smile}
Have you ever had the dreaded problem of painting a piece of furniture and blotchy ugly stains or bleed through appear after you’ve applied your first coat?
Older cabinets and vintage furniture are notorious for this.
Mahogany gets star status for bleeding red or pink tannin. Knotted pine and cedar can be a challenge exposing yellow or orange bleed through. And ALL types of wood can be tenacious if grease/oil or water stains start surfacing from the existing finish.
No worries.
Your piece is NOT ruined so don’t kick it to the curb just yet. 😉 There’s a simple solution to fix bleed through and stains.
The quick fix is a sealer so the tannin or stain can’t penetrate through.
My favorite remedy for bleed through/stains is shellac or shellac based primer.
Other stain blockers that also work are oil based primer/paints, spray shellac, polyurethane or even wax. By applying any of these products, the stain or bleed through will be sealed and won’t penetrate through your next coat of paint.
If you have any questions or additional ways to stop stains and bleed though, I’d love to hear from you!
Missed last weeks Quick-Tip?… you can find last weeks Q-T-T here.
Happy Painting!
Denise x
Hello again... I'm so happy you dropped by! Let's keep in touch! Follow me on social media or sign up for a dose of furniture painting inspiration and diy tutorials. :) 
I’ve painted over shellac a and had nothing but problems. Wont do that again. But do like the primer.
I’ve had some issues painting over shellac too. There have been a few times there wasn’t enough applied to stop the bleedthrough and a few times I’ve apparently brushed on too much and it caused my paint to crackle. Maybe I haven’t figured out the fine art of the shellac yet. 😉
Hi Denise. Thank you for all your wisdom and inspirations! I could use some now! I am in the middles of a dresser project……brand new, I think mahogany (dark cherry wood stain) with some sort of poly or varnish coating. I did NOT apply a coat of primer first (shame on me) and I’m using a buttermilk colored chalk paint from Rustoleum. I have two coats on……it covered well and looks good. I’m actually going to apply one more coat with a small tight foam roller—–to heck with what all the directions say (“never use a roller”). Have you ever tried it?? Comes out gorgeous–with no lines or brush marks! Anyway, I’ve done quite a bit of waxing but this dresser is in a guest house that will occasionally be rented so I’m wondering if I should use something a little tougher. As I didn’t prime the bare dresser first, I am now concerned (after reading several experienced DIYers) that I may pull tannins out of the wood that will splotch my pretty cream paint, if I use varnish. (Polyurethane seems to be the worst for that issue.) So, at this juncture, what should I do?? I’m going to very lightly sand my 2nd coat before I apply the final chalk coat. Could I spray shellac at this point, and avoid the dreaded pull/bleed through—then apply a 3rd chalk coat and finally a coat or two of Polyvine?? Or is there another thing I can do? Help, I’m frozen in motion!! Any advice would be SO appreciated—-as I’ve never dealt with a sealer and the bleed through issue. Next time I do light colors, I will be sure to prime first! Thank you!
Sorry, I just wanted to clarify my lengthy 1st question! Following my 2 coats of chalk (no primer), would this be my steps: 1. lightly sand chalk coat, 2. apply a shellac coat, 3. apply 3rd and final chalk coat, and 4. apply Polyvine coat?? Thanks again. I’ve been sitting here looking at my pretty dresser for several days……trying to decided how to proceed!
quick question… did you sand prior to painting with the buttercream paint?
Hi Denise. Sorry I was gone for a day and didn’t see your reply. Thank You! So, NO, I did not sand prior to painting the buttercream chalk paint. It is a brand new dresser with a cherry stain and I don’t know what kind of sealer . I did wipe it down with a diluted alcohol, dry/damp cloth. The 2 coats covered pretty well (of course white over dark brown always has a “holiday” problem until there’s thick enough coverage) but absolutely no bleed through–like the discoloration of tannins, etc.. But as I mentioned, I’m afraid of putting on my last chalk coat, then applying Polyvine. I wish there was a way to know which stains/sealers might cause the dreaded bleed!! I did buy some shellac and I ordered a quart of Polyvine.
