On a recent visit to a client’s house, she asked me to look at a re-occuring problem in their main bathroom. It seems that no matter what method has been tried the paint continues to peel from high humidty. They have already installed the largest ceiling fan possible and the paint has been removed right down to the drywall a couple of times. Any suggestios as to how this problem could be rectified would be appreciated.
Thanks
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How about some more details on the house? Is the paint peeling on an outside or an inside wall? Ceiling? How old is the house? Where is the house? You might be surprised at this next question - What's under the bathroom? Living space? Basement? Crawlspace? Slab? Dirt? I could imagine at least one scenario when the biggest possible fan would worsen paint peeling.
Andy
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When the door is closed, can fresh replacement air enter the room under the door or is it a snug fit?
Getting more personal, is this client the tyope who spends hours making the rom into a steam sauna with long hot showers?
I'll appoint Luka to go over there and inspect.
;)
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Thanks for the responses. The house is about 20 years old and the bathroom is on the main floor. There is one wall the faces the outside and the other three face inside. There is a fully developed basement below and the ceilings are very high. Almost vaulted. I'm not sure what type on insulation is above the ceiling, but it should be substantial as we live in a cold climate in Canada. I did not check to see how much clearance there is under the door but I will look next. Once again thanks for the info.
David
I forgot to add that the paint is peeling on all the walls; up high as well as down low. Thanks again,
David in the soon to be frozen north!
Hmm. Not quite what I was hoping for. I thought that perhaps a big fan was de-pressurizing the room and sucking moisture from the basement or crawlspace below into the walls, causing the peeling. Still, those high ceilings could be creating a draft inside the walls that has something to do with moisture. Are there any obvious signs of moisture? Mold? Soft spots in the drywall?
Since it's all the walls, though, I suspect that the other poster might be on to something. Who knows what someone else used on the walls?
AndyArguing with a Breaktimer is like mud-wrestling a pig -- Sooner or later you find out the pig loves it.
Other people can talk about how to expand the destiny of mankind. I just want to talk about how to fix a motorcycle. I think that what I have to say has more lasting value. --Robert M. Pirsig
I knew somebody who was advised to use a shellac type sealer in a bathroom, and they did; but they used orange shellac - looked like an alligator.
One problem that may be involved here is outdated ready-mixed drywall mud. It will not hold paint and will peel persistently even in a normal room. Of course the problems will then be found along or near the mudded areas. If this sounds like a possible cause in this case I have had some success using shellac sealer directly on the mud surface ... otherwise it's a retaping and finishing job. It is best to use the old hard durabond mud (in any room but especially bathrooms).
On an older home one would almost suspect milk paint.
Inspecting the "peels" might reveal something. If a layer of dust is coming off with the paint then it may be bad mud.
Dan you are quite correct ... I've seen this type problem with milk paint too. As you suggest careful investigation should reveal some telling clues.
The house is only 20 years old so I would assume that there is no milk paint. I haven't been back to peel off any of the paint to see what is behind it. That would probably be the next step. Apparently when it was fixed once before, it was stripped right down to the drywall and a primer was applied.
David
there is at least one coat of good drywall primer under that peeling paint, right?