Emulsion paint cracking

[Ray1000]

We had the bathroom walls re-plastered 20 years ago after removing the previous tiles.

Painted the walls above and below the dado and tiled where necessary.

Everything was OK for 10-15 years until I applied some cheap vinyl emulsion paint from the supermarket above the dado only.

Since then the paint as taken to cracking and peeling away from the original plaster.

The bottom half of the room is perfect.

I’m of the opinion the supermarket paint is shrinking faster than the coats applied before and since. (It curls away from the wall)

Having said that I’m surprised it comes off right down to the plaster … there will be as many coats under the faulty paint as there is over it.

Any thoughts or ideas on how to overcome it.

Thank you

Ray

 

[dcdec]

The new paint is lifting the existing probably because a thinned coat wasn't applied to the new plaster when it was done. Apply a coat of gardz or peel stop both made by zinger or if you think you can just peel the whole lot off

 

[Ray1000]

Thanks DC,

I'll have a look into the products you mention.

It would have had a thin coat or two of non-vinyl paint over the new plaster and of course the bottom half isn't peeling.

I've considered taking the whole lot off but until find a quicker way it's too much of a job ... you can imagine it's so brittle it's coming off in small pieces.

Ray

 

[Ray1000]

Update ...

I managed to fill the flaws in the paint - rubbed down - painted all the repairs with oil based undercoat - and papered with paintable HD lining paper ... the slightly textured type available from B&Q .... those walls are now perfect, ready for painting.

The fourth wall had a modern large pattern wallpaper on ... applied last April ... but ... all of the joints were noticeable ... Decided to renew it using the same paper ... a strange thing happened ... on removing the paper there was a dead straight, razor thin cut through the paint layers back to the plaster exactly where the joints had been. Needless to say an amount of the paint came off with the paper around the joints. The paper had literally pulled the paint apart while contracting.

Has anyone come across this before?

In the meantime ... applied the same process as the other walls including the lining paper.

While I've used lots of the paintable lining paper around the house, this will be the first time I've had need to paper over it.

I have a question ... while we feel inclined to use border paste where the lining paper overlaps in the corners because of the vinyl film ... does the normal ready mixed paste work OK when it comes to papering over it?

Thank you
Ray

 

[dcdec]

Could be that whoever stuck it up overlapped the paper and decide to try and splice through to remove the overlap, would explain why the joints are showing as well.

No need to use overlap adhesive as long as its normal pulp paper, as you've hinted at its used as vinyl doesn't stick to itself very well. Trya nd trim as much off of the piece that comes around the corner to give a neat look, looks horrible if you have a big chunk under the 'facing' paper.

 

[Ray1000]

No DC, I put it up last April, the "cuts" are actually a paper thin break all way through the paint layers back to the plaster at 22 inch intervals along the wall.

With the lining paper having a vinyl covering will ordinary paste work?

It is, after all, called "lining paper" although I normally use it for painting over.

Ray

 

[dcdec]

Don't know then Ray unless the cuts were there before you papered and somebody had done it previously, its highly likely seems would fall in the right place as most papers are a standard width.

Apparantly you're supposed to use the same paste for the top paper as the lining paper, don't really know why tbh. I always cross line for paper it creates a stronger bond. When applied wallpapers pull against the surface so having the papers going in opposite directions creates a firmer bond. Plenty of dec's don't but its way quicker cross lining as well.

 

[Ray1000]

Above .. Before removal

On the left ... paper backing plus paint.
On the right ... entirely paint.

 

[dcdec]

It definately looks like its had a blade run through it. Sometimes we need to do this to splice round a window or make a repair but in this case it would point towards the seams having been spliced, the only other thing i can think of is maybe someone ran a blade down it to try to lift an edge to remove the paper. Wide vinyl is spliced as well but i guess its unlikely to have been used in a domestic situation. I think it caused your seams to lift as they didn't have a nice sound flat surface to lay on.

Anyhow get some filler into the areas, rub down, prime with watered down emulsion or paste and the next lot should be fine, good luck with it and pop a picture up when your done!

 

[Ray1000]

I know what you mean DC but with only me doing the work since it was skimmed 20 years ago the cuts have "occurred" on there own.

I'm sure the paint has literally pulled apart as the paper contracted.

Thank you for your continued interest.

While you are there ... I generally use Crown Trade paint but seeing the difference in price of the McPherson's variety at the Crown Trade Centre
I was considering giving it a try ... any thoughts on this or is it better to pay 30% more for Crown?

Ray

 

[dcdec]

Its curious, a paper does exert a tremendous pull against the surface its adhered to and maybe the paper won the battle along the seams and pulled the plaster/paint off. I've never seen it before and can only hesitantly conclude a below average bond between paint and plaster and plaster and wall which has allowed it to give.

Afraid i don't use Crown or Mcphersons, i can only advise you to use what you feel most comfortable using to get the results you'll be happy with, remember its not the cost of a product but the value that's important.

 

[Ray1000]

I'm sure you're right.

Thank you ,

Ray

 

[Ray1000]

Thank you for the help ... all done.

Ray

 

[dcdec]

Nice job Ray, thanks for posting the pics

 

[Ray1000]

Thanks DC

Ray