Thanks for any advice!
Terri
Okay, the reason I’m asking about the sanding – if you had, there probably would have been some bleedthrough. That said, if you’re wanting to seal at this point, yes, just follow your directions above. You answered your own question. 😉 Apply Shellac, then paint, then topcoat. Tip – if too thick of a shellac coat(s) is applied, chalk paint has a tendency to crack so be lighthanded with the application. Also, although Shellac works, you can’t see how many coats is required before it ‘kills’ bleedthrough. For these 2 reasons it’s not MY preference. For future projects, you may want to consider BIN Shellac Primer – this is my ALL TIME GO TO because you can SEE once it’s covered up the bleedthrough – then I’m 1000% sure its not going to show up once topcoated. If you prefer waterbased – Dixie Belles’ BOSS – blocks odors, stains and bleed through… works great and comes in white or clear. Hope this lengthy answer helps and I’d love to hear how it all works out for you. 🙂
Thank you so much for your time and all of your wisdom. It is so appreciated and I will let you know how it comes out. Next time I do a light color of chalk, I will use a primer so no matter what “finish” I apply, I won’t have to worry about any bleed through. I’m hoping this mid-project shellac over coat #2 will work……but I have definitely learned my lesson! As I mentioned, I feel like this dresser warrants Polyvine, to protect it from use. Thanks again, Denise. Love your website!
Hi, my first time! Chalk painted two coats on an emboya viintage piece, white chalk bleed throug cream. Can I still paint shelac primer or do I have to re start and sand all off?
Hi Raylene! No you don’t have to sand everything off. It would be beneficial to give the paint a sanding and wipe down before applying the shellac primer though. This will ensure it has some “tooth” to stick to and your finish will be nice and even. Good luck. 🙂
I’m in the final phase of a second floor hallway redo and have a finishing issue that needs some attention. I replaced all the trim, doors and jamps. I’ve stained the hall side of the trim/6 panel doors in oil based Minwax Early American stain, inside the bedroom sides of the doors, oil based Spanish Walnut (to match the original trim from 38 years ago) and the bathroom door was to be pickled with waterbased Minwax Whitewash Pickling, to match the pickling done when the bathroom was renovated 4 years ago. My problem: when I stained the outside surface of the bathroom door with Early American (using pre-stain and meticulously followed manufacturer’s directions), the panels bled through to the inside surface. Light (220) paper sanded the brown off but my fear is if I pre-stain and pickle the inside, it will bleed through to the outside, staining the brown surface? If so, how can I prep the inside surface so it doesn’t bleed through? No top finish has been applied anywhere, yet. I’ll be using Minwax waterbased poly for top/finish coat.
Hi Denise, I’m in my first year of refinishing furniture and I’m so greatful for all of your wisdom and tips. I just started taking clients in my business and have been asked to refinish a pine harvest table in white with heavy distressing. I already know to shellac for bleed through, but will using a top coat cause the shellac to release the tannins? What would you recommend as a top coat?
Hi Denise, I have a wood front door that appears to have stain on it. I painted it white with a paint and primer and the white paint instantly turned tan. Should I shellac then paint it again? Will this stop the bleeding? Thank you in advance for your help
Hi Annamarie! Yes, shellac or a shellac based primer will hide the bleedthrough.
Hi, I have a similar issue with some old red stained mahogany chairs. I primed the chair with 2 coats of Zinsser 1-2-3 primer that I thought would block the red. Several areas on chair are bleeding through that. I put clear shellac over the Zinsser. Some of the primer came off in my paint brush, not much, but now I have even more pink areas. What’s my next step?
Hi Nancy! Ugh, I know how frustrating this is. If this were my piece, I would give the chairs a light sanding and start from scratch with BIN Shellac Primer. Not the most pleasant to work with but the beauty of this stuff is you will actually SEE once the bleedthrough is covered and then there will be no issues after painting and top coating.
Shellac & shellac based primers CAN NOT be used for exterior projects! Shellac is very heat & moisture sensitive, which will lead to adhesion failure. I know from experience.
