Problems applying emulsion - at my wit’s end!

Discussion in 'Painters' Talk' started by Debbie Frizell, May 4, 2020.

  1. Debbie Frizell

    Debbie Frizell New Member

    Please can anyone offer me advise on applying emulsion to my hallway and stairs walls. The walls were skimmed with plaster about 8 yrs ago, mist coated and emulsioned, the walls were extremely absorbent leaving an uneven finish. Recently I decided to tackle the job and thoroughly sanded the walls which produced a huge amount of powdery dust, as the walls were very absorbent I diluted the emulsion (Crown Matt) with water and applied 2 coats, then a coat of undiluted Leyland Trade super Leytex, all was well until I applied a 2nd coat which seriously bubbled, many of which disappeared overnight, I gave an area a light sand and re-coat, the result ended with more bubbles! Since then I have scraped the walls back to what looks to be the original mist coat after plastering, applied Zinsser BIN and one coat Crown Matt, all was well until I applied the second coat of emulsion, it was rapidly absorbed, certain areas being worse than others, and has left a patchy textured finish. Please, please can anyone offer me advice???
     
  2. Hans_25

    Hans_25 Screwfix Select

    @Astramax will be along shortly to save your life. Sounds a bit weird I have to say!
     
  3. Debbie Frizell

    Debbie Frizell New Member

    Great thank you, I’m looking forward to hearing from you
     
  4. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Would have chosen Bullseye123 over BIN as that would of been a better choice as it is a water base high adhesion primer sealer rather than a Shellac spirit base primer sealer stain block. Think your problem may be due to trapped air in roller pile, you need to work the paint into the roller therefore expelling the trapped air, however if it is the emulsion paint bubbling then that's an adhesion problem which could be caused by to much paint with the top drying out quicker causing bubbles from the trapped moisture taking overnight to dry out, Also bubbling could have been caused by the Shellac BIN gassing off!

    I would say you have been unlucky and I would advise you to seal the whole wall with Bullseye123 thinned with water 10% and let it cure for 2 days then emulsion the walls again.
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2020
    chillimonster and Hans_25 like this.
  5. Debbie Frizell

    Debbie Frizell New Member

    Hi thanks so much for your reply. It’s very strange as some walls have been fine, it’s the two largest stairwell walls that have been the problem. The BIN’s has cured the bubble problem, but it’s the patchy raised textured areas that make it look uneven, it’s almost like it’s reacting somehow as it’s not possible to spread the thick emulsion it’s like rolling treacle, even with a brush! Although the first coat after applying the BIN’s was ok, I used almost twice as much emulsion on the next coat which I applied a couple of days later. Do you think the bullseye will stop this problem? Really appreciate your thoughts and help so far
     
  6. Hans_25

    Hans_25 Screwfix Select

    Paint might need to be thinned if its thick, should be like runny treacle or single cream
     
  7. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Have a go at re sealing the problem area as you need to stop the suction/drag. Is any damp present (or been) in the troublesome area?
     
  8. Debbie Frizell

    Debbie Frizell New Member

    Thank you so much for replying, no damp, both internal walls although it is an old cottage. My son, a plasterer, skimmed the walls 8 years ago and said he’d had problems with the plaster going off really quickly, all ok in other rooms. It’s quite a puzzle
     
  9. Astramax

    Astramax Super Member

    Ah Ha! that could be a contributory factor as the plaster may have not polished up with the float as it perhaps could have done. :)
     
  10. Debbie Frizell

    Debbie Frizell New Member

    Hi just wanted to say thank you for your advice. I ended up sanding/washing the walls back to the BIN and then applying several coats of watered down emulsion, satisfactory result
     
  11. Debbie Frizell

    Debbie Frizell New Member

    Hi, thank you so much for your help, I washed off all the emulsion back to the BIN then did several coats of 50/50 emulsion and water, it did the trick
     
    WillyEckerslike likes this.

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