chalky ceiling in 50's built house

[madonnafan]

This weekend I stripped the hall/landing/stairs walls.
As I stripped the landing I found that the walls n ceiling had been painted at the same time in a colour I don't know!
So peeling the paper off then carried on to the ceiling so I assumed that the ceiling had been papered with lining paper.
It wasn't,it was only painted.
It was coming off in sheets and it was only paint!
Underneath all this was a very chalky looking ceiling,and it caused a lot of dust n mess as I brushed the 'chalkiness'.
I waited till the dust settled then painted it white.
The paint was rolling on and then rolling back off,same with the brush too!
Took twice as long as I'd planned,and the only way round it was to 'dab' the paint on in places where it had lifted off.

The reason for me saying all this is that I have a very small kitchen and I'm decorating in there next and the ceiling in there is half flaked off and bits hanging.
Underneath it looks like the same kind of ceiling-CHALKY!!
This paint isn't easily peelable like the landing was but will have to come off to paint.
Surely I will have the same roll on roll off effect as I did with the landing!

Is there a product to 'cure' this?
I was thinking that if so then it would be easier to paint and the paint will stay on and in time will not start to flake!!!

 

[gcol]

Search the forum for "distemper".

gcol
Saved you a job Zampa.

 

[madonnafan]

Thanks,

I read a lot of stuff on here regarding distemper!
Sounds more like an illness!
Still don't know what distemper is but I guarantee that I have got it!

Sharon xx

 

[JohnD]

It's a sort of whitewash with added glue size made from the boiled up hooves of dead horses. It will wash off with hot water (not cold) which is impractical on a ceiling. A Steam Stripper would probably do it.

I've never tried a Stabilising Solution on it, might possibly work.

 

[madonnafan]

Mmmm,
So glad the horses were dead before having their hooves boiled up!
Not sure if you are having a laugh there JohnD but I believe it anyway as I remember something from childhood about old horses being sent to the glue factory!
Never used a steam stripper before but I have had many offers to borrow one before!
I will now take them up on it!

So I am assuming a coat of something prior to painting is a must.
What about plain wallpaper?
Or will that just fall off (especially as its a high condensation room due to drying and cooking)?

Sharon xx

 

[spice]

Your not having much luck lately sharon, paint on the carpet, and now a distemper ceiling, I bet your scared to start another room, lord knows what else will turn up.

 

[D.Ovenstone]

Hi Maddonafan
These surfaces are a nuisance when it comes to re-decoration, for the best results it is best to use a bucket of warm soapy water and wash it off using a bathsponge, when the water becomes dirty replace it, if there are bits stuck they may have been applyied using oil based undercoat or gloss, if these don't come loose once they are wet they just might stay on when you decorate, Test by running your finger along the washed surface and if no powder present on your finger this should be ready to re-decorate.

The surface will now be very porous and needs to be sealed first, you can do this in a number of ways, using matt emulsion, well watered down consistency so that this first coat when rolled onto the surface sinks in and creates a key for the finalk coats of emulsion, another way is to us a "PVA" sealer as in unibond and the like, follow the instructions on the container "as for porous surfaces" and mix in the appropiate amount of water,

also on the market there is a waterbased sealer that claims to cure flaky surfaces, but if you already have emulsion on the ceiling that looks solid this sealer may not penetrate it sufficiantely to bond it onto the surface, but may start to come off as you apply a material that sinks and dries in slowely, so i would really scrape off what you can, wash the powder away, then seal before painting
Wear a mask, you don't want to breath all that dust, and goggles are advisable, let us knw how you get on
Regards
Dale
For more info about interior surface preparation please take a look
http:www.lulu.com/items/volume_10/218000/218065/1/preview/TEXTURE_REVIVAL_FREE_DOWNLOAD.pdf

 

[Zampa]

Sharon...

Move...

There really is no coice on this one Shazza...its got to come off...all of it..personally, if you havnt used a steamer before then be careful...it could be risky on a ceiling...they can generate a lot of very hot water.

I known people to try stabiliser..its a stop gap and not the best thing to use..there are paints on the market which the makers claim will do the job, they might...but its taking a chance.

I would wash it all off...(wear some googles..the stuff burns like hell) then give it a coat of thinned Alkali resisting primer...this will cope with the lime residue thats soaked into the ceiling better.

The re-decorate

Or...you could buy some more distemper and paint over the top...that and limewash are the only things you can paint over it with successfully with.

 

[madonnafan]

I am almost ready (well after yet another school holiday that will be upon me before I know it!)to tackle my little kitchen!
The Distemper on the ceiling obviously has caused all the flaking (I am assuming) or could this be from general kitchen heat/steam etc?!
I was thinking of papering the ceiling and using a white kitchen/bathroom paint on it.
Would I still need to prep as was mentioned earlier, and then paper or could I just get all the flakes off and then paper without pva/stabiliser etc?
Easiest and/or cleanest job possible would be the best!

Sharon xx

 

[Zampa]

Yep...fraid so..you'l still need to remove all the distemper first..honest!..

You may get away with it for a while then it will be down...you may not get away with it and bosh..it will be down the morning after you have papered it..it really isnt worth chucking any money at it.

Once washed of, give it a coat of thinned alkali resisting primer sealer...(thin it by about 20%)..stay away from the PVA AND STABILISER..the stabilising will help bind up the washed surface but isnt a good surface to paper over.

 

[madonnafan]

Cheers mate!

Thats what I'll have to do then!
It's claustrophobic enough in my little kitchen without paper falling on my head!

Other alternative is to only invite pigs round!

Apparently they can't look up towards the sky (or ceiling in my case!)

Sharonxx

 

[Zampa]

I wouldnt want the old bill snooping round my house personally..