Flaky paint in bathroom

*BigBird*

We repainted our en-suite bathroom when we moved into the house just over 2 years ago, using standard paint. It started to crackle within a few months and is now flaking so needs re-doing. Before I go out and buy some proper bathroom paint to re-do it, I just wanted to check if this is likely to be just down to using paint that's not designed for a bathroom, or could it be the symptom of another problem? The flaking is definitely worse on one of the outside walls - the wall which faces the direction from which most of our wind and rain comes. There is no evidence of damp in the bathroom, just the flaky paint

*BigBird*

Any thoughts, anyone? I don't want to assume it's just the damp atmosphere and unsuitable paint, and then find there's a problem with the wall. We have about 6 months left on the NHBC guarantee so if it's likely to be anything structural, I'd like to find out sooner rather than later.:o

thepenniescount

Hi there I once had a problem with Paint it was from the B&Q colours range. It wasn't flaky rather more like gluey as in I could peel a bit and it kept coming off - a bit like wallpaper. I complained to B&Q and they sent somebody to see it etc etc. The short version of the story was they took a sample away and confirmed the paint had been mixed incorrectly. I can't remember what the ingredient was but there was too much of it. Possibly something like latex if that is used to mix paint???? They paid for a builder to put it right eventually......

Not sure if that is of any use to you but an avenue you could explore.

I would contact the paint manufacturer they may have had a fault with a batch of your colour paint and also your builder - it might be possible the wall wasn't sealed when built? I am no builder but trying to think of options for you. Is the room ventilated enough?

Hope it works out ok for you.

misgrace

*BigBird* wrote: »

Any thoughts, anyone? I don't want to assume it's just the damp atmosphere and unsuitable paint, and then find there's a problem with the wall. We have about 6 months left on the NHBC guarantee so if it's likely to be anything structural, I'd like to find out sooner rather than later.:o

Hi Bigbird, just a few questions, and I'll see if I can offer you a solution.

Was it a new house you moved in to, or at least newish?

Can you remember what the existing paint was before you repainted it, was a silk paint, or a bathroom paint.?

What was the paint you put on over the existing paint, again was it mat, silk etc.

Did you use the paint straight from the can, or did you thin it down?

*BigBird*

misgrace wrote: »

Hi Bigbird, just a few questions, and I'll see if I can offer you a solution.

Was it a new house you moved in to, or at least newish?
It was built in 1999, so 7 1/2 years old when we moved in and painted the bathroom.

Can you remember what the existing paint was before you repainted it, was a silk paint, or a bathroom paint.?
I think it was matt paint - the previous owners had painted it in the same stuff they'd used in the bedroom (manky, washed-out coffee colour, as loved by the House Doctor :rolleyes:) The paint we put on was also underneath the matt paint (dunno why they felt the need to change it - too much watching House Doctor, maybe!), we found it in the garage and preferred the colour so we used it to repaint.

What was the paint you put on over the existing paint, again was it mat, silk etc.
It has a bit of a sheen, so I'm guessing silk.

Did you use the paint straight from the can, or did you thin it down? Straight from the can

Not sure if it's relevant, but the same paint is on the kitchen walls, was there when we moved in, and shows no signs of flaking.

Thanks!

misgrace

Hi again, I'm trying to work out what could be causing it.

What was the paint you put on over the existing paint, again was it mat, silk etc.
It has a bit of a sheen, so I'm guessing silk.

Normally silk over matt is okay, its when you paint matt over the silk that will cause peeling and flakyness.


Did you use the paint straight from the can, or did you thin it down? Straight from the can

Usually when you use paint straight from the can, specially matt over silk, or softsheen or even Bathroom/kitchen paint can cause flakiness, its best to thin down your paint.

Also flakiness can be caused by poor ventilation.

There is a couple of options I can suggest, and I think the easiest for you is to do the first one.

First you need to sand all the flakiness off, and give the walls a good rub down, then start again with your coats of paint.

If using a good quality paint, ie dulux or crown, thin down the paint by about 15-20% of water, put that on the wall, leave for a good 24 hours, then do your second coat, and again thin the paint, by about 10-15% of water.
And just wait and see if it flakes.

As I cant see it, and really dont know if it is because of poor ventilation, or condensation going on the wall, I cant guarentee this will work.

It might be worth getting it checked, specially if you have only 6 months left, there is another option which I have advised on here before, they did it, and came back and said it worked, but, perhaps its better to leave it for the powers that be check it.

I can tell you the other option, but like I said, it might not be a good idea till its checked, but if you want to know, let me know and I will tell you.:D

*BigBird*

Well, I'm certainly intrugued as to what the other option might be!

Think we'll start with sanding it down and repainting. When you talk about watering the paint down, do you mean water the whole lot down 15-20% and then add more water later, so the second coat is thinner than the first?

mrs_baggins

i have a similar problem in my ensuite and mine is def not damp related. I think its something to do with the paint that was on and the paint I put on. It started at first coming off just over the shower so I assumed it was wrong paint and steam from shower but its started happening all over. I am going to sand it all down paint it with a watered down pva then re paint and hope it solves it. Its a pain innit???

Antric

being a plumbing a heating engineer without seeing it. i would say possibly you have a minor leak which your be suprised how far walls will soak up damp. if it the hole room have you got an extractor fan if you use the room for showering.
thats what springs to mind at the moment

misgrace

*BigBird* wrote: »

Well, I'm certainly intrugued as to what the other option might be!

Think we'll start with sanding it down and repainting. When you talk about watering the paint down, do you mean water the whole lot down 15-20% and then add more water later, so the second coat is thinner than the first?

Hi there, sorry to make it sound confusing, but what I meant was,(will try and explain myself better in the future):D

Is pour what you think might be enough for the wall or walls into either a paint kettle, or a bucket, or whatever your using.

Then add your water, and keep stirring, its difficult to explain, as I know exactly how much to use, as I use paint kettles, but you need the paint to be runny, like single cream.

When you open a can of dulux, you can stand your stick in it its so thick,and that is far too thick, its difficult to pour dulux from the can, so you can always get a thick stick and scoop it out, and it plops into your kettle or bucket.

Just start by adding a teacup of water, till the paint thins,stick your stick in the paint, and if it runs off the stick like single cream, then that will be thin enough.

Every coat you do after, still add some water, but have the actual paint thicker each time, but still not thick straight from the can.
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To Mrs baggins

Please dont use PVA, if you think you have problems before, you will have more if you use PVA on painted walls, specially in a bathroom.:eek:

sloth

*BigBird* wrote: »

It was built in 1999, so 7 1/2 years old when we moved in and painted the bathroom..............we found it in the garage

Personally I would say this is the problem. You used 7 1/2 yr old paint which had been sitting in a (probably) cold garage. Paint stored in those sort of conditions won't last anyway, nevermind then being used in bathroom subjected to varying temperatures and humidity