# Painted mud is peeling



## bcemail (Sep 18, 2010)

Hi all. I'm doing a bunch of painting so I've also been doing a lot of spackling, sanding, etc. Drywall and I usually do not get along so I try and minimize holes and repairs! 

In our bathroom, the shower/tub was recently replaced. At the top of the walls they blended things together with the drywall ceiling with some kind of joint compound, I think. It dried a darker grey color than the white of the ceiling and darker than the spackle I usually use. 

I started painting the ceiling today, and in some of those areas when I was rolling it started pulling up the material. Is this normal? Guessing it needed primer or something. Can I just sand the bad areas and try to repaint? Or do I need to sand off all the areas that had that under it? In the places where it looks ok will the paint fail and peel off?
Thanks so much


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## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

It sounds like it wasn't dry or some moisture affected it.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Is the paint peeling or is it pulling the joint compound off of the ceiling? Most common reason for paint to peel is not removing the sanding dust, j/c peeling usually means it's not had time to dry.


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## bcemail (Sep 18, 2010)

It's had months to dry. I think that the areas with peeling where were I went over it again, near the edges where I cut in with a brush then when I rolled to blend it the mud pulled off with the paint. Maybe the paint got it wet then it peeled? If I gently sand and try and repaint should it work?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I suspect the joint compound absorbed moisture and deteriorated over the months it was left unpainted. I'd aggressively sand and then skim j/c as needed, sand when dry, remove dust then prime and paint.


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## bcemail (Sep 18, 2010)

That makes sense, especially since it was over the shower. When they put it in they didn't mention priming or painting right away so I didn't think about it. 
Do you think I can just sand, skim etc where I see the peeling areas? Or do I need to take off everything? I'll hope for the first since it's a fairly small area...
Thanks again


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Aggressive sanding will remove anything that is loose enough to be a problem. Then it's just a matter of making it look nice again.


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## JasperST (Sep 7, 2012)

It was probably setting compound and bad prep work for painting. Of course it needed priming.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Setting compounds aren't water soluble like regular pre mixed joint compound is. I've never seen where moisture deteriorated unpainted setting compound but have seen moisture degrade unpainted j/c and texture many times.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

> In our bathroom, the shower/tub was recently replaced. At the top of the walls they blended things together with the drywall ceiling with some kind of joint compound, I think.





> it was over the shower. When they put it in they didn't mention priming or painting right away so I didn't think about it.


That is why I presume the j/c deteriorated from moisture.

you said -


> It was probably setting compound and bad prep work for painting. Of course it needed priming.


That is why I said I doubt it was setting compound as it's not water soluble.


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## JasperST (Sep 7, 2012)

mark sr said:


> That is why I presume the j/c deteriorated from moisture.
> 
> you said -
> 
> That is why I said I doubt it was setting compound as it's not water soluble.


No mention of water being used. Probably prep work.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

The water is from the steam from using the shower. The moisture degrades the unprotected j/c. Used to see it a lot when they used popcorn on bath rm ceilings.


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## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

Latex paint without primer is water as well, to a degree.


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## bcemail (Sep 18, 2010)

Thanks, I'll try sanding it down this weekend and hope it's small areas. Next time I'll prime sooner.


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