Leave it to the ladies (International Anti-Damp Paint)

Member Name: Chantelly

Product:	International Anti-Damp Paint
Date:	14/01/09 (282 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great coverage

Disadvantages: Hard to stir

I live in a rented property and have had a problem with damp for the last year, the landlord came out and a builder and the problem was sorted however the walls were vile. I offered to redecorate (you have no idea how vile his decor is!) so to cover the damp patches I bought this and a bottle of mould and mildew remover. 6 months later and the damp hasn't come back.

*What it does*
There is a warning on the tin that this product will not cure the cause of damp and that you should seek professional advice. The paint literally covers the areas of damp and stops its from coming back, which it shouldn't do any way if it has been treated. Since we had already done this we were good to go.

*Where can I buy it?*
I bought this from Homebase for £22.99 for 2.5l about 8 months ago, which is a little steep but they do 750ml tins which are under £10. 2.5l covers 20m squared. I found I used almost half a tin and I covered about 8m squared so the coverage is about right.

*Preparation*
You have to make sure that you prepare the walls before using this, I washed the walls down with mould and mildew remover so they were almost back to white. I then let that dry well. You need to stir the paint really well when you first get it as the contents seperate. This was easier said than done as the contents are really thick. I ended up using an old curtain pole to get to the bottom and my arms got a good work out in the process.

*Application*
Finally I was ready to paint. I started on the ceiling and it went on really well, my partner managed to splatter it everywhere but that says more for his technique than the paint because I was perfectly tidy!

The paint is matt white, possibly not brilliant white but you'll be covering it later so it doesn't matter. It took a little bit longer to apply than normal emulsion purely because it was so thick and drying took a while too, the tin says it will be touch dry in 3 hours and can be overcoated in 4 hours, I'd give it a little longer in the cold but in summer you should be ok. It says to use 2 coats which we did but whether it was necessary or not I don't know.
*Finish*

The next day I covered it with a Homebase bathroom paint which went on perfectly over the top and my bathroom now looks lovely. The brushes should be cleaned with brush cleaner as it is an oil based paint. I really couldn't get the paint off even after soaking them though so the brushes went in the bin. I used cheap brushes so I wasn't too bothered but maybe keep your nice brushes away.
International make an anti condensation paint which may be more suitable in high condensation areas.

5 stars from me, it does what it says on the tin and you can't ask for more than that!

Summary: Does what it says on the tin