Why is paint peeling on the ceiling?

Hello @Eganmm

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us and thanks for sharing your question about paint.

It sounds like you've taken several steps to address the issues with your ceilings, and it's great that you've had the roof thoroughly inspected to rule out any external water damage. Given the persistent problems you're describing, it seems likely that the issues with the paint could be related to moisture buildup or inadequate surface preparation prior to painting, rather than roof leaks.

In the bedroom, the yellow discoloration and subsequent blistering paint could be due to nicotine staining combined with trapped moisture, especially around the light fixture where heat could cause condensation. Even though the windows are open, smoking indoors can lead to surface contamination that affects paint adherence. To address this, you might consider cleaning the walls and ceiling thoroughly with a product like Zinsser DIF Concentrate to remove any residues before repainting.

Following this, use a stain-blocking primer such as Zinsser B-I-N Primer Sealer, which is specifically designed to block odours and stains from bleeding through the paint. After priming, repaint with a quality paint like Dulux Wash & Wear to ensure durability and easy cleaning.

For the dining room, the peeling paint near the ