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spots on bathroom ceiling

117K views 19 replies 12 participants last post by  pafrazier 
#1 ·
Hi all!
I've got some reoccurring brown spots on my bathroom ceiling I can’t seem to make go away. (see photos) They appear to be caused from condensation from the shower leaching some sort of material out of the paint. It looks like they are ready to almost drip, but they just get a bit gummy and hang there. They wash of easily leaving a faint stain, but then come back again in a few days of showering. The paint is relatively new (within the last 6 months) and I’m pretty sure is a semi-gloss or eggshell latex. What is actually happening here? Will these spots stop appearing over time as the paint cures? Any solution to fix this? What prep/prime/paint treatment is recommended to avoid this?
Thanks!

Rob
 

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#4 ·
Could be any number of things. The moisture could indeed be reactivating stains on the ceiling. They may have not been properly sealed and therefore are prone to wicking through the paint film. It's also possible that there is condensation going on ABOVE the ceiling and water is dripping through old 2x4's, insulation, and lathe leaving those tell-tale signs. You could try to seal those spots up with a really good stain blocker like Cover Stain from Zinsser and repaint. I had a recent ceiling that had a piece of metal angle iron above it. In the winter, it would begin to condensate and drip ugly brown water into the kitchen. I had to insulate it with spray foam to stop the condensation and eliminate the problem.
 
#7 ·
All good thoughts, but no smokers living in the house for the past several years so not nicotine. No leaking from above.
Spots don’t correspond to screw placement.
Some are in the same place, some are new, some don’t reappear.
I have to conclude that the painter used cheap paint and it is some reaction with the humidity/dampness.
I’ll keep you posted and update here if I find a solution.

RH
 
#6 ·
Smell the sticky stuff next time, it'll still smell like tobacco if it is nicotine staining. If it was nicotine stained and not cleaned and sealed properly before being painted, it'll continue doing this until the problem is resolved.

DM
 
#8 ·
Those are surfactants leaching out of the paint. Maybe Ric will come by and give us the chemistry of it. It will never stop. I lived with it in my bath for ten years, initially thinking it was nicotine, till I researched it. The only reason I don't see it anymore is that I moved. I can't say for sure, but I remember reading that it could be caused, or aggravated, by showering in a bath exposing the finish to steam too soon after finishing. I tell people to allow a minimum of twenty four hours, if they have only one shower, and as many days as possible if they have another available. The gunk should wipe right off with a wet rag and should not leave any staining, at least that's my experince. You might try applying a clear coat to remove the finish from direct contact with steam.
 
#11 ·
Surfactants are a soap-like agent in all latex paints. They enable the oils to mix with water. These normally dry into the film, but when exposed to excessive moisture in the curing period they will migrate to the surface and become problematic. They wash off with clear water when fresh. If you decide to repaint, be sure all staining is cleaned off and use Zinsser Perma-White to paint in your bathroom. It is an excellent product.

BTW: Just because your paint has had a problem doesn't mean you bought bad paint. Surfactants are used by all manufacturers and all are subject to surfactant leaching. Surfactants ar in most universal tints, so adding more colorant can exacerbate the problem.
 
#14 ·
Remember, a professional can't see through 7 or 8 layers of paint film. Those spots may have appeared as moisture from showers, etc. began to accumulate on the ceiling & began to wick the stain through perhaps 3 or 4 layers of paint.
 
#13 ·
If there is not good ventilation, it can cause the humidity to accumulate on the ceiling (as warm air rises). This causes colorant leaching, which can be wiped off, but will reoccur if there is not an effective vent fan to clear out the humidity. Perma White is a good paint for bathrooms, but the ventilation is very important.
 
#16 ·
No, you do not need to strip it. Apply one coat of Zinsser Cover-Stain. This is a fast-dry, oil-based primer.

Others have advised you about proper ventilation; be sure your fan is big enough and clean enough to do an adequate job.
 
#20 ·
This may sound crazy but I think it's makeup powder/residue becoming airborne (if not washed off before showering) then condensing when the moist air cools. Wondering if many people with these brownish spots use makeup. Stranger things have happened. My experience is the spots appear when my daughter used the bathroom shower. They were there when she was staying with me for any length of time and then not there when it was just me using the shower. They would appear even when using the ceiling fan.
 
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