Cracks appearing in bathroom paint/plaster

[MisterBoy]

We've slowly seen hairline cracks appear around our bathroom walls, and spread to the point it's now messy. It coincides with some issues we're having with damp which makes me think it could be related? No signs of any plaster swelling, etc.

Is it likely this is simply needing repainting - is this something that happens on painted plaster eventually - or reskimming, or even ripping back and re-plastering?

It's an exterior solid brick wall so it has traditional browning with a skim on top, not skimmed plasterboard.

 

[Lickdan]

What year is house

 

[MisterBoy]

Late 1800s though not sure if this is original or a later (but still old) extension. It's solid brick without any cavity, I assume the plaster is perhaps 25yo as the house was refurbished.

I should have clarified, it's a 1st floor bathroom so when I talk about damp issues, I'm almost certain this is condensation from the bath/shower not penetrating damp.

 

[Lickdan]

Surely should be plastered in lime not browning ?

 

[MisterBoy]

I've no idea I just mean it's finishing plaster on top of traditional thick plaster on top of brick, not dot'n'dab or whatever.

 

[Lickdan]

Yea sounds like gypsum on top of lime. Same as in my house plenty of cracks, the gypsum doesn’t take the greatest onto lime and will get plenty of hairlines over time. Maybe the damp has contributed towards this
Exterior brick walls will have been original lime plaster which are designed to allow the building breathe, theoretically if gypsum has gone over the top of the line the moisture cannot leave through the exterior walls now as how the building was designed. Will be an ongoing problem, digging cracks and filling them.

 

[MisterBoy]

Thanks @Lickdan. I don't mind doing that periodically - we've been here 4 years before it started but now seems to be speeding up. Thought before I get into filling and repainting I'd check in case someone said "you need to take it all back to bare brick" and my work is wasted!

I think the previous owners used their ensuite shower whereas I use the bath every day in the main bathroom.

 

[Lickdan]

Have u got pics

 

[MisterBoy]

They're only hairline cracks so not sure how well they show up. Think I'll start with scraping any loose paint and it'll hopefully be obvious if the plaster is alright if it starts coming off in lumps - been there before!