Paint problem in bathroom

Hi,

We just had our upstairs bathroom completely redone. It looked beautiful -= for a while. 7 months later and we've got a problem with the paint - ughh= !

Now our beautiful beige paint has dark streaks running through it from the = moisture. It's a small upstairs bath and it does get pretty steamy in ther= e after a shower. It is the top floor of a dormered out cape so the ceilin= g slants down to the back of the house. In the tallest part of the room it= is about 7' 6".

It is even streaking down the side of the walls. I thought if I just ran t= he fan and let it dry out the problem would go away but it didn't. It look= s like the paint ran in spots and it is darker in those spots.

He did install a fan and vented it through the roof (at least I hope he did= - he said he did and I saw them go up on the roof) I can feel the air rus= h in from the window if I open it when the fan is on so it seems to be work= ing. I guess my kids probably took a few showers and forgot to run it but = the thing is that even when I run the fan I see the condensation all over t= he ceiling. It's a small room.

We used Eggshell - medium base. I told the guy at the paint store it was f= or a bathroom. We did the walls and the ceiling in the same color and it d= id look very good that way. The contractor recommended that and I was very= happy with the look. It is a small bathroom.

Was this the wroong kind of paint?

It certainly looks like it needs to be repainted. What kind of paint would= be best for a high moisture area like this bathroom?

Thanks in advance, Steve

Reply to
szeik
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for a while. 7 months later and we've got a problem with the paint - ughh!

moisture. It's a small upstairs bath and it does get pretty steamy in there after a shower. It is the top floor of a dormered out cape so the ceiling slants down to the back of the house. In the tallest part of the room it is about 7' 6".

fan and let it dry out the problem would go away but it didn't. It looks like the paint ran in spots and it is darker in those spots.

he said he did and I saw them go up on the roof) I can feel the air rush in from the window if I open it when the fan is on so it seems to be working. I guess my kids probably took a few showers and forgot to run it but the thing is that even when I run the fan I see the condensation all over the ceiling. It's a small room.

a bathroom. We did the walls and the ceiling in the same color and it did look very good that way. The contractor recommended that and I was very happy with the look. It is a small bathroom.

best for a high moisture area like this bathroom?

Is there a pattern to the streaking....along wall studs, brush or roller marks, moisture running down? Photos might help. I assume you used acryllic.....it sometimes can seep binders, but I've only seen that in exterior paint on masonry.

FWIW, I use only alkyd semi for kitchens and baths. It is more impervious to moisture, although any intact paint film should exclude moisture seepage. Eggshell is only a tad less glossy than semi, but I wonder if it isn't just hanging onto more mildew than semi would. Have you washed it down, using a little bit of bleach?

As for forgetting the fan, we installed a timer switch in our bath so the bathroom would vent completely before the fan shut off and also so we didn't need to go back to shut it off.

If you can get good, clear photos I would get them to the paint store and/or the mfg.....

there could be several reasons for streaking, including insufficient mixing of the paint before application. Shaking at the store is not enough, and if not mixed immediately prior to application you can end up with different "mixes" of binder/pigment when you paint.

It is amazing how much moisture can hang onto bathroom surfaces hours after a shower. I've seen mildew patches in friend's bath from AC vent blowing onto adjoining wall and causing the cooler patch to get wetter; she also kept a window in the room cracked that kept room humid.

Reply to
Norminn

Maybe the pre-paint surface prep wasn't done right. Was there wallpaper or a border there before the redo? Could be remnants of the old glue.

a while. 7 months later and we've got a problem with the paint - ughh!

moisture. It's a small upstairs bath and it does get pretty steamy in there after a shower. It is the top floor of a dormered out cape so the ceiling slants down to the back of the house. In the tallest part of the room it is about 7' 6".

fan and let it dry out the problem would go away but it didn't. It looks like the paint ran in spots and it is darker in those spots.

he said he did and I saw them go up on the roof) I can feel the air rush in from the window if I open it when the fan is on so it seems to be working. I guess my kids probably took a few showers and forgot to run it but the thing is that even when I run the fan I see the condensation all over the ceiling. It's a small room.

bathroom. We did the walls and the ceiling in the same color and it did look very good that way. The contractor recommended that and I was very happy with the look. It is a small bathroom.

best for a high moisture area like this bathroom?

Reply to
paulaner

No. It was a gut job. They primed it before they painted and let it dry.

The paint is actually sticky in the moisture spots. I'm going into the paint store with photos to see what they say.

Reply to
szeik

Here is a photo:

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Hope you can see that. I never posted a photo here before so just signed up for flickr.

Those dark areas are sticky and they are not drying. The guy at the paint store used the term "not curing". He took my number and said he would call me back with an explanation.

My worry now is how to prep this for what seems like an inevitable repainting.

Thanks for your feedback.

Reply to
szeik

ed up for flickr.

int store used the term "not curing". =A0He took my number and said he woul= d call me back with an explanation.

Great photo, don't have an answer though.

Reply to
hrhofmann

If you actually have moisture running down the walls after a shower, I would suspect the fan. Either it doesn't have a good exhaust path to move the air outside or the fan is poor. It could even be gummed up with toilet paper lint which would destroy the aerodynamics of the blades (I had this happen) so they don't move much air. It will need the blades and chamber cleaning. Also how good is the insulation. Cold walls will cause excessive condensation and damage to the paint.

Reply to
EXT

Yep, go to a PAINT STORE (Sherwin-Williams, Glidden, etc.), not the paint department of a box store.

Give some consideration, too, to an oil-based paint. It should have less of a problem with curing than a latex variety.

Reply to
HeyBub

store with photos to see what they say.

Asking the paint store is a good first step.

I've had good results with Kilz primer in cases of stain seepage, but ventilate well when you use it or face the prospect of a real headache.

In my bathrooms and kitchen, I use marine paints. They are formulated for a wet marine environment and have been good for me. Paint stores don't carry them; boat stores or chandlerys do. They are a little more expensive, and need special thinners, but I think the results are well worth it. Pettit is one manufacturer; you want the topsides finishes, not the underwater hull finishes.

Reply to
Notat Home

store used the term "not curing". He took my number and said he would call me back with an explanation.

Not curing suggests a factory problem....I suspect the best you can do is some free paint if that is the case. I've never dealt with such a problem. What brand of paint? Was it thinned, or some additive mixed in? Very odd pattern to the problem

Reply to
Norminn

The guy from the paint store called back. He said it is called "Surfactant= Leaching". I found this article online that talks about it:

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He said to try cleaning it and I did one wall with a damp clean cloth and I= have to say it looks much better. I'm suprised that it seems to have take= n the sticky stuff off of the surface. I'll have to experiment a bit more= with cleaning it and see how it looks.

I wish somebody could have warned me about this prior to this happening. = =20

Every home improvement project I do I learn some lesson like this. But I a= lways learn them too late! =20

Steve

Reply to
szeik

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