Comments on: How to Stop Stains from Coming Through Paint https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/ Painted Furniture, Home Decor and More! Tue, 14 Oct 2025 07:12:07 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Natalie https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-42624 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-42624 In reply to Pat.

I’m sorry! But yes, I would apply another coat on those places where the bleed through is still showing. If it still persists, you can try doing a coat of oil based primer. Sometimes, very rarely, it takes a combination of shellac and oil primers to completely block it.

]]> By: Pat https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-42611 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-42611 Hi, I have an old dresser that I painted 2 coats of chalk paint to and then applied Polycrylic before I noticed the bleed through. Ugh! I took your advice and scuff sanded it and applied Zinsser Bin Shellac, 2 coats. The drawers look great, no bleed through. The top and sides of the dresser still show bleed through. Do I need to apply a 3rd coat? Or even a 4th if it still bleeds through after the 3rd coat? TIA

]]> By: Natalie https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-29231 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-29231 In reply to Cris.

Oh bummer!
You could seal with shellac, but it will turn your paint color amber… and the clear shellac won’t cover the stains. You’ll need to paint over the shellac.
You can still have issues with bleedthrough if you wax too.

]]> By: Cris https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-29142 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-29142 Hi, I painted a piece with chalk paint and went to seal it, when I learned the hard way the horrors of bleed threw. I first tried poly than chalk protective top coat to learn both are water-based. Can I seal a finished piece with shellac successfully as a top coat? And for future reference, would wax as a top coat prevent bleed through? Thanks a million!

]]> By: Natalie https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-16886 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-16886 In reply to Shirley Deso.

Hey Shirley!
I’m sorry you’re having issues. How long did you let the primer dry between coats and before painting again? The longer you leave it, the better it does. But sometimes, some wood just needs a lot of coats of primer and dry time to actually block the bleed through. I’ve heard that you can apply a coat or two of “cover stain” oil based primer as well. Sometimes that combo will finally be able to block it.
Best of luck!!

]]> By: Shirley Deso https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-16692 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-16692 I sanded and painted a dining room wood table. I painted two coats and bleed thru thru marks where I sanded came thru. I put two coats of bin spray then repainted. It still looks terrible. What can I do to get a smooth looking finish with my paint?

]]> By: Natalie https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-11062 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-11062 In reply to Stephanie.

Hey Stephanie!
Congrats on the baby! If you know what paint was used on the dresser you can fix just the drawer. I would scuff sand it, prime it with BIN shellac primer and then paint it with the same paint that was used on the rest of the dresser. Make sure to let the BIN primer dry at least overnight. And if you see the stain still coming through one coat of BIN, then give it another coat of two of the BIN primer before you paint with the white paint.
Best of luck!

]]> By: Stephanie https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-11018 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-11018 We bought a dresser second hand that has started to show yellow spots on the bottom drawer. We really don’t want to fix the entire dresser (baby due any day now). It’s a shiny white. Do you think the white shellac will help cover the white that has already seeped through?

]]> By: Natalie https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-8447 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-8447 In reply to Kathy.

Hey Kathy!
Honestly, in my experience, it can show up instantly, and it can show up months later.

]]> By: Kathy https://arayofsunlight.com/how-to-get-rid-of-bleed-through/comment-page-1/#comment-8335 https://arayofsunlight.com/?p=2191#comment-8335 In reply to Natalie.

Thank you for all the tips. Just wondering how soon after painting will you notice bleed through? My painter does not think I need to prime the full wall before painting. It is an older knotty pine room. The knots have been sanded down and are smooth now and just have some sort of clear gloss over them already. I want to change the room to white but am worried you will later see the knots and the orange color come through. He assures me that if we start to see that he will then prime the whole wall instead of just spot priming. Will I be able to see this that early on in the project or will that show up months later? Thank you!

]]>