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Bathroom Ceiling

3K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  Preston 
#1 ·
My ceiling was bubbling and peeling or a deciding to redo it. I scaped down the bad spots and put a coat of good primer on the ceiling. Waited a day then put a coat of paint for kitchens and bathrooms. Waited a day and then put another coat. Waited another day before anyone to use the bathroom. But when we have a shower little bubbles form and then disappear when it dries out. So I figure I give it a couple of days to really dry out. The issue is the bathroom doesn't have a fan. I always shower with the door and window open. Is there anything I can do, or did I do something wrong with my painting?
 
#2 ·
Not necessarily your painting, but perhaps your prep was lacking

Not knowing what products you used (which would help if you posted them), we'll assuming they were at least adequate
In that case, one would assume you didn't quite get all the older bad stuff off, and should have scraped and sanded a bit more

As bubbles can often be moisture, it's also possible you haven't fixed the moisture problem that was causing the previous peel

Check the space above the bathroom for excessive moisture and wet sheetrock/insulation

Other than that, it could have been the incorrect or inadequate primer or paint

The exact fix could vary depending on which products you used, and what you find about the moisture
 
#5 ·
combination

Could be a combination of both. I didn't sand, only scraped what was peeling away. Then wiped with a javex filled cloth to kill any mildew that was growing. Waited until it I think it dried and then put my primer on.

The bathroom ceiling is wet after a shower. So putting in a fan would help for sure. Can't really afford that now, so I read about putting a fan in the window during our showers. Going to try that to see that helps.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Chadfran:

You say you wiped the ceiling down with a Javex filled rag, waited until the ceiling was dry, and then put the primer on.

Did you rinse the Javex off with clean water before priming?

Also, was the paint heavily tinted with colourants at the store when you bought it? That is, are your bathroom walls a light off-white, or are they a darker colour, like Canary Yellow, Blood Red, Hunter Green, etc.?
 
#8 ·
Awwww, man. My bet is that that's the problem. The residue from the Bleach is between your old paint and new paint.

I'd scrape any loose paint off that ceiling and give it another shot.

Scrape the loose paint off as best you can.

Wipe down the ceiling with a damp sponge to remove any exposed bleach.

Depending on what you have, maybe give your ceiling a skim coat of joint compound just to prevent any scraped areas from showing through the
next coat of paint.

I'd go over that ceiling with a coat of INTERIOR oil based primer.

Now, paint over that primer with a paint made for bathrooms like Zinsser's PermaWhite Bathroom Paint (available at your local home center).
 
#9 ·
Primer?

Figures :furious: Knowing my luck...thats probable it. Or the paint on the ceiling could have been oil. I never tested it. I figured the Fresh start would stick to anything.

You perfer the INTERIOR oil based primer instead of the Fresh Start %100 Acrylic Latex All-Purpose Primer I used? Do I need to paint with an oil base paint afterwards?
 
#10 ·
I'm suggesting the interior alkyd primer cuz it'll form a more impermeable barrier to moisture.

From your account, it seems like the problem only happens when the paint is wet. Putting a coat of alkyd primer over it should keep it dry.

No, you don't have to paint over that alkyd primer with an alkyd paint. You might want to apply two coats of alkyd primer to be on the safe side, tho.

Be sure it's an interior alkyd primer tho. Some exterior alkyd primers are "breathable", and the way they accomplish that is by adding so much extender pigment to the primer that it actually dries porous. That porosity would defeat the purpose in using an alkyd primer as a moisture barrier.
 
#12 ·
I also have the same problem on my new drywall (green more moisture resistant). When the show is in use and the room is hot and very humid the wall will start to bubble. I used new dry wall, wall putty, kliz primer and ace latex paint. I ended up redoing the wall with another brand of primer ( forgot the name) and supposedly a better ace latex paint. I learned one thing change paints and brands to!!!
 
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