How to repair peeling paint on plaster walls

Question

The paint in our back bedroom is flaking off in big patches and taking bits of the surface with it. Do I just scrape and fill or does the whole wall need sorting properly first?

Paul · Answer

Remove all loose paint lightly sand area and apply some peel stop paint from most diy stores once dry recoat in desired colour should not flake again good product and easier than stripping complete wall

Richard · Answer

Hi Simon. You will need to scrape all the loose paint off the walls. Then apply either zinsser peel stop or zinsser guards
Before filling your walls. This will seal and stop the peeling moving forward. After that if your walls are in a kitchen or bathroom I would recommend using a soft sheen to prevent this happening again.

Martin · Answer

I d  scrape off all flaking areas apply bin zinzer red can to areas then once dry fill sand zinzer apply over filler then should be good to go

Kashif · Answer

It needs sorting properly first—remove all loose paint, repair the damaged surface, seal it with a suitable primer, then repaint.

Danny · Answer

Scrape any loose paint, sand it smooth, fill cracks or holes, sand again, then prime and repaint.

Dean Jerry · Answer

it depends on the cause of the flaking as to the preparation steps you needs to take ! i.e the cause has to be remedied first as the issue will only re-occur. once you have eliminated the cause you can scrape back any loose edges rub down areas where tight edge has gone back to wash whole wall with liquid sugar soap ensuring to rinse afterwards with clean water. then fill & rub down any areas that require it before starting painting it is always good to spot out areas with matt emulsion same colour as existing wall colour. as this will help prevent any filler flashing through when you apply new coats of paint to whole wall .

Andrew · Answer

From what you've described—paint flaking off in large patches and pulling bits of the wall surface away with it—I wouldn't just scrape, fill, and repaint. That's usually a sign that the paint has lost its bond to the wall or the plaster underneath has become weak.
A good repair depends on what's causing it.
If the wall underneath is still solid:
Scrape off everything that's loose. Don't stop where the paint first lifts—keep going until you reach firmly attached paint.
Check the exposed surface. If it's chalky or powdery, brush it clean and apply a stabilising solution (often called a plaster or masonry stabiliser).
Fill any damaged areas with a suitable filler.
Sand smooth.
Prime the repaired areas.
Repaint.
If chunks of plaster or the paper face of plasterboard are coming away:
You'll need to repair the damaged substrate first. Large areas may need a skim coat of finishing plaster or a resurfacing filler rather than just ordinary filler.
Before doing anything, check for moisture
The biggest question is why it's peeling.
Look for:
Damp patches or staining.
Mould.
A wall that feels cold or wet.
Peeling concentrated around a window, external wall, chimney breast, or ceiling.
If there's an ongoing damp problem, redecorating won't last until that's fixed.

David · Answer

I would scape all that will come off, and get it plaster

Errol · Answer

You'll have to scrape away any loose paint right up to where the paint is no longer loose. You then need peel stop or an equivalent to seal all round the edges where the firm paint & plaster meet. You then need a thin surface filler to cover over the area of plaster bringing it back level with the paint & then once dried, sand for a smooth finish and from there can undercoat & re-paint.

Ashleigh · Answer

Scrape off all loose paint.

Apply Peel Stop to seal the edges and surface.

Fill any damaged areas.

Sand smooth.

Prime if needed, then paint.

If the plaster itself is loose or crumbling, Peel Stop won't fix that—you'll need to repair the wall first.

How to repair peeling paint on plaster walls

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