Hi all - I've searched the forum and I think I know what happened to my bathroom ceiling, but before I fix it I want to get confirmation

I redid a 50-yr-old bathroom this past year. The original BR had 4-inch tile in the shower area, on the ceiling as well as walls. I took down all the tile and retiled only the walls of the shower (normal 5' tub/shower area) and plastered over the concrete/cement ceiling and painted it with ben moore ceiling paint and called it a day.

It started peeling a month or so ago, and it looks like an area that I had skimcoated joint compound over the ceiling cement peeled away and a good-sized - maybe 6 or 8 inches - is curled back and there are some other cracks developing elsewhere.

The skimcoat in that area is about 1/16 inch, give or take.

So - I'll chip it all back to where it adheres (if anywhere), and re-skimcoat.

Is there something better to use there than joint compound?

Rather than go back to Ben Moore, I should use Zinnser's Perma White for the ceiling.

Is there something else I should do as well?

thanks - Mark

 

The j/c is only partly to blame - it's water soluble. Setting compounds like durabond chemically set and are not water soluble BUT it ok to stick with regular j/c.

Part of the problem may be the lack [or non use] of a properly sized exhaust fan. The other is the paint. Most ceiling paints aren't formulated for use in bath rms with a shower. Bare minimum is a latex enamel, the PermaWhite is an excellent choice for bath rooms.

I'd scrape and repair as needed with j/c, prime and then apply 2 coats of latex enamel, preferably a bath rm paint like PermaWhite.

 

Benjamin Moore makes great paint but I agree with Mark that you used the wrong one. I would use a kitchen and bath paint (BM kitchen and bath is what's on the walls in my bathroom). I have not used it but Mark has said in the past the PermaWhite is the best kitchen and bathroom paint he has ever used and that would be good enough endorsement for me.

 

Just to be clear, while I may have said the PW is the best, it is probably more accurate to say it's one of the best kitchen and bath paints

 

I said you said it was the best you had used - that was my disclaimer

 

Thanks guys. Is there any problem with the thickness of the skimcoat?

Question about alternatives - Durabond was mentioned, does that work as easily as joint compound?

 

Durabond is a setting compound while regular j/c evaporates until dry. Setting compounds can be applied thicker and more coats can be applied in a short time BUT they are harder to sand! It comes in powder form, gets mixed with water and has a short work time. Any left over mixed has to be thrown out. The thickness of regular j/c is only an issue if it's applied too thick and cracks as it's drying.

Regular j/c is water soluble but as long as it has the right primer and paint to protect it - the water won't be able to harm it.

 

Perfect! Thanks for the info.