Any decorators/experts about. Filler gone wrong!

[maldivemoment]

Filled in some cracks before applying mist coat. Brought filler in from garage (cold) and when I started applying it on the walls (warm room) it looked a bit ‘greasy’. Don’t know if you’re supposed to mix it, but I did and it seemed to have worked. Painted over a few more cracks and all good. Sanded down the filler prior to applying the mist coat. Paint looked like it wasn’t really taking on this one section, and it’s dried like this! I’ve just put another coat of mist coat on, so you can see it’s still wet. All the other parts, after I mixed the filler, are fine. Took the mist coat no problem.

Argh! Any idea what I’ve done wrong? And how/if I can fix it?

Thank you in advance.

Zinsser stain stop is a godsend - anything greasy, old watermarks etc., it'll mask it. I kiss my tin virtually every day!😀

Also, if you can't get hold of the Stain Stop, then most of their products do the same job - Primer, Sealer, Bullyseye 123 etc.
I'd roller it on over area and extend the margins to blend into a larger area, let it dry and assess whether one more coat required. Your emulsion coat will look as normal. Good luck!

Another vote for something from Zinnser, bless their cotton socks. And as above, definitely use a roller, get a little one if you haven't already.

What was the filler? It's unusual for this to happen/paint to resist coating! It could possibly be down to the product going off and/or the temperature it was applied at.

I'd usually suggest sanding before applying the paint if it's not sticking, but you've already done that... next suggestion would be to sand down further, roughly, then apply a thin coat of polyfilla or similar, which is reliable.

The other suggestions to use a Zinsser primer are good, it's reliable stuff (although expensive and if you don't need it for anything else, I'd go for the rough sanding and a small tube of polyfilla over buying a tin of zinsser).

One other thought/potentially stupid question... what colour was the filler? Is it definitely a case of not taking vs simply being a darker colour (which will always take many coats of paint to cover - I learnt this the hard way with Ronseal deep crack repair product - it's amazing stuff but takes a lot of covering if you don't use a lighter product like polyfilla on top).

@Poppins2016 @TheLurpackYears @Threewheeler1

You are all angels! Thank you 😘

But wait, does this mean for this teeny wee section I’m going to need to buy a tin of Zinsser? 😭

This is why I'd recommend sanding really roughly (maybe even scratching with something like a screwdriver to provide a better "key") and then skimming with Polyfilla... the cost for a tube is much lower compared to a tin of Zinsser!

Try to not be in a hurry and let things dry completely before next step. I know it is easy to say and harder to do but patience is a virtue and waiting requires zero effort and costs nothing!

@Poppins2016 @TheLurpackYears @Threewheeler1 @Whataretalkingabout Thank you all, once again. I’m a wee bit reluctant to go at it again with sanding & filler. Worried I’ll actually make it worse & it will show through the final paint. Eek!

It seems to have dried a bit better. I’ll take another pic when the suns up & you could perhaps let me know what you think?

Also, it’s okay if the mist coat doesn’t look as smooth as the final coats of emulsion, right?

My mist coats usually look as though I've done them with my feet 😬
I hate it, it's the boring (runny paint in your face and up your arm) bit.
Yours looks perfect!
Don't worry about the filler mark, there are ways to get rid of it, & you'll be standing back admiring your lovely handiwork soon 🙂

@Threewheeler1

Indeed. Took my son to GP apt yesterday. Quick change out of ‘painty clothes’ and off we went. All good. Got home, looked in mirror, teeny speckles of paint in hair, on face, etc!

😂It gets everywhere!