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problem with water marks and moisture

17 years ago

We used SW paint for the first time this past year and I am not thrilled with it. For the bathroom ceiling, we used ceiling white with a mold inhibitor added. Now, it appears that the paint is absorbing moisture in there. After a shower damp patches are visable all over the ceiling. They do eventually go away. The ceiling was scraped of its popcorn, skim coated and primed by the contractor. We painted it our selves. Could it be a poor primer problem? Or that we used flat on the ceiling in the bathroom?

On the walls, drip marks are very visable any where there is a splash, especially around the towel bar, and they do not go away.We used the SW bathroom paint on the walls. This did not happen when the walls had Pratt and Lambert Accolade on them.

I was thinking I would go over the ceiling again with a quality primer and repaint with another paint.

What about the walls though? Anyone else with that problem?

Thanks

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Comments (4)

ld14051
Original Author
17 years ago
Just a bump.
hamptonmeadow
17 years ago
Your problem is moisture not the paint, at least it is now.
You need to install a fan, and run it 30 minutes on a timer every time you shower. You just replace the switch for the fan with a timer switch.

You need to investigate if the moisture has migrated to your dry wall. If it is there (and also has insulation)you will need to change the drywall and replace the insulation. If this is not he case, you will need to prime with a very good, stain killing primer. And then repaint.

But you must not think this is a paint problem. It is a moisture problem.
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Michael
17 years ago
It is moisture related, and paint related. The only thing wrong with the paint is that you used a flat. Flat paint is porous and chalky. It acts like a sponge where moisture is present.

My solution is to provide adequate ventilation as hampton says, and repaint with a satin enamel like PermaWhite. Two coats of PermaWhite is the same as one coat primer and one coat paint.

You can fix the paint, but that won't fix the cause of the problem. Vent, vent, vent and leave the door open when you shower.

Michael
ld14051
Original Author
17 years ago
We have a fan-had a stronger one put in when the room was remodeled a few months ago and the contractor insulated the ducts, which weren't previously. The fan is 100CFM. The room is 10X6 with a vaulted ceiling to 12 ft. My husband is suspecting a blockage in the duct. He remembers seeing a lot of bees around the vent during the summer.
I will repaint the ceiling and DH is going to try as best as he can to check the duct work.

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