I painted a window box with shellac primer & didn’t read “For interior use only” on the can until after I finished the project. The paint bubbled & peeled within a few weeks.
I just painted this gorgeous scene on an old table. I applied a polycrylic and got a bleed through. So disappointed. Can I repaint over the polycrylic and be good, or do I need to use a better coating? Thank you for this piece. I was about to cry before until I found this!
I bought a vintage mahogany accent table and I did put a clear coat of shellac before chalk painting my two coats as I assumed there would be bleedthrough I proceeded to wax the piece, as I did not see any bleach through with this point. I just went back to buff the wax coat and I’m seeing bleed through as well as crackling What do you think I should do now? Thank, Denise
This is exactly what I was about to do. Apply shellac primer on to the piece and then do 2 coats of chalky and wax and polish. I am very reluctant to do this now if you say it hasn’t worked. I notice there is no response from Denise which would have been helpful. Did you ever rectify the problem anyway? Thanks
Hi guys! IMO using clear shellac on mahogany (or any type of wood that bleeds through) is hit or miss. Reason being, you can’t SEE when the bleedthrough has been 100% covered – because it’s clear. In addition, once 1 too many coats of clear shellac have been applied – you run the risk of a crackled paint finish just as Ellen experienced. Shellac Primer, on the other hand, gives you a visual. My fav is this one here and usually, 2 coats is all that is needed. Once the bleedthrough is 100% covered up with the Shellac Primer – you KNOW it will be 100% covered after adding your paint and topcoat. Hope this helps and good luck. 🙂
Very helpful information. What about “distressing” the finish after painting? If you carefully seal the original finish with a shellac primer and then paint with a chalk paint and want to distress the finish (so areas of the old wood finish show through) won’t the areas that you distress bleed? I am just trying to figure out my options before I tackle a very old dark stained table.
Yes they will! And if they don’t bleed through, if you use a darker color chalk paint, you may end up seeing some of the white primer showing through once you distress. If you’re looking for the wood to peek through your chalk paint, this CLEAR STAIN BLOCKER product is perfect!
I have just started chalk painting an old vanity and I have three coats of chalk paint on the drawer fronts and I having bleed through. I see where ever one says put a coat of shellac on but I already did three coats of white chalk paint. What do I do?
Can you use a latex paint over the shellac primer?
You sure can. 🙂
Hi Denise, I want to paint my house address on an old piece of weathered wood. A sign painter friend I used to know used linseed oil to prevent paint bleeding but if shellac will dry faster and block the paint bleed just as good I’ll use it! The other drawback with linseed oil is in darkening and imparting an oiled look to the wood. Do any sealers, such as shellac, dry to a natural non-oily or non-shiny finish?
Hi Ed! Shellac is great at stopping bleedthrough but it does have a shine. The only dead flat waterbased clear/bleedthrough sealer I know of is this one here. I’ve haven’t used the clear yet but the I’m sure it’s just as good as amazing as the white.
Hi Denise!
I have just recently discovered your website as I am about to attempt my first furniture redo! I am so excited I found you. You have the most beautiful furniture and the best tips and tricks! I have a question about priming dark wood furniture. I am planning on painting my bedroom vanity and nightstand with a very light gray DIY chalk paint, like an eggshell/oyster color. My furniture is very old and kind of dark, so I am thinking I need to use a primer before painting. I am on a very limited budget and don’t think I can swing the BIN shellac primer. In your experience, will the zinsser cover stain primer be okay, or the zinsser shellac or spray on shellac? How many coats of primer or shellac would you recommend? Thank you so much for your help!
Hi Katie! Welcome… and so happy you are finding the #siblog helpful! 🙂 Challenging to say without seeing the piece or knowing what type of wood and finish you’re working with. The Zinsser Stain Primer usually does a good job and a few coats of spray or brush on shellac will probably do the trick too. The only issue I’ve had with the above is I don’t know how many coats I do need – until I’ve put in the time to paint the entire piece and I see a splotch of bleedthrough peeking through my white finish. That’s why I love the BIN Shellac primer. It saves me time because it’s foolproof. Once I don’t see any bleedthrough through the BIN primer – I know I’m good to go with the paint – no worries. That said if you do see any bleedthrough coming through when you topcoat (which is when it like to appear), you could lightly sand, spot treat, paint and then topcoat again. Hope this helps. 🙂
Wow so much info! I have white chalk painted my old pine harvest table . Yellow bleed through ::( I’m actually scared to use the shellac.. I’m very sensitive to fumes.. and I can’t move the table out side. How long does it smell for?
