August 29, 2008
A peeling problem puts painter in a scrape
Q. When I went to paint my ceiling, the old paint started to peel off onto the roller. It has happened in two rooms. In one room, the ceiling paint just starts to hang down, and I have to try to scrape it off. Could you please give me some information about what might be causing this and how I can solve it? -- Harriet Brown, Bay Shore
A. For any number of reasons, the old paint did not correctly adhere to your ceiling. Because the new, wet ceiling paint has adhesive properties, it is pulling the old paint from the ceiling onto your roller. The old paint might be peeling because of moisture problems or dirt and grime. Fresh paint does not adhere well to dirty surfaces. You might keep the old paint from attaching to your roller by first using a water-based primer called Peel Stop by Zinsser, a New Jersey-based manufacturer of paints and sealers. This primer seals the peeling paint and promotes adhesion of old paint coatings. It doesn't have a strong odor and dries in two hours. I'd advise waiting a day between coats, however. Scrape and remove loose paint chips, and after applying Peel Stop, fill in uneven areas with a drywall compound. Once the compound dries, you can lightly sand for a smooth surface across the entire ceiling, then apply the top coat.
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