lime washed beams

[angrybird]

As today was so wet and dismal I decided to lime wash the beams in the hall.The beams had been hidden under 3 false ceilings and had been previously been lime washed so I gave them a good once over with a wire brush to remove any loose lime, cobwebs etc. I gave them one coat of lime wash but some of the dark staining that was on the beams seemed to seep through!
Dilemma.... do I carry on over the next four days with another coat of lime wash per day hoping that the stain will not soak through or do I quit now and apply an undercoat and modern day paint?
HELP PLEASE

 

[88v8]

Depending what's seeping, it might come through modern paint as well.
Is it oily?
Are the beams hardwood or softwood?

Ivor

 

[angrybird]

Depending what's seeping, it might come through modern paint as well.
Is it oily?
Are the beams hardwood or softwood?

Ivor

Hello Ivor I presumed the staining was from water as the room above was a bedroom and I cant think what else it would be.
I think the beams are rough sawn soft wood as they look completely different to the main oak beams

Thanks
Jacqueline x

 

[worms]

Also remember that the limewash might take a day or two to reach its final opacity and colour.

 

[angrybird]

ah thanks worms probably me being impatient as ususal

 

[FamilyWiggs]

How is it looking a couple of days later?

 

[angrybird]

How is it looking a couple of days later?

oh FW its not a good look!!! its a vile shade of mustard,what ever that brown staining was on the old lime wash has seeped through my new lime wash. I think i'm going to have to wire brush it off and apply a stain blocker. I have seen a French website...
http://www.frenchentree.com/renovation-and-decoration/displayarticle.asp?id=41339 they recommend using "Unikalos Aquaprim isolant I just need to find a Uk equivalent.

 

[Zebra]

Would you perhaps need to remove whatever stain had been applied to the beams before, or maybe just wash them with soapy water? People often recommend on here this company http://www.stripperspaintremovers.com - they have a link on their site which will tell you which product to remove virtually any type of paint or stain from virtually any surface.
My main oak beam was glossed white, and after stripping the paint I washed it, and the water coming off it was dark brown.

 

[angrybird]

Would you perhaps need to remove whatever stain had been applied to the beams before, or maybe just wash them with soapy water? People often recommend on here this company http://www.stripperspaintremovers.com - they have a link on their site which will tell you which product to remove virtually any type of paint or stain from virtually any surface.
My main oak beam was glossed white, and after stripping the paint I washed it, and the water coming off it was dark brown.

oh thank you zebra that looks like a fantastic site,im sure i'll find something on there
first of all im going to wire brush the lime wash off and then i'll give the beams a wash as you suggested x

 

[Alex]

The beams in our diningroom were stained a strange brown colour and I couldn't work out what it was. I bought the paint remover from strippers and as I was putting it on, I realised what the strange brown stuff was, garden fence stain. It came off ok though.

 

[robgil]

My timbers were stained with fence preservative also, the ''it will last for ever now' brigade (even though the house is 500 years old anyway) or the ''dark wood means I am richer than people with light wood'' brigade got their hands on it and did a number with the creosote. These people should be confined to live in OAP's 1970's bungalows where this kind of behaviour could be deemed as acceptable. People with ''taste'' should not be allowede to own old houses. Rant over. :lol:

The good news is this stain could be and sounds like it is water based, so , try washing it off.

Warm water, a scouring sponge and some washing up powder will get rid of it. The washing up powder acts as a carrier for the stain and as a light abrasive. Sugar also works but not as well. A garden sprayer full of clean water to rinse the stain/powder off should be used also.
I used a soft tooth brush to clean my timbers.

I also used nb510 from paintstrippers to good effect although it turns the paint/stain into a wax that needs hot water to clean , which will raise the grain in the wood, so be careful. If this happens it isnt the end of the world, I dont think it is a permanent thing.