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Plaster Walls, Peeling Problems, and Solutions to Properly Prevent Re-Occurrence
Expert Contributor
Tom Rafferty, President, Rafferty Painting & General Contracting
Plaster Walls, Peeling Problems, and Solutions to Properly Prevent Re-Occurrence
Written by Tom Rafferty
Many people aren’t aware of the underlying problems that exist on plaster walls. In many cases, homeowners repaint these areas only to see them peel time and time again. There isn’t a problem with the plaster and in most cases, the plaster is beautifully finished underneath. The culprit is most likely calcimine. A very good indicator of its presence is when you see the paint peeling in sheets down to bare plaster.
The unfortunate part of this is the entire coating needs to be removed down to the plaster. Simply scraping and spackling and repainting will not cure this problem. The paint will actually peel right off again. We see this in many repaints and frankly, some painting contractors aren’t aware of what causes this. There could also be moisture in the walls that could cause this as well. A simple moisture test can indicate if there is moisture present.
Identify What You’ve Got
The first process is to identify for sure that you are dealing with a calcimine problem. Because it is predominantly chalk, you can easily detect calcimine by rubbing a damp finger (sure, spit works!) or a sponge on the surface to check for a chalky residue. If you have calcimine, it will feel like you wet your finger and rubbed a dirty chalkboard.
Once you feel you have scraped off as much paint as you can, begin scrubbing and washing. Wash all surfaces with a detergent or hard surface cleaner (Spic ‘n’ Span, dishwashing liquid, TSP) using a scrubbing pad. Really scrub at the surfaces and use a cleaner that will generate as many suds as possible. You want to generate a foamy-froth that suspends the water. It keeps the surface wet longer and helps the calcimine to let go.
After you peel all the loose paint, clean the walls you’re ready to prime and add the finish coats to your plaster walls. I recommend a shellac-based primer for your primer then any latex coating will adhere after that. It’s a labor-intensive process, but if done correctly you will not have any peeling or popping paint!
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