Peeling Plaster Walls
 

Description:
Loss of adhesion from plaster which can occur in spots or larger areas.

Possible Cause:
• Peeling from plaster could be a result of insufficient wet troweling of the white coat when the plaster was originally applied, causing chalking of the surface.

• Another possible reason for peeling is the use of a wallcovering glue size, which absorbs water, and holds it underneath the paint.

Solution:
• Plaster should be clean and free of any sizing that would reduce adhesion. Test for this by wetting the surface and feeling for any greasy/slick substance. If present, this must be washed off before priming.
• All new plaster should be primed after it has been cured a minimum of 30 days. This will reduce moisture and alkali. After curing and before priming, wipe the plaster with a damp cloth to remove powder and dust.
• If peeling has already occurred, remove as much of the present paint and primer as possible by sanding or scraping before repainting. If just the peeling areas are removed, all the original primer may peel eventually, and the new coat will come off with it.
• If the surface is badly disintegrated, cover it with canvas, mesh, hardboard or wallpaper liner, then plaster and paint the new covering.
• Cracks and holes in plaster should be repaired before repainting. If patching is necessary, a water-mix patch or premixed plaster should be used when the intended topcoat is latex since oils in some patching com-pounds sometimes bleed into latex. When using a water-mix patch, thoroughly dampen the surrounding edges of the damaged areas to prevent the plaster from absorbing moisture and becoming crumbly.
• Make sure the newly repaired plaster is similar in surface texture to the adjacent plaster so that the repaired area blends in with the original area.
• Reprime and repaint the surface. On very chalky plaster, an oil-base primer is recommended because the oil wets the chalk and adheres better than water-base primers. Otherwise, a latex primer is an excellent solution.

Recommended System:
Primer
1 Coat of FLEX BON #124 Series Interior Alkyd Primer or
1 Coat of FLEX BON #107 Series Interior Acrylic Latex Primer
Topcoat
Top Quality FLEX BON Interior Latex Paint