Paint peeling as it goes on

[tenroom]

Hi

Relatively new to this DIY larkbut here goes

Basically I had lining paper on my ceiling as the cowboys who I paid to decorate it a few years ago had to remove polystyrene ceiling tiles and simply decided to cover any problem rather than put it right.

Anyway, I steamed the paper off to reveal a ceiling with surprsingly few flaws and just the odd dent or nick. After filling in certain areas of the room and sanding down, I proceeded to apply the paint with a roller. On one half of the room, the paint's gone on beautifully but in small sections on the other side, the paint flakes off when I apply it leaving the ceiling looking unsightly.

I thought it must be the paste that I'd forgotten to remove before painting cos on the good side I'd been sanding to get the bits of filler level. The side where the paint is peeling off didn't need any filler so I didn't do any sanding there. My question is how do I get the peeling to stop ?

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

What is the paint peeling off of; a real plaster surface, a plasterboard surface (that is, paper and joint compound), or a painted surface?

Do this:

Stick some masking tape to those spots and then see if the masking tape pulls off easier than it should.

Clean those spots with paint thinner, nail polish remover or whatever else you have available that will dissolve anything oil based, allow to dry and re-test with masking tape.

If cleaning with the paint thinner makes a difference in the adhesion of the tape, it'll make a difference in the adhesion of a water based paint, too.

 

[tenroom]

It's real plaster with which had lining paper stuck on with wallpaper adhesive.

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

It could be residual wallpaper adhesive that's dissolving from the moisture from the emulsion primer or paint.

Basically, what I'd do is stick some masking tape to those spots where the paint is peeling and see if it pulls off easier than you expect. Then clean with whatever you think might remove whatever you suspect might be on there, allow time to dry after cleaning and re-test with masking tape. If the masking tape sticks well to it, then paint should also stick well.

Another trick is to have any primer you use tinted some color. If the primer peels off, check the color of whatever comes peeling off. If it's whiter in color than the primer, what may be happening is that the primer is sticking to the surface well, but the particles making up the surface may not be sticking to the ones behind them well (with the result being that the loss of adhesion is occuring in the plaster itself, and not in either the primer or the paint.

Stick some masking tape to the spots where the paint has peeled off and see if it comes off easier than you expect. Use regular masking tape, not painter's masking tape. Report back.

 

[Zampa]

One word......

Distemper...

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

If by "Distemper", you mean Calsomine paint (which was commonly used many many years ago, then unfortunately, the only cure is to remove that old Calsomine paint.

This web site talks quite a bit about dealing with Calsomine paint on ceilings:

http://www.plasterlord.com/notebook/feature.htm

 

[confidentincompetent]

did you eventually clean off the paste? How old is property? was it bare plaster?

If paste was'nt removed this could cause reaction.
If bare plaster, did you mist coat?
or as zamper says old property distemper likely (yuk) . you need to scrub it off as much as possible then if still dusty try some zinnser 123.


http://zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=11

good luck.

 

[confidentincompetent]

If by "Distemper", you mean Calsomine paint (which was commonly used many many years ago, then unfortunately, the only cure is to remove that old Calsomine paint.

This web site talks quite a bit about dealing with Calsomine paint on ceilings:

http://www.plasterlord.com/notebook/feature.htm[/QUOTE]

Thats a very interesting link Nester.

 

[Zampa]

did you eventually clean off the paste? How old is property? was it bare plaster?

If paste was'nt removed this could cause reaction.
If bare plaster, did you mist coat?
or as zamper says old property distemper likely (yuk) . you need to scrub it off as much as possible then if still dusty try some zinnser 123.


http://zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=11

good luck.

Or some slightly thined out alkali resisting primer if you cant get any zinz...certainly looks like distemper though.

Evil stuff...I remember the first ceiling I ever papered as an apprentice...took a mate and e all day to do one ceiling, came in the following day...the lot was on the floor, that was my introduction to the wicked stuff...spent the next two days washing, scraping it off...

Pure Pure evil...

Excellent site...breaks down a lot of the lingo problems too...I always wondered what they meant by 'dry wall'..

 

[confidentincompetent]

Yeah especially when the carpet fitters are coming tommorow .

Hiya zamp u ok.

 

[Zampa]

Yeh...ever noticed how the 'carpets are coming' always on a friday..?/

Then when you tell the people 'oh sorry I cant do it by then'...they seems to'relaise' its not actually friday after all but three weeks time!!!

 

[tenroom]

Thanks for the tips guys - I'll have a go then report back.

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

I don't know anything about distemper / calsomine paints. I just know of them and the problems they cause.

In North America, what you call "plasterboard" we call "drywall".

In North America, what you call "emulsion paint" we call "latex paint".

In North America, what you call senseless violence, we call normal.