[jrp67]

Hi,

My name is Jim and I have a problem with paint coming off my walls when something is leaning against them for a period of time. The problem is, that when I go to relocate the item (gun in a gun case for this example) it is stuck to the wall? I can see this being a problem if the wall was freshly painted, but the paint is 6 yrs old? We tore the drywall where it was leaning against. The other day, we went to remove an ironing board that was leaning against the wall and the same thing happened - different room, different color of paint. It actually is tearing into the dryway when we try to remove.

Has anyone else seen this or have a solution to our problem?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Jim

 

[Brushjockey]

What is happening is the latex paint is forever sticky. This will usually happen with cheaper paints that use lower quality resins.
Do you know exactly what the paint was?

 

[user1007]

Latex products, especially cheap ones as BJ mentions, are more prone than good acrylics.

Of course there could be an adhesion problem because of poor surface prep or a primer was needed and not applied.

 

[Gymschu]

BJ & Sdsester are right on it as always. My guess is poor prep, meaning that there was probably a semi-gloss paint on the wall and someone painted over it without scuff sanding to remove some of that gloss. The new paint never properly adhered, especially if it was a cheap paint full of chalky filler material.

 

[chrisn]

to all three of you

after 6 years?:huh:

 

[Brushjockey]

I've seen some old style latex stay rubbery for ever- particularly if it was "semi gloss"

 

[user1007]

Chris. Good point. But I have encountered six year old paint, usually vinyl latex compounds, that can be peeled off in sheets.

 

[Gymschu]

to all three of you

after 6 years?:huh:

Chris, it may be that they are just discovering this problem after leaning heavy items against the wall. I have seen apartment repaints where there was a loose area in a lower corner, someone picked and pulled on it and the whole wall came off in sheets. Not common but the apt hadn't been painted in 7 or 8 years.

 

[chrisn]

I guess it could happen as you all have pointed out, just never seen what the op posted after that length of time.

 

[jrp67]

Thanks for all the responses, which all makes sense but here are some more details that might narrow this down.

• The paint applied 6 years ago was the first time the house was painted (new construction)
• The walls were all primered by the construction company - they used a spray primer and my wife and I painted
• We used BEAR paint purchased from home Depot -Thought it was good quality..
• The items leaning up against the wall are considerably light (gun case, ironing board) Last night we went through the house and found that all of our pictures are stuck as well. Even small contact areas from the picture frames.

Thanks Jim

 

[Brushjockey]

If they sprayed on primer without back rolling to work it in and the walls were still dusty from the sanding- that would be one reason for bad adhesion.
And behr , particularly its lower lines, has been known to have this problem.

 

[Gymschu]

.........yet another reason to avoid BEHR paint at all costs, not to mention the crappy primer most builders apply to the walls, usually the cheapest they can find.

 

[jrp67]

Thanks again all for the great information and now my next set of questions

• I would like to repaint, is there anything I need to do special for prep with the issues that I am currently having or can I just paint over this problem?

• I am also looking for a recommendation on Paint - Something with primer already in the paint if thats recommended.

Jim

 

[user1007]

Jim primer and paint do not come in the same can. It is pure marketing hype.

For your situation, you should remove as much peeling, chipping, otherwise failing paint as you can. Prime with a high bond waterbased primer. Then using a nice wide drywall blade and drywall compound, skim coat the walls as needed to blend in the areas where you peeled off paint. Prime the drywall patching. Apply two nice coats of real paint store finish. Buy as close to 100 percent acrylic as your budget will allow.

 

[ToolSeeker]

Guys maybe I'm reading this wrong or maybe reading too much into it, but if this paint has been on for 6 years and stuff is just starting to stick to it, and surely in 6 years something has leaned against it. Then it almost sounds like the paint is just starting to soften. I don't have a clue what would cause this, but if this is true I don't think you can just paint over it could you.
Maybe Ric knows paint would have an answer or a theory.

 

[chrisn]

I am sorta with tool on this one. If pictures and such are still sticking to the paint after 6 years, something bad is wrong, IMO.What it would be, you got me.Even the dreaded Behr paint and bad primer should not be causing this.

 

[jsheridan]

This is a typical case of blocking, the ability of a paint to resist sticking to a hard object under weight or pressure. I've seen it before when taking wall hangings off to paint. It's not that common, but it's happened. I don't think the inability to block has an expiration date. If it doesn't have the ability to block today, the chemical additive or formulation, it won't have it six years from now. But, the inability to block is not always a sign of junk paint.

OP said it's damaging the drywall, which means the finish is sticking to the primer and the primer is sticking to the drywall. Sounds like everything is doing its job. OP, your problem will disappear when you repaint with a finish with blocking capabilities. Until then, stop taking things off the wall. It'll stop if you do.

 

[ToolSeeker]

J if it is blocking and I have never run into it this old but there are a lot of things I haven't heard of, can you just paint over it? Will the new paint even with prime first come off since the undercoat, for lack of a better term, is still soft and not sticking?

 

[jsheridan]

Tool, if I may use that shorthand, from what I can gather from the post and my experience is that everything is fine, just not a good blocking paint. If the finish paint was failed, it wouldn't have taken the primer with it. If the primer was failed, it wouldn't have taken the drywall surface with it.

If it was mine to refinish I would give it a scuff and just apply two coats of new, better blocking latex wall finish and be done. And a little spot prep/prime any damaged areas. The problem is not with the old finish sticking to its surface, but with other things sticking to it. A new finish coat will provide an adequate barrier.

As to a reason for its happening, there really doesn't seem to be any other logical reason, and blocking is a paint issue. Unless OP states that other areas are falling off without any encouragement, I can't think of any reason for his problem. It is what it is, really, despite experience, though I have seen milder cases of it.

 

[toastandjam]

I've seen some old style latex stay rubbery for ever- particularly if it was "semi gloss"

Sounds like one of the walls I'm dealing with. Was able to remove large sheets of semi-gloss latex paint over what looks like flat wall paint.