By:Monte Leeper
Q. Our house was built in 1927 and has lath and plaster walls. In one
bedroom upstairs and in the dining room downstairs, paint begins to peel off
after about a year, despite assurances from two painters that they would seal the surface to prevent this. The rest of the house is not affected. We don't think that this is due to water seeping in, because peeling occurs on inside walls in the upstairs bedroom. Both rooms are on opposite sides of the house.
It was suggested that these two rooms might have been painted originally with calcimine. What can you advise? If we applied wallpaper, is it
likely to remain attached? Thank you.
A. I have a great aunt, who loves to cook with onions and garlic. My uncle, who is quite healthy for his years, swears that the smell could peel the
paint right off the walls (even though we know he loves it). Cut down on the
onions after painting again, or check your heating system to see where it
runs as it snakes its way through your house. Water-supply pipes should also
be traced, because they also cause condensation in the walls, particularly in
old homes, because even plumbing does not last forever. Calcimine, also
spelled kalsomine, was a tint mixture of whitening (calcium) and glue mixed
with water, used as a finish coat. It can be coated with a primer after the
surface has been sanded lightly. The primer can be either oil based or
latex, but it is best to use a higher quality primer and paint, because they
have more solids to coat the surface. You should also check the surface
after priming to be sure it is fully covered. Spot apply primer to areas
that appear thin. If you notice any bubbling or rejection of the primer, or
discoloration, then the chemical on the surface before you started was not
completely stripped and you will need to re-sand those areas. Moisture is
also caused by the level of humidity in the air of each room and can be
damaging to the paint as well. Steam radiators with a relief valve,
temperatures kept too high on cold days, or too low, can cause condensation
on the wall surface of those interior partitions. A home's humidity level is
a function of the heating level, and you should also monitor this during
winter months.
Good luck!
