I'm not sure it's cold that peeled that paint. Our c1840 house in 'way upstate NY has been left completely unheated for several years at a time, without paint peeling off the original plaster. It sounds to me like it might be the dreaded calcimine paint/latex paint problem. Perhaps, in order to pretty up your house for resale the PO slapped a coat of latex on top of calcimine. That would probably peel sooner or later, no matter what the temps. The only solution I know is to completely remove the underlying calcimine, then re-prime and paint. There are some paints/primers that claim to be able to overcome this problem, but I've never had much luck. It retards it, but doesn't permanently prevent it. Since I hate doing stuff over, I'd rather get the damned calcimine off first, then tidy the plaster up and go from there. Fortunately removing calcimine is not truly difficult, it's only a medium pain in the neck. Two ways that I've used, are steam and strong ammonia. Strong ammonia is faster though very smelly, and for some people with breathing problems quite dangerous. Steam (wall paper steamer) is a little slower, but not so disagreeable to do. There are some ways to test if you've got calcimine, but I've forgotten what the technique is, since all my walls and ceilings (blast and hell!) have been painted with calcimine. If you decide to go ahead and just recoat, for sanding I would use a sponge or foam pad as a sanding block, it's less likely to gouge the plaster than a firmer black. (Though I wouldn't recommend doing it over a partially removed layer of calcimine, you might also consider a skim coat of joint compound, plaster or Swedish putty to smooth out the top surface. The reason I'm not recommending it, is that it is quite a bit of work and would be wasted when the calcimine bond breaks in other places on the walls. It also requires fairly good knife skills to do well. Once the calcimine is off, then it would be worth doing, or having done, if you want beautifully smooth walls.) If you closed up the room when it had a full shot of accumulated summer moisture in the plaster (and old three-coat plaster holds a surprising amount of moisture), that could easily have allowed the calcimine/latex combo to shear right off in the long ripples you describe. The problem is the moisture permeablity differential between the two coatings. The good news is that the parts where the paint it gone, well, you don't have to remove anything there! The bad news is that you may have other rooms where this problem exists. Ain't old house ownership a blast? Molly~

Thanks Casey, What is a good oil based primer. I will be using BM paints for the room. I could get their primer. I have only used Zinzer primers up to this point, in my kitchen, and now bathroom. My progress: Last night I went ahead and thinned down some green topped joint compound (drying type, I believe it is called, as opposed to setting type) and rolled it over the Gardz primed walls. After I knifed it off you could barely see the application, just a soft haze. My thought is that I will now apply another thin skim, then when dried, prime for painting. I just don't want these layers to delaminate in the bathroom. This isn't a steamy room because there is no shower and the tub is rarely used. But it is a bathroom none the less.

That was an incredible article! And describes exactly what my problem is. Thank you. I mentioned that there had been panelling or wainscoting. This was is one of the smaller rooms. Unfortunately it had been covered with materials that blocked any vapour movement. And it was also riddled with woodworm, so it had to go. The wood supports nailed into the bricks were fine at higher levels, but had rotted closer to the ground - capillary action with ground water which I can do nothing about. Even if I removed my current floor and waterproofed it, the fact that I have neighbours sharing both inside walls means that their water will just come over any barriers. And replacing the floor is also (currently) out of my budget. So far, the lime plaster I have has softened and crumbled in the areas where damp has come through because of the uncovered and currently unused chimney, near the single glazed and rotten windows and near the broken guttering. Only a small area has been affected by the groundwater. I might not need to replace all plastering. Where the wainscoting has been taken doen, there is bare brick. But replacing this wainscoting would be a great idea, especially if I can then plaster and paint with a breathable colour on top. It also means I can hide gas and water pipes behind them. I suppose the last layer lasted for 80 years, although the woodworm had a party for most of that time. Perhaps there are non-wood breathable materials I could use? Wood would be an expensive option for the square footage. And how clever would it be to add a layer of cellulose or sheepswool under this? Or an insulation material which can deal with damp? However, internal humidity will be a lot higher soon, due to the replacement of windows (they have trickle vents, but a trickle is nothing compared to the air movement I have now!), new and insulated roof, blocking the chimney opening with a gasfire flue and replacement of gaps in the mortar. That's my fear - that even by having a house that lets moisture in and out, it's still pretty airtight and keeps the inside too humid. And a complete ventilation system is quite expensive over here, although I'll have a unit placed in the bathroom. With the latest European EPC standards, my refusal to have damp proof chemicals, thick impermeable insulation and artificial ventilation means the value of my house suffers. But they can change what they want when I'm in a retirement home! Maybe the regulations will have accepted that most of their recommendations for older houses are incorrect unless they are knocked down and rebuilt which would be a real pity. Thanks for that article. Absolutely brilliant! So next question: is wooden wainscoting the only breathable option? Are there other products out there, both modern or traditional looking, that would work as wainscoting panels? And would I be adding to the problem by sticking a layer of hygroscopic insulation between it (might mean the dog barks less loudly!). And apart from leaving the windows open in summer and winter for 20 minutes a day (prefer to save the heat in the winter), what other ways might I increase ventilation/reduce condensation into the brickwork without burning a hole in my pocket? Thanks AGAIN!!! Photo shows the remnants of original wainscoting supports and brick underneath. Sarah.

That’s so pretty, adoptbuffalopups! What color did you end up choosing?