I used chalked by restloium, and have coated it with their top protective coat but it is not shiny. If I have to use shellac can I just do it right on top?
Hello!
I have put one coat of white chalk paint on a dresser and i am getting yellow bleed through. I have a spray can of Mod Podge Matte Sealer, would this work like shellac to help cover the yellowing??
Hi Amanda! You could test on a small area but I don’t believe so.
What can. U use to. Remove. Used kilz from. The celling I want to remove the kilz that is on celling and start fresh what coves up kilz
Hi. I live in a wooden cabin and suspect wood is treated with woodoc or waxol. The hardware store did not suggest a primer and suggested I use enamel based paint. 3 coats down and the wood stain is still bleeding through. Can I save the walks, keep painting over it or must I sand or can I seal now and then apply another coat of paint?
It’s my guess that if 3 coats of paint have been applied and it’s still showing bleed through, a good stain blocking primer is will do the trick. You don’t have to sand the walls. Just apply a few coats of primer and repaint. Good luck Cheryldene.
Hi. Thanx for the post. I have a pine log cabin which i painted in pale colors. The oil seeped through and destroyed my paint. Should i sand down the food and then primer and repaint or simply put the primer over?
Hi Sameera! You should be okay priming over your paint with a stain blocking primer (until NO bleed through is visible) and then painting again. 🙂
Hi, I need help!
I’ve stupidly glossed over a varnished windowframe and windowsill not knowing primer was a thing! All local stores are telling me I can do nothing about it other than remove with solvents or sand the whole thing.
Please tell me the above will work on this sort of thing??!! Or something I can do
Thanks Jodie
Hi Jodi! I’m not sure what result you’ve ended up with but yes, if you remove with solvents or sand, either or will work just fine. Hope I understood your question correctly.
Hello- I’ve just finished my second coat of chalk paint on an old mahogany dresser. I sanded to bare wood, then with 220 before priming, sanding again & cleaning. I’m still having bleed thru on certain parts. I never knew about applying shellac prior to painting. Do I need to sand those areas back to bare wood, or apply now & do another coat of paint?
Hi Treva! It should be fine applying the shellac over your paint and then adding another coat or two on top of that. No need to sand back to bare wood. Good luck.
So I’m having an issue with a piece of furniture that had a veneer that someone began sanding down, and then I purchased it from her and went ahead and chalk painted it white. My problem is the places in the veneer where it was sanded down are turning a yellow color, where the rest is staying a bright white. I had already begun waxing when I saw these yellow spots in random places. I went ahead and waxed the entire piece in hoping that that layer would provide a better base (sort of a primer) so that the stain wouldn’t penetrate through if I started over. Is this going to work?
Hi Vanessa! Unfortunately wax and poly will often pull stains and bleed through to the surface – but they don’t act as a primer in hiding them. A shellac or shellac based primer will get rid of any bleed through on your piece. I would suggest removing the wax (sanding or mineral spirits) before apply either of these though. Hope this helps.
Dear Denise,
I need your advise…….After using car wax on a solid piece of solid hard wood, I noticed there are blue smears on it. This wood plank has been cut and drying for more then 3 years indoors. It was sanded down just before applying wax. Is there anyway to prevent the blue bleeding without using varnish? (I prefer not to use varnish as it gives this wood a different color shade). Thanks for your help.
Hi, I painted my headboard with 2 coats chalk paint. It bleeds through yellow. I did apply stain blocker. Now I still need to apply a coat chalk paint. What I want to know would I still be able to distres.
Hi erika
I would like to know what Denise is saying about the distres!! I have put on a sealer, paint with ascp and then distressed it. It bleed and now i do not know what to do??? I need a solution, please help
Hi!
