Any Decorators about?

[cjb]

Today I though I'd start painting our hall, so I got out the sander, the filler, the sugar soap, the dustsheets et al.

First target for paint is the ceiling. I filled the holes and cracks, and set to cutting in the edges. So far so good.

Out with the roller, and as I paint the previous coat that was previously formly attached comes away onto the roller in sheets. Further inspection shows the last coat to be cheap paint, and below that there's what looks like whitewash (the house is late 19th century) that didn't have any primer/sealer on it by the looks of things. I say it's whitewash as it feels very chalky to touch.

I'm now left with a large area of paint that has fallen off and the remaining area of ceiling that still needs painting.

I think I've had this before in this house, and then I scraped off what was looseish (tiresome!) feathered the edges with filler, and brushed the paint carefully.

Anyone got a better idea? The paint will scrape off down to the whitewash, but that's hard going, and the only thing that makes it fall off is new paint being applied, it would seem.

['daiking']

I had a similar problem with an only 10yr old textured ceiling, tried a couple of things but in the end used polycell stuff for damaged ceilings to skim it.

[cjb]

I think I have some of that stuff. I'll give it a go.

['daiking']

I think I have some of that stuff. I'll give it a go.

I'm no expert but did post a thread on here but from what you describe it was coming of in the same way. I tried a few things, thinned paint, pva sealing coat, even put pva in the emulsion. The polycell stuff didn't prevent the problem but was thick enough to keep it sort of in place and the second coat covered up the slight bulges.

One thing I would say is that other ceilings done previously with silk emulsion did not suffer as badly as the matt emulsion ones.

[digitaldwarf]

best advice is strip it all off as the stuff underneath (cant remember what its called ) is hopeless to paint or paper over but will come off with a steamer and a light scraping :(

voice of recent experience speaking

[cheezemonkhai]

I have to say I'd be a case of steamer and get it all off it you can.

As above if you paint the surfaces with a vinyl silk, I find it almost forms a sealing barrier and does quite a good job and holding all the loose surface behind together.

[Kandy]

Given the age of your house the problem layer is almost certainly distemper - Distemper | painting | Diy Fix It

[cjb]

Given the age of your house the problem layer is almost certainly distemper - Distemper | painting | Diy Fix It

By the description, it probably is distemper, yes.

I haven't had a chance to have another go at it yet, but the steam/scrape sounds worth a go if I can't get anything to bind to it.

[Gizmo]

We had the same throughout most of downstairs, the trick wiith the steamer is to put it on the paint so around 2 - 4' has been steamed, it then peels off in one go with very little effort (easier than wallpaper) i then gave the walls 2 coats of PVA thinned 50/50 with water, then painted over the top.

HTH.

[cjb]

I've now got the paint off down to the distemper. A word of warning for anyone else who finds this:

1. It creates a horrible mess- flakes of paint and dust. Lots of it.

2. Apparently, PVA is no good to seal or stabilise distemper. The only fix for distemper is either Zinser Gardz, or Artex Stabilex, unless you scrub it all off :(. I'm trying to find a local supplier for Stabilex.

[cheezemonkhai]

Not sure if they do mail order, but this lot (Sheffield Insulations) might help you:

Dry Lining & Partitioning - Decorative Products and Finishes - Artex Stabilex

[Kandy]

Look near the masonry paints in B&Q - their own brand stabilising solution (£11 for 2.5l) will do the job just fine. Best 2 coats, you might have to work the first in a bit - it might appear that it's being 'repelled' but stick with it (so to speak!).