Emulsion paint peeling from wall

[Persimmon]

I would be grateful for any opinions on a problem I have encountered, please. I put up a dado rail (MDF) in my hall and up the stairwell wall. I first primed the area where the rail was to go with PVA, then attached the dado rail with 'Pink Grip'. Here and there I partially inserted a few 1 and a half inch ovals to hold it in place for 24 hours. When I (carefully) pulled the nails out, one section of the dado rail came off completely. On the back of the rail was all the Pink Grip and the original emulsion paint ! Absolutely no plaster was removed. The bare wall behind looked very shiny and smooth.

I am about to have the hall, stairwell and landing decorated by a professional painter/decorator. Because the plastering is far from perfect, I have asked that all the walls be lined with paper first before emulsioning. In view of my experience with the dado rail I am now not confident of a satisfactory outcome.

Any advice or opinions gratefully received.

Per

 

[joe-90]

It sounds like the emulsion was painted on straight out of the tin rather than being thinned down by about 20%. What happens is that the plaster sucks out the water from the paint before the paint can grip. Why not just screw the dado (bit dated) into the wall? Or leave the oval nails in? Don't like lining paper - it looks awful in my opinion.

 

[Nige F]

Agree with joe......how about wallpaper instead of lining +paint I`ve used it in same situation @home and chose random pattern to disguise bumps in plaster

 

[Persimmon]

Many thanks for replies, joe-90 and Nige F.

I am sure you are spot on about the emulsion being put straight on from the tin (we found an empty tin, it was Dulux Soft Sheen, by the way). It is also likely that it was slapped on before the finish coat of plaster had dried properly, which probably wouldn't have helped.

The reason for the dado rail is because the ceilings are corniced and a dado rail seems to go with them IMO. Also it is very easy to redecorate the part under the dado when some piece of furniture is carried up the stairs and inevitably takes a piece out of the wall !

Yes, I will countersink a few screws for safety. Great fan of screws over nails, easy to get back out if required..... .

Joe - why do you think lining paper looks awful ? If care is taken not to overlap and several coats of matt emulsion are applied to disguise the joins, must it not look better than emulsion over poor plastering ? It is not so much that there are bumps and hollows as a poor surface, highlights in some places and matt in others. Probably due to over-trowelling here and there ? If the new emulsion is applied straight over the old, isn't it likely to peel off like the Pink Grip because of the problem you identified ? It is a south facing very bright hall and at present which wall looks bad depends on the time of day and where the light is falling.

Nige, the paper under the dado rail will be a stripe (to go with the general style and furniture). Stripes all over would be too much and a randomly patterned wallpaper wouldn't look right, I think.

Per

 

[spice]

Pers, if you want lining paper you have it, it can and does look great when put on right, and painted in a nice matt light colour can make a difference to the overall finish.

Jo does not like lining paper, he probably had a bad experience with it at sometime, but I love lining paper ( I hang enough if it ) lol, and it does make a hell of a difference.

 

[joe-90]

It's just a personal preference. When I plaster a wall I can correct all the faults in the wall like dips and bumps. It's as close to perfection as you can get. When I see lining paper I always see little bits of plaster and such under the paper that leave awful little lumps and bumps and you can't fill the hollows. Still, if you can't plaster then go for it.

 

[Persimmon]

joe-90 - well the difference is that you are a proper plasterer ! As I said, not too many humps and bumps, just a bad finish.

spice - thanks for the encouragement, it will be a cream/magnolia colour and will definitely be matt !

Many thanks, both, and Nige F for your advice.

Per

 

[spice]

It's just a personal preference. When I plaster a wall I can correct all the faults in the wall like dips and bumps. It's as close to perfection as you can get. When I see lining paper I always see little bits of plaster and such under the paper that leave awful little lumps and bumps and you can't fill the hollows. Still, if you can't plaster then go for it.

I cant plaster joe, I wish I could, I can do spot plastering, but thats as much as I can do.
Admittidly when theres lumps and bumbs under the paper, there is not a lot you can do about it, as it in the wall,(from the old plaster I would imagine)
But as good as L/P is, I still do a good amount of prep, as I know what will show through the LP.

I like the finish, as long as the finish isnt that orange peel roller effect lol.


Pers, use a decent grade L/P, I always try and use either the 1200 or the 1400, and let each length soak after you have pasted it, till it feels supple then hang.