Re-painting Bathroom ceiling (flaking paint)

[Twofingertyper]

Hi all,

Some of the paint of my bathroom ceiling has started to flake off, so I figure that's a useful prompt as any to re-do it.

Just a quick few queries - would it be okay to remove the flaking paint, and then paint over the whole ceiling again (with Dulux Easycare, or similar) or do bathroom ceilings require more in the way of prep? Do I need to sand off any edges for where things have started to flake, etc?

Any guidance from experience welcome, it may be a straightforward job, but thought it was worth a quick check before I made a start.

 

[sparkwright]

Any paint you can't get off can be 'feathered' by sanding.

Any uneven paint levels can be improved with filler, and sanding as necessary.

Any mould needs completely removing first.

Typically, bare plaster and bare filler should be 'mistcoated' with diluted emulsion.

 

[opps]

As above, you can try to feather the paint by sanding it, but in practice it seldom works because the plater is normally much softer than the paint. You will probably need to use filler. Consider a better quality filer such as the Toupret Interior filler. You need to add water. I normally use cut up plastic milk bottles to mix the filler in and then bin them after use.

 

[Twofingertyper]

@opps @sparkwright - thank you both for your responses, it’s not bare plaster showing (and there’s no mould) but rather that the Artex has peeled off - no real noticeable levels/unevenness that would require filling.

 

[Twofingertyper]

On this I’ve been advised the best approach is to clean (sugar soap), sand off any flaking paint and then paint over using zinnser perma white over the old paint.

All that sounds feasible to me as at no point is there plaster exposed, but just to check that it sounds sensible and there’s no steps missing?

 

[Wayners]

Yeah.
Can also use Toupret TX140 to fill
Check insulation above is sufficient to insulate the ceiling to stop the condensation

 

[opps]

Yeah.
Can also use Toupret TX140 to fill
Check insulation above is sufficient to insulate the ceiling to stop the condensation

I have never used it. What is it like to work with/sand/etc?

 

[opps]

On this I’ve been advised the best approach is to clean (sugar soap), sand off any flaking paint and then paint over using zinnser perma white over the old paint.

All that sounds feasible to me as at no point is there plaster exposed, but just to check that it sounds sensible and there’s no steps missing?

Permawhite (waterbased satin) is a decent paint but quite expensive. £40 for 2.5L

I was about to say that I normally default to Dulux Trade water based eggshell, but that now seems to be £50 for 2.5L.

Go with the Zinsser.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Wayners]

Watch demo with tx140

 

[JohnD]

The artex is peeling? Might be damp. How old is the house?

How do you remove steam and humidity from the bathroom?

What insulation is above the ceiling?

How old do you think the Artex is? (health issue)

 

[Twofingertyper]

The artex is peeling? Might be damp. How old is the house?

How do you remove steam and humidity from the bathroom?

What insulation is above the ceiling?

How old do you think the Artex is? (health issue)

House is 17 years old, or so - I think the extraction fan is on the way out (the one in the other bathroom went recently) and it’s a small en-suite.

Insulation is standard and in line with what you would expect in a relatively new build.

 

[JohnD]

House is 17 years old, or so - I think the extraction fan is on the way out (the one in the other bathroom went recently) and it’s a small en-suite.

Insulation is standard and in line with what you would expect in a relatively new build.

I think you mean that ventilation is poor so the room is damp. Does the fan go through the wall, or a duct above the ceiling? When is the fan turned on and off? Post a photo please.

Go into the loft and look at the insulation go see how thick it is, and if it has been dislodged so some parts of the ceiling are not properly insulated. Are there any holes in the ceiling, for pipes or downlighters?

 

[opps]

Does the fan go through the wall, or a duct above the ceiling?

The house I am currently working in- the customer only recently noticed that his bathroom fitters ran the ceiling extractor in to a vertical 3ft long length of rigid ducting in the loft. From there there the moist air just floats around in the loft...

 

[Twofingertyper]

I think you mean that ventilation is poor so the room is damp. Does the fan go through the wall, or a duct above the ceiling? When is the fan turned on and off? Post a photo please.

Go into the loft and look at the insulation go see how thick it is, and if it has been dislodged so some parts of the ceiling are not properly insulated. Are there any holes in the ceiling, for pipes or downlighters?

Well, it's not obviously damp (there's no smell or obvious residue) but if it's not an age thing then you'd think it was that the moisture was not being cleared out well enough? There is a window so maybe I just start opening that post shower...

Vent is in the ceiling, it's an old manrose fan which I know isn't top quality - I've been in the loft for other reasons so know that it's into flexible ducting and then out through the wall. Fan comes on and off with the light but stays on a few minutes after turning off (standard timing as far as I can tell for the fan) so it may be that it's not clearing enough moisture because it's aging and not running for long enough to counter that.

No pipes into the ceiling, no downlighters.

 

[Twofingertyper]

The house I am currently working in- the customer only recently noticed that his bathroom fitters ran the ceiling extractor in to a vertical 3ft long length of rigid ducting in the loft. From there there the moist air just floats around in the loft...

Haha - when I looked at the house I had a quick peek in the loft, both extractors ran into the wall - good stuff, I thought, at least the basics are covered.

By the time I'd moved in mice had taken up residence in the loft and trashed the ducting to the wall as they were using it as a nesting area; oh that was a traumatic introduction into just how loud tiny mice can be when they are pottering around your loft...