Ceiling boo-boo!

[florrie]

I just finished decorating my sons bedroom. When we painted the ceiling we sanded it down and sealed it with watered down dulux brilliant white rich matt emulsion.

About 5 mins after the ceiling was finished a few bubbles/flakes appeared and the whole lot of paint on the ceiling peeled off taking the previous coat with it! Admitedly it was easy to peel off and left a much better surface to start again!

All i know about the previous coat of paint was that it 'looked' matt and the previous tenant added red paint to white to make it look pink!

My bedroom ceiling is the same apart from blue paint was added to make it light blue. I was wondering what had possibly caused the two layers of paint to peel off so easily as i'd like to avoid it when doing my own room next weekend.

Many Thanks

 

[NickStone]

Florrie, I don't know what caused such a dramatic reaction but I do know (from reading the tin) that Dulux Rich Matt is not a paint that Dulux recommends thinning.

 

[florrie]

Due to not being sure what the previous coat of paint was it was watered down 10%, on the tin I have it says it can be watered down to this far to ease application so I figured it would be ok as the undercoat.

I just don't want the same thing to happen when I paint my other ceiling!

 

[NickStone]

How terribly odd. If the new paint brought the old paint off, then it sounds as though the flaw - whatever it is - was under the old paint. Are you sure it was actually paint and not some plaster-based skim? I say this because you said you sanded the ceiling down and I'm wondering why that was required. Normally, the procedure with ceilings that have been previously painted with emulsion is just to wash with sugar soap to remove grease/stains, etc. Perhaps some professional on the forum has an answer.

 

[florrie]

it wasn't bare plaster, or a plaster skim, it had definately been painted pink! i just sanded down the ceiling cos it is quite old and had a few lumps and bumps on it and i wanted it smooth!

 

[roughcaster]

Hi,
Could it have been old distemper?

Roughcaster.

 

[florrie]

Sorry for being thick, but what is distemper?

 

[Nige F]

Have a look at Farrow and Ball website .........they make "old-fashioned" distempers etc. for period properties basically it`s what painters used to mix up themselves with powdered chalk etc. I just remember it being replaced with P.E.P (plastic emulsion Paint) in the early 60`s -only cuz my Grandfather was a decorator ....anyway it`s notorious for coming off when modern paints are put on top...needs washing /scraping off....and no, it`s not got lead or asbestos in it

 

[florrie]

Thanks for the information, if it needs washing/scraping off sounds like its less work to paint a new coat again and peel it all off!

Good to know there is no lead or asbestos in it though