Nicotine stains and mould in party hall: this is how painter Tim handled it

Hall Flora is well known in Wildert, Essen. The hall is over 100 years old but has seen little use in recent years, until the new owners took over 2024. They found that the hall was in need of refurbishment and therefore contacted painter Tim Meeus of Schilderwerken Meeus.

Like the pub Café Volksvriend—which it is a part of—hall Flora has been a staple meeting place since the early 20th century. In the fifties, it was used among others to show movies, and it offered a meeting place for various associations. In the following years, it saw use for other social activities like dancing, billiards, quizzes, card game evenings and so on. Between 2017 and 2024, the hall didn’t see much use. But that changed when the new owners desired to spruce up the hall ahead of the local fair.

The new owners, Linda De Ranter and Eric Cox, contacted Tim Meeus. They asked him if he could put a new coat of paint to the hall ahead of the local fair. The deadline was not the only challenge. Years of intensive use had left its mark on the hall in the form of nicotine stains and, because it had not been heated in a while, mould had found its way inside as well. The various surfaces (wood, drywall, plaster, steel) only added to the challenges Tim faced.

Considering the deadline, Tim hired other painters to join him. But he also needed products that allowed for a quick and qualitative end result. An advisor from Zinsser recommended Zinsser Allcoat Interior, a primer and topcoat in one that adheres well to any surface. Before applying Allcoat Interior, he sealed the difficult-to-remove nicotine stains with Zinsser B-I-N Aqua.

The owners are quite pleased. “We are very happy with the result. The hall looks renewed and ready for many years of service. It has already hosted several parties and many more will follow!”