# White chalky substance on walls



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Do you know how long ago it was painted? with what coating?


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## Lisasay123 (Jan 2, 2018)

Walls were painted around 15 years ago with Benjamin Moore flat paint. 
Thx!


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Surfactant leaching is the most likely cause. Sometimes when drying/curing paint is subjected to moisture or high humidity, it can cause surfactants in the paint to rise to the surface of the film over time. 

It’s fairly common in bathrooms, or on exterior surfaces that were painted in damp conditions. Little hard to tell from the pics, but that doesn’t look like a bathroom. 

It can generally be removed by just cleaning with water. Though it can come back. How many times have you cleaned it off? 


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Not sure why you are getting the chalk but at 15 yrs the paint job is past it's expected life span. I'd prime the walls with Gardz and then repaint.


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## Lisasay123 (Jan 2, 2018)

This will be the 3rd or 4th time cleaning. Pics are from stairwell from front door to upstairs bedroom area. There is bathroom in upstairs hall which is used by teenagers who take very long, very hot showers. The marks are in upstairs hall, bedrooms, stairwell and foyer. This could all be from boys shower? House has new windows and doors so house should be airtight.


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Lisasay123 said:


> This will be the 3rd or 4th time cleaning. Pics are from stairwell from front door to upstairs bedroom area. There is bathroom in upstairs hall which is used by teenagers who take very long, very hot showers. The marks are in upstairs hall, bedrooms, stairwell and foyer. This could all be from boys shower? House has new windows and doors so house should be airtight.




It’s possible I suppose, though I’ve never seen it happen on such a large scale. It’s generally confined to a single room. Also seems odd that it would happen on a 15 year old paint job (I didn’t see that post previously). 

If there was some change in conditions, like a broken or weak exhaust fan in the bathroom, that could have caused it to start happening maybe. 

It’s also unusual for it to come back after a couple cleanings. Perhaps it’s happening on different areas of the walls each time? 

If it’s leaching, it’s an extreme case. 


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Jmayspaint said:


> It’s possible I suppose, though I’ve never seen it happen on such a large scale. It’s generally confined to a single room. Also seems odd that it would happen on a 15 year old paint job (I didn’t see that post previously).
> 
> If there was some change in conditions, like a broken or weak exhaust fan in the bathroom, that could have caused it to start happening maybe.
> 
> ...


After 15 years, I would say so.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

There's also something called white mold which can grow on a painted surface where the walls are damp. Might not be the case here, but, if cleaning is not solving it, something stronger to kill the mold is in order. I forget the process for eliminating white mold, but, someone here may chime in with the antidote.

https://www.mouldfacts.ca/mold-types-commonly-found-in-homes-and-offices/white-mold.html


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## [email protected] (Oct 25, 2018)

Lisasay123 said:


> Walls were painted around 15 years ago with Benjamin Moore flat paint.
> Thx!


. my walls are just like yours in my entire house and I used Benjamin Moore paint about 15 years ago to


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> . my walls are just like yours in my entire house and I used Benjamin Moore paint about 15 years ago to


After 15 years, you are waaaaaaayyyyy past the expected life span of a paint job. Time to clean/treat the walls and repaint. I suppose you could get a Benjamin Moore representative in there to give it a "look-see." That's about all you can do at this point. He can recommend a course of action to clean the walls and then you can have it repainted.


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## dayers91 (3 mo ago)

I have the same problem. My house is 14 yrs old and I repainted them last year. I have the same white chalk look on them in my kitchen. It's sheetrock and on interior walls. They used Sherwin Williams paint. Had the same problem before we painted, and now have the same problem again. Yes, it wipes away but in a few weeks it's back and shows every stroke you made on the wall wiping it off.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

Its hard to say if it actually needs a primer, but if it were me, Id give it a prime with gardz, or at least 123, since its not coming off on your hand. 123 should seal it up fine, then repaint. Id go eggshell over flat anyday.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

dayers91 said:


> I have the same problem. My house is 14 yrs old and I repainted them last year. I have the same white chalk look on them in my kitchen. It's sheetrock and on interior walls. They used Sherwin Williams paint. Had the same problem before we painted, and now have the same problem again. Yes, it wipes away but in a few weeks it's back and shows every stroke you made on the wall wiping it off.


 so you're getting this with one year old paint?? did they prime or just paint over it? I guess it DOES need a primer...


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## dayers91 (3 mo ago)

woodco said:


> Its hard to say if it actually needs a primer, but if it were me, Id give it a prime with gardz, or at least 123, since its not coming off on your hand. 123 should seal it up fine, then repaint. Id go eggshell over flat anyday.


Ok thanks! I'll try and see if it helps. I had it on several different walls but when they were repainted and seem to be ok? So far anyway


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## dayers91 (3 mo ago)

woodco said:


> so you're getting this with one year old paint?? did they prime or just paint over it? I guess it DOES need a primer...


I assume they primed it, I hired a supposed professional, so I can't say for sure. I wasn't there when they actually painted it 😥


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

dayers91 said:


> I assume they primed it, I hired a supposed professional, so I can't say for sure. I wasn't there when they actually painted it 😥


Did they TELL you they primed it, or were planning on it? If not, they definitely didnt.


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## pfarley8848 (2 mo ago)

Whoa I’ve got 15 year old Benjamin Moore Paint in every room of my house and this is happening. I was a professional painter at one point and my rooms got lots of compliments. Now they look like $h*t. coincidence????


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