[br09891]

We just completed a project which was a interior closet renovation. Please note we completed two other closets in this home about a month ago with no issues.

The closet was custom built out of 3/4" birch plywood, sanded etc. This round we used Behr Paint and Primer in 1 - Interior Matte finish. The color is light tan.

The project has been 100% complete for 4 days now. We have had the closet and accompanying bedroom cleared out for this entire time, with a box fan in the window for ventilation.

Problem - The whole room smells rancid. To me it smells like pickles. We can not get the odor to go away. This is a huge issue as the owners are not able to move back into the room. We have tried repainting with the paint and the same issue came back today. Note we let the area dry for 72 hours. This was a non-issue in the other closets with the previous paint.

Please let me know if you have any ideas or experiences. We are ready to demo the whole thing down to the studs and start new....This will probably cost us about 5k...

 

[Bender]

Think it could be fumes from the box fan?

 

[GR8painter]

Problem #1- Behr paint. Why are you using a consumer based product made from 100% crap. Worst thing to do is finish off a nice and probably expensive project with an inferior paint. Get out of home depot and lowes and get yourself to a real paint store.

 

[Hines Painting]

I think a Muon Trap has been used successfully in similar circumstances.

 

[IL_Painter]

We just completed a project which was a interior closet renovation. Please note we completed two other closets in this home about a month ago with no issues.

The closet was custom built out of 3/4" birch plywood, sanded etc. This round we used Behr Paint and Primer in 1 - Interior Matte finish. The color is light tan.

The project has been 100% complete for 4 days now. We have had the closet and accompanying bedroom cleared out for this entire time, with a box fan in the window for ventilation.

Problem - The whole room smells rancid. To me it smells like pickles. We can not get the odor to go away. This is a huge issue as the owners are not able to move back into the room. We have tried repainting with the paint and the same issue came back today. Note we let the area dry for 72 hours. This was a non-issue in the other closets with the previous paint.

Please let me know if you have any ideas or experiences. We are ready to demo the whole thing down to the studs and start new....This will probably cost us about 5k...

Those interior closet renovations can be tricky sometimes. Next time just use any flat except behr

 

[br09891]

Customer provided the paint as they wanted to match existing paint in their bedroom. We are now caught in the middle. Has anyone experienced this type of odor from an acrylic paint?

 

[IL_Painter]

No Pickles!!!

 

[journeymanPainter]

Problem #1- Behr paint. Why are you using a consumer based product made from 100% crap. Worst thing to do is finish off a nice and probably expensive project with an inferior paint. Get out of home depot and lowes and get yourself to a real paint store.

Behr isn't the best, but it's not crap. I've used it 5 times, and have had little issues. A little flashing once (4 singles in a very dark colour).

My biggest issue would be the person mixing it.

 

[Bender]

Sounds like the paint is rancid. Lemme guess, it was a partial can?

 

[IL_Painter]

Customer provided the paint as they wanted to match existing paint in their bedroom. We are now caught in the middle. Has anyone experienced this type of odor from an acrylic paint?

Some acrylic paints do have a bad odor but usually clear up after drying. If the odor is lingering its a different problem altogether.

 

[luny2nz]

I think a Muon Trap has been used successfully in similar circumstances.

Who did you call?

 

[IL_Painter]

he called the Muon Trap dudes.

 

[AlphaWolf]

I have had this issue. Normally has to do with old paint. Latex paints when they get old start to break down. This causes bacteria to grow. The bacteria eat what ever it is they find tasty in the paint and release an off gassing. So in theory your smelling bacteria farts. Best way to fix this buy a new gallon. Its rare to have it happen to a new gallon off the shelf but it does. Happens alot in old gallons home owners want you to use to match what they already have. I always tell them it will never match. Even if its the exact same paint from the gallon you used, or a new gallon of exact same product and color wont match. Reason is because the paint on the walls is cured and aged. As it ages it loses sheen, Sun bleaches so on so forth. It will never be a perfect match. Always get them to say that makes total sense mister painter what would u recommend. BAM now i pick product and get away from low grade paint. No more smells, flashing or soft paint hehehe. Call me the paint Ninja its what i do. WAX ON WAX OFF

Edit----------------------------------------------------------Thanks button is here \/

 

[IL_Painter]

Bacteria farts. Its all you need to know.

 

[davezedlee]

If you've ever smelled Recycled Paint, its the same smell

 

[Krittterkare]

I actually think Behr does have a unique smell compared to most paints that I find a bit nauseating but if the paint was going bad that is a different thing all together. Though I have never went out to purchase the brand I have found it performs well enough as long as the homeowner is buying.

 

[WestCoast99]

If it smells truly "rancid" then I don't know. If it's from an old can of paint then the other posters might be right...microbial growth in the old paint could cause it (microbes and bacteria release gas...that's where body odor, smelly swamp gas, and the smell of fresh dog **** comes from). If it's new paint then I have a story for you. Once upon a time I repaired and repainted my own master bathroom. Being lazy about it (the shoemakers children have no shoes, after all) I bought a gallon of Behr paint and primer in one for the job. My bathroom smelled awful for two months after I painted it. It smelled like a chemical factory. I think that paint and primer in one is basically exterior acrylic paint that has no purpose being used indoors if odor is an issue. It's an outdoor paint marketed as an indoor paint so that homeowners think they are getting a deal. As for solutions to the problem a) keep a fan running and a window cracked, b) repaint using the same color with a tried and true interior wall paint, c) if the homeowner provided the paint then bill him/her and never let the homeowner provide the paint again.

 

[luny2nz]

he called the Muon Trap dudes.

Ghost busters.
Joke.

 

[chrisn]

no comment:whistling2:

 

[PRC]

Paint that has frozen at some point can smell pretty bad. It's more like rotten eggs though.