I have an old mahogany desk that I am trying to paint white. I sprayed shellac first, then painted two layers of Annie Sloan Chalk paint. I am have some red bleed through. Should I spray more shellac and then try to paint another layer? If this doesn’t work should I go get a darker color of chalk paint to paint on top of the white to mask the bleed through?
Thank you for your help!
Hi Tai, so frustrating I know! Yes, old mahogany often needs a good few coats of shellac before painting with white or light colours… so yes, I would spray a couple more coats before adding another coat of AS.
Hi, Would you know if this BIN primer will also help with older furniture smells? I haven’t painted my piece yet, but have noticed that when I open the drawers there is the weirdest smell. Thank you for any advice!
Hi Erin… YES… BIN is great for getting rid of odours!
Hi Denise,
I have an old dresser that I have painted 2-3 coats of white chalk paint, but I’m still getting bleed through of almost oil looking spots and some brown/yellow coloring in places. I’m fearful to add any more coats of paint. I had planned on using a wax to finish it off which you mentioned as an alternative to the BIN or other shellac products. Could I rub the wax on and paint again? Help! I am afraid it’s going to look gloppy with too much more paint. Do I need to sand?
It did not do what it said on the can. Rust oleum chalk white But then again zinzer should always be keyed ( finely sanded ) prior to application. Beware of one coat paints always key then prime (seal) Undercoat and topcoat at your discretion
My hubby & I painted an 150 year old church pew for our breakfast nook. We wanted to keep the old look to it, but it was painted yellow & patina-ed and we wanted it to be white. We used a semi-gloss latex paint right over it and it looked perfect. Then we used a spray sealer to seal it. It was the Rustoleum Matte clear finish spray. Now our beautiful bench is a lovely pink. What can we do to still keep the old look to it and cover up the pink?? Help!!!
Hi Dawne! I’ve had this very same thing happen. Painted it looks fine, but once top coated with poly or wax, the bleed through rears it’s ugly head. If it were my bench, I would lightly sand to scruff up the top coat and then seal with BIN Shellac Primer. Repaint, with your semi-gloss paint and then topcoat again. A pain in the-you-know-what, but then you’ll have no discolouration.
you should prime before hand. A good oil base primer is the ideal candidate for this type of job.
Thank you…this was so helpful! I am painting my husbands great grandmothers dresser, dark mahogany from the 1940’s, and this exact thing is happening. After two coats, trying to find out what to do and if I have to sand the paint off. Read through the questions, and my question was answered…thanks again!
Hi
Ive done two coats of a latex primer and I can see a yellow and pink mark. Should I sand with a 180 and spray shellac on it or since Im painting with a navy blue, will it cover it?
I would apply the shellac Tiffany. Even with dark colors, bleed-through can make dark look darker – therefore not giving uniform coverage.
Can shellac be applied over two coats of water based primer? I have yellow bleeding through and just learned about this.
Hi Lisa. Yes it can. 🙂
Hi Denise. Do you have any tips for even application of the B-I-N shellac primer? I used a synthetic brush to apply it and it went on fairly smooth, but there were some areas that I had to sand down to smooth out heavy brushstrokes. Just curious if it’s best to use a foam roller to avoid this issue? Since it dries so quickly, smoothing it out with the paintbrush during application is not the best choice, so I’ve discovered (sigh).
Hi Melissa. Yes, you bring up a really good point! Once the B-I-N is applied, it starts to dry quickly. This is just another reason why I love it. Projects can be completed quickly. But when working with a large surface and you try to brush over it, it feels sticky and doesn’t smooth down nicely. So, for flat surfaces I like to use a foam roller. Smaller areas or areas with curvy details, a brush. 🙂
Denise, I just found your website while searching for help painting my antique mahogany dresser. Do I need to sand off the two layers of primer and one light layer of milk paint before using the B-I-N? And where can you buy it? Thanks!
