[KateL]

I removed the old kitchen wallpaper and now trying to paint. The walls are ancient (100+ years) French plaster with possible whitewash. The paint is peeling 15 minutes after application. Do I need to seal with something first?? The wall is powdery to the touch and leaves a residue on my fingers.

Thanks for any help!!

 

[slickshift]

Uh oh...

If the "paint" is actually calcimine, then get thee to a Benjamin Moore dealer and prime with their Calcimine Re-Coater (Sani-Flat), pray to The Paint Gods, and offer a sacrifice (preferably a can or two of Behr), and maybe it'll stick

If it's "milk paint" (and that can look kind of like a "white-wash"), then rip out the plaster and "re-rock" it or "over-rock" it (put sheetrock right over whats on there now) and go from there (sorry, milk paint sucks)

If it's an old oil-based paint (possible in an old kitchen), latex over oil may fail rather quickly, and then a coat of oil/alkyd based primer (or the calc-re-coat mentioned) may work

If it'd just powdery old (latex) paint, a coat of Zinsser's Gardz may work

 

[slickshift]

BTW...Welcome to the Forums!