Decorating Advice Needed

[Barrs Court Red]

The paint in my living room is peeling off - looks terrible and is affecting the whole room.

Now I'm guessing I shouldn't just paint over it, but what should I do to the walls prep wise to stop this problem reoccurring? 

I suspect it's from where the walls were papered previously, and left over paste has stopped the paint bonding properly. 4,years later it's all coming off.

[The Joker]

Check the walls are not damp is your first job.

[phantom]

Looks similar to a problem I had in my dining room, it was caused by neighbour knocking back plaster to the bare walls and replastering etc. 

[TRL]

Looks very similar to a damp problem I had when render had blown outside and rain had got in.

[Bat Fastard]

First find out the cause, or it will come back and ruin your new decorations.  Remember that water/moisture can travel depending on the structure of the building.  Once cured, a dehumidifier left in the room at full pelt will draw out the damp. If the problem underneath is really bad, then there may need to be a degree of patching or replastering - or some stain may show through in years to come.  You will have to make sure it is fully dry before redecorating and if you are not confident about the source of the dampness not coming back, you might choose to seal the wall with one of the several products you can buy.  Either way, you may have to put Xmas decorations over the patch until you can complete the work! Good luck!

[Barrs Court Red]

I'd be surprised if it's damp gents - no other room is affected, yet all four walls in this one room have peeling paint. There's no other signs of damp (it was my first thought though). 

Another reason to discount damp and blame the bonding is that the duck egg blue paint behind is utterly fine and not peeling.

So the question is, what on bloody hell do I do with the "faulty" top layer? 

Many thanks for the responses.

[WhistleHappy]

Just guessing here... does anyone else think a complete scrape off of the peeling paint and a thorough sugar soaping clean of the entire wall (possibly followed by a unibonding of the cleaned surface) before painting should do the trick?

I'd also consider putting lining paper on the wall before painting it if the wall surface isn't great after treatment, painted lining paper should give a good uniform finish.

Or knock the f'ing lot down, get shedload of breezeblocks and start over! Good Luck.

[The Joker]

41 minutes ago, WhistleHappy said:

does anyone else think a complete scrape off of the peeling paint and a thorough sugar soaping clean of the entire wall (possibly followed by a unibonding of the cleaned surface) before painting should do the trick?

Could well do and a inexpensive option.

[Bat Fastard]

1 hour ago, Barrs Court Red said:

I'd be surprised if it's damp gents - no other room is affected, yet all four walls in this one room have peeling paint. There's no other signs of damp (it was my first thought though). 

Another reason to discount damp and blame the bonding is that the duck egg blue paint behind is utterly fine and not peeling.

So the question is, what on bloody hell do I do with the "faulty" top layer? 

Many thanks for the responses.

Sounds like it could be condensation!!

[WhistleHappy]

I'd just leave it and tell visitors its the latest thing in interior decorations..... a rag-rolled shabby-chic effect, its all the rage in London & New York designer circles. It cost you a packet to get it done but you're delighted now its finished.

Tell 'em you saw it first in a news item about Buckingham Palace.  OK yah?

Then just relax with another Thatcher's while admiring your 'designer' wall together.  

[Lanterne Rouge]

9 hours ago, WhistleHappy said:

Just guessing here... does anyone else think a complete scrape off of the peeling paint and a thorough sugar soaping clean of the entire wall (possibly followed by a unibonding of the cleaned surface) before painting should do the trick?

I'd also consider putting lining paper on the wall before painting it if the wall surface isn't great after treatment, painted lining paper should give a good uniform finish.

Or knock the f'ing lot down, get shedload of breezeblocks and start over! Good Luck.

That was my immediate reaction. It sounds like it`s traces of wallpaper paste causing the problem. Just a thought as well, you say there`s blue paint behind it. That`s not gloss or eggshell is it? If it is, you need to seal it first otherwise nothing will stick to it.

[Nibor]

Water based emulsion will bond just fine to regular wallpaper paste.  

You've either got something else on the wall underneath the paint that isn't wallpaper paste, dodgy cheap paint, or the paint went onto fresh plaster without a mist coat.

Either way I think you're going to have to scrape it back (get one of these) and either PVA it if there's something on the plaster or mist coat it if there isn't.

For mist coat use MATT emulsion 1 part paint to 3 parts water - do not use silk, satin etc.

Generally cheap paint is a false economy.  You won't go wrong with Dulux trade IMO.