Julie
Hi Julie! Yes to sanding – but no to sanding it all off. If you have a palm sander, I would grab 150-180 grit and give it an overall quick sanding (or do this by hand) just to knock down some of the layers and create a little tooth for the shellac primer to stick to. But you don’t have to sand all the paint/primer off. If you shop online you can buy BIN Shellac Primer here (affiliate link) or BIN is also sold at Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Do I need to only apply 1 coat of the BIN to seal the bleed through or do I need to coat it multiple times until I can’t see any more bleed through? Sorry if you answered this already, I tried to read through but I want to make sure I am doing it correctly. Thanks!
Hi there Olivia! It really depends on the piece and the severity of the bleed-through and staining. When/if I see bleed-through beating through my first coat of B-I-N, I apply a second coat. In all the furniture I’ve restyled, a 3rd coat has NEVER been needed.
So I’m painting an old dresser, I lightly sanded all over, put one coat of Kilz latex primer sealer stainblocker, and have now painted two coats of flat white paint. I wa just about to dry brush some gray on and seal with polycyclic and I have yelowish orange streaks coming through the white. Is this technique only use for chalk paint or can be used for regular paint as well? It’s not terrible and I was hoping that the gray Drybrush will cover it, or will it continue to bleed through and get worse? Should I put more Kilz on and another coat of white? I’m worried it will be too much paint, thoughts??? TIA
I’ve had this happen so many times so I know how frustrating this is Brigitte! I’m now in the habit, whenever I paint with lights, I prime with shellac primer. So yes, this technique CAN be used for regular paint as well. In my experience, bleed-through does look more prominent once the piece is top coated. You could try another coat of the Kilz but if it’s stubborn bleed-through, you may want to consider using shellac or shellac based primers. It WORKS!
What would you recommend for spruce wood. An untreated new kitchen island.
Thanks
Hi Fiona! I would use BIN for sure. If you have any knots in your untreated spruce, they will bleed through. So the shellac primer is a perfect choice. Good luck. 🙂
I am attempting to painting my mahogany kitchen cabinets white. I went to Sherwin Williams and asked what I need to do. They told me to use their Extreme Bonding Primer first and then paint them with the ProClassic. Well, I did this and am getting some serious yellowing and streakiness. At this point, I put on one coat of Zinnser primer/sealer and then attempted another coat of paint. I’m still getting yellowing and streakiness. What do I do next? I’m very frustrated with the amount of time and money I’ve spent on this project.
Hi Natalie! Sounds like a case of stubborn bleed-through and I know how frustrating that can be. In my experience, shellac based products work very best – especially on Mahogany which is notorious for bad staining. If these were my cabinets, I would give them a light sanding to even out the paint/primer already applied, then prime with a shellac based primer like B.I.N. Its’ costly and stinks but it works. After one or two coats of BIN (until it hides the stain) I would paint with the ProClassic… which is a great quality paint.
Thanks, but now I have another question. Do I need to let the cabinets cure for a while before I can sand and apply the shellac primer or can I do that now? They were last painted 2 days ago. THANKS in advance!
So long as they are 100% dry, you should be just fine Natalie. Also, I’d love to hear how everything turns out for you. 🙂 Good luck.
I started a project and after reading this, I’m not sure my vision will work! (wahh) I stained some poplar boards with walnut and planned to paint over with white, then sand, or rub so that there was some pretty walnut color showing through. I was planning to do a coat of general finishes top coat in between. Will this work? I don’t want to be hours in and crying.. Lol. Thank you so much!
Many thanks for the shellac tip. I’m painting interior the walls of an old farmhouse and bleed-through has been a frustrating problem, especially in some of the kitchen areas.
I have put 3 coats of home made chalk paint on antique dresser, bleed through is pink, and I now know I need to go get bin to cover it and repaint white. But my finish is also, more than chalky, grainy, rough, , did I mix it wrong, or what. Can you give me a better mix directions, or do I have to sand all that off before I put the Bin on it?? Help. My mix is commercial grade , latex , flat . 2 cups paint, 4 Tb plAster Paris, 2Tb water.
Hi Vickie! It would be beneficial to sand down the roughness before priming and here are some mixing tips for your diy chalky paint.
