Tar or Damp in chimney breast

[Turbo]

Removing that mechanically with a grinder will create toxic dust that will get everywhere.

Scrape off any heavy or loose deposits, give it a coat of the correct zinisser primer/stain blocker and finish with emulsion.

 

[Robotstar5]

Best you don't mention calling her a 'Grinder'!

I was watching an American renovation programme and one of the presenters referred to herself as a "scrubber" after cleaning something up, she obviously didn't know the English slang meaning of the word

 

[Blobber]

Is it paint or the burnt residue from open fires?

 

[Puglet1]

ALL. Thank you for your support and comments above.
Reading through them leads me to the conclusion that I should leave it as it is.
I’ll mention the words Arsenic and poisonous chemicals to my wife - that will definitely be enough for her to agree with me.

 

[MattF]

I'll take a photo of mine, shortly. I've left that as it was, once it was opened back up, & I'm glad I have.

 

[Mark 5]

ALL. Thank you for your support and comments above.
Reading through them leads me to the conclusion that I should leave it as it is.
I’ll mention the words Arsenic and poisonous chemicals to my wife - that will definitely be enough for her to agree with me.

Good idea but tread careful, it might give your wife ideas.

 

[gaz1]

To be factual this could apply to paint and wallpaper in times past.

Arsenic was a popular ingredient in many processes and homes.

It's just I can't ever remember seeing a picture of those comfy in their fireside armchairs, warming their tootsies, and wearing a respirator.

you might be surprised but its not an old thing many people still burn in open fires with painted and stained wood the older end being the worst for it

 

[MattF]

This's mine. As you can see, there's cleaner stone to the right, but well blackened in the centre of the opening. I love the look of it.

 

[Smallfry]

Removing that mechanically with a grinder will create toxic dust that will get everywhere.

Scrape off any heavy or loose deposits, give it a coat of the correct zinisser primer/stain blocker and finish with emulsion.

I was actually joking when I mentioned the angle grinder !

I would not try anything other than washing it with water and something like sugar soap or trisodium phosphate, but it makes such a mess, and you dare not get it anywhere near carpet. I used it when we had a fire a few years ago, but it didn't get everything off, still left the painted wood cladding stained.

We did use Zinsser stain blocker, then overpainted with Dulux Trade Satinwood, and I can confirm the stain blocker works.

I wouldn't want to paint a fireplace though, the staining is part of the character.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

The dry ice blasting is pretty cool...it would be even better if I could get the link to work! I don't know exactly how it works...combination of freezing and then the kinetic energy of the dry ice pellets I guess.

It also works really well on aluminium apparently...wonder how much the machine costs

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DfujR5WgeFsM&ved=2ahUKEwjr0sCakeaQAxVsUUEAHYmVHzsQwqsBegQIFRAB&usg=AOvVaw0vk4yScmpVzZBL-UiONP4X

 

[MattF]

I wouldn't want to paint a fireplace though, the staining is part of the character.

Exactly. It'd become bland. Left as is, each opening is unique.

 

[Robotstar5]

The dry ice blasting is pretty cool...it would be even better if I could get the link to work! I don't know exactly how it works...combination of freezing and then the kinetic energy of the dry ice pellets I guess.

It also works really well on aluminium apparently...wonder how much the machine costs

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DfujR5WgeFsM&ved=2ahUKEwjr0sCakeaQAxVsUUEAHYmVHzsQwqsBegQIFRAB&usg=AOvVaw0vk4yScmpVzZBL-UiONP4X

We used to have the welding fixtures cleaned by dry ice blasting every year, it's extremely noisy (ear defenders while anywhere in the building) and needs a very high CFM air supply.

The machine

and the business end

 

[Mark 5]

I was actually joking when I mentioned the angle grinder !

We did use Zinsser stain blocker, then overpainted with Dulux Trade Satinwood, and I can confirm the stain blocker works.

Zinsser is hard to beat as a stain blocker, as a standby old thinned down gloss paint might do.

 

[Turbo]

Zinsser is hard to beat as a stain blocker, as a standby old thinned down gloss paint might do.

Polyurethane varnish was what you used before all these stain blockers appeared.

 

[Welderpaul]

Polyurethane varnish was what you used before all these stain blockers appeared.

The favourite of the 'Influencer' decorators
You should see the discussions that go on the forums..

There is a whole range of different Zinssers. I've tried them, old houses brings with it troublesome walls - Varnish or oil undercoat does just as well.
Flippin pricey as well.

 

[addjunkie]

The favourite of the 'Influencer' decorators
You should see the discussions that go on the forums..

There is a whole range of different Zinssers. I've tried them, old houses brings with it troublesome walls - Varnish or oil undercoat does just as well.
Flippin pricey as well.

Yep stain blockers work, obscenely expensive, but I used in one of my holiday cottages to cover grease splashes I couldn't get off the emulsion…then touched up same paint from the same can…..now have a stain from the stain block.

For water damaged plaster oil based undercoat everytime