Paint Blistering - Bathroom

Alan · 2005-01-18T14:37:38+00:00

After being in the house for about 7 years, we decided to repaint. We hireda professional painter. Everything came out fine. A few months later, thepaint in the smallest bathroom started to blister. We had used the bestpaint available for bathrooms. Prior to repainting, there was no blistering,though the tape on some seams had started to peel a bit. The painter cameback out, scraped off everything that was loose, reprimed and repainted. Afew months later- same problem. He came out again. This time, we replacedthe exahust fan with a stronger fan and vented it to the eave. He scraped,primed, painted. This time we let the primer dry for a month (and noblistering). He then painted, and we let it dry for a week before using theshower in that bathroom. A few months later- same problem. In each case, theblistering occurred in the spring or fall, when the heat pump/ac was leastactive, so the air was not drying very quickly.Anyway... What is the least expensive way to fix this problem? Wallpaper isfine, if that will work. Our painter doesn't think it will, but I am not sosure of his knowledge now. I don't know if the previous owners had used anoil-based (or other non-latex) paint prior. Oh, one other intersting thing-when he scraped the last time, in some areas the paint came off all the waydown to the greeenboard. No mold or mildew, just blistering like crazy.

Jan 18, 2005 22 Replies

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Doug Kanter 21 years ago

I wouldn't, until you know what's going on with the blistering. Do you want wallpaper because it might look good, or because you're sick of dealing with the paint issue?

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Alan 21 years ago

More because of the paint issue, but it would also look better.

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Doug Kanter 21 years ago

Well....take lots of time to interview people who can show you how to do the wallpaper the right way. The wallpaper in my bathroom was also installed in the shower area, above the tile which ends at about 6 feet. The previous owners installed it two years ago and the edges are beginning to peel. At this point, it's just enough to get a fingernail under, which seems like NOT enough to get a tool under to "inject" more adhesive. The issue is not ventilation. During a shower, with the bathroom door closed, the fan keeps the room very dry, even downright chilly. But, a fan can't do anything about water droplets that are splashed around in the shower itself.

I'm beginning to think wallpaper within the shower stall is about as smart as putting it on the outside of a boat's hull.

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