Hi!
We recently painted white over oak wood paneling in our basement. One room turned out fine with 1 coat of primer, 1 coat of paint. But, the 2nd room is having a lot of yellow bleed through even after 1 coat primer and 2 coats paint. Can we use the BIN right over the water based paint or do we have to sand the entire thing and start again? Yikes!
Yes, you can use BIN Shellac Primer right over your water based paint.
Hi,
I’m a beginner with chalk paint and I painted a shiny, glossy chest that was my mom’s. I painted with cashew colored chalk paint. I put two coats on and oil has bled through. Probably from years of using orange glow polish. Should I use the shellac or just go with a darker color, maybe barn red? And if I use shellac, can I just paint over. I don’t have a sander.
Thank you,
Terri/ TN
Hi Terri! If your paint has adhered nicely and the issue is bleed through, yes, you can use shellac or a shellac based primer right over your existing paint – then paint over the shellac in whatever color you like. However, when using shellac for stubborn bleed through, I find it often takes a good few coats before it helps.
I am a chalk paint beginner. I have my grandmothers dresser (my mom thinks it could be 110 years old or older) I sanded it just enough to ruff up the shiny coating on the wood. I then applied 3 coats of Dutch Boy chalk paint. Letting it dry in between coats, today I applied Rust Oleum Chalked protective coat. There is brown bleeding threw. I read all of the questions and understand that I am going to have to sand and seal it. My question is.. do I have to sand to remove ALL the protective coat and paint, down to the bare wood?
Hi Jennifer. No, you do not have to sand to the bare wood. Sand the topcoat off and smooth out the layers of paint, then prime and start the process again. 🙂
I have a mahogany china cabinet and it has polycrylic top coat already on it. Will the polycrylic top coat finish, be enoughh to stop the bleed through if I paint it with white chalk paint ?
Hi Mary! In my experience, this is a yes AND no answer but with white paint I always lean on the side of caution. Here’s why. If the poly topcoat is super shiny/glossy, a light sanding is beneficial to adhere the chalk paint (brand name or diy!). Once lightly sanded, bleed through always occurs with my mahogany piece – so in comes the BIN Shellac Primer. If it’s not a shiny surface, you can chalk paint right over it, but you’re still taking a bit of a risk with white or light paint. Reason being, if the poly has worn in some areas, it is possible bleed through spots will appear.
Hey! I’m having a problem with a new piece of furniture. It’s not antique or old. I painted a coat of white chalk paint and the entire table turned pink. Then I put two coats of shellac on, repainted a coat of chalk paint and this morning it’s has cracked. It looks as if I have put crackle paint on it. Help! This is a client’s piece so it’s not one that I have purchased to sell. I’m freaking out!!
Hmmm, is it possibly the shellac was applied too generously or maybe not 100% dry before applying the paint. Either way it’s fixable. You can sand down to eliminate the crackle and then use a stain repellent shellac primer if you don’t want to use shellac again.
Hi Denise,
I have bleed through on a mahogany buffet that I have chalk painted and waxed.
Do I need to use mineral spirits to remove that before repainting, or can I just start applying the shellac on top of those layers(3)?
Thank you
Linda
Hi Linda! Shellac should not be applied over wax… so yes, the wax can be removed with mineral spirits or light sanding.
I painted some pine cabinets last year and there a few spots of bleed thru. Can I use the bin shellac primer over the spots and then touch up those spots with the regular paint I originally used, or do I have to sand the whole door and start over?
Hi there Tina! Seeing as it’s not a fresh paint job, I would sand (doesn’t have to be sanded all the way down), then use BIN Shellac Primer and repaint. Reason being it’s an older paint finish, it may be challenging to match and blend partial areas. Having said that, you could try spot finishing… and if you don’t like the results – then do the entire cabinet door. Best x
I am painting a Mahogany dresser. After 3 coats of white chalk paint I have bleed thru, looks pink and streaky. Do you think I should use the BIN shellac primer or just the shellac? If I use the BIN shellac primer how long do I have to let it dry before adding another coat of chalk paint?
Thanks!
Frustrating I know…but either or will work to stop the bleed through Amy. The only difference I’ve found – there have been a few occasions I’ve applied the clear shellac, then painted only to realize I should have applied another coat because I still have faint bleed through showing. But when you use the BIN Shellac Primer, you can actually SEE when the bleed through is 100% covered because the primer is white.
If I use shellac to cover pink bleeding through white paint on a mahogany piece, do I have to use an oil based paint on top of that? Or can I use a water based paint?
You can use a water based paint over the shellac Susan.
Hi! Thank you for all your helpful advise. I applied shellac over my piece then chalk painted no bleed through, then distressed it. When I applied the poly topcoat there WAS bleed through!!!! I am a beginner… help!!!! I am on my second coat of poly.
Omgosh…I’ve had this happen and it’s sooooo frustrating! Unfortunately, the only way to fix this, is to sand, seal/prime, repaint and topcoat. Often more than 1 or 2 coats of shellac are required to stop the bleed through and if not enough shellac is applied, it wont’ even show up until the topcoat is added! I’ve switched over to using BIN Shellac Primer rather than straight shellac and now I don’t have this problem.
If you use the BIN shellac primer do you have to use regular primer as well?
No Elizabeth. BIN Shellac Primer is all you need. 🙂
I just found out the hard way if you’re planning on sanding your top color to show another color underneath don’t use the white Zinsser. I planned on a red shade undercoat with black as a top coat. Now I have to have a red piece with dark wax.
So disappointed.
Very disappointing for sure Nancy! If you ever require a primer to stop bleed through yet want to do the above technique you mentioned, you can tint the primer to the base color so it doesn’t sand down white.
Hi. I just found your site. Very helpful. One question…I have a wood door that I put a water base clear coat on over the bare wood. I had a rescue cat that that peed on it leaving a large dark stain. My contractor says the door will have to be replaced. I’m not thoroughly convinced. Will the B-I-N work on this? I’m okay with painting it it a darker color. Thanks!
Hi there Laura. Hmmmm… I’ve never used B.I.N to seal cat urine but I did a little research for you and it looks like others have had success. I can tell you, I’ve used B.I.N Shellac Primer on some other nasty smells/stains and it’s never let me down. If it were my door, I’d invest in the primer and paint and give it a go before spending big money on a brand new door. Just my 2 cents 🙂
Trying to chalk paint an old mahogany stained piano and have done 2 coats of shellec after first coat of white and it’s bleeding through! I wanted it antique white but now am ok with it being darker if a darker colored paint will cover the pink bleeding…. Help!!!
Yes, a darker paint will hide/cover bleed through Jill. You also may want to consider using BIN Shellac Primer in the future. I use it on tannin problem pieces all the time and it works amazing!
Thanks I will try this solution to my old wood door thee coats of Kilz 1 2 3
and one coat of latex semi gloss still a bit of bleeding I will buy Zinn and redo the outside area again. The inside has not been sanded or primed yet. So now I know what to do As old Riley would say ” What A revolting developing this has turned out to be ”
Thanks Robert
I put one coat of DIY chalk paint on. If I see bleed thru, I then put on shellac, let dry, and continue painting. Problem solved. So even putting shellac between coats of paint works well and you don’t have to remove the first layer of paint to put shellac on original wood. Saves time. Not everything bleeds thru so this avoids unnecessarily coating with shellac. Thanks for your tip re B-I-N too.
Does it matter if you use orange or white shellac?
Hmmm, that’s a good questions Brian! I’ve never used the orange shellac so I’m not sure. I’m guessing that the properties of the orange shellac are similar to the clear. It may seal the bleed-though just fine, but then you’ll have an orange-gee topcoat to deal with. Depending on what color you plan on painting, it may require more coats to cover.
Thank you, this is a great tip. I have just started paint an old oak table and the brown nicotine is coming through the chalk paint. I will try the BIN now. Does it have to be the Shellac version?
I’ve tried quite a few popular primers. To stop stains and eliminate smells (including smoke), I find the BIN Shellac does the very best job. The down side is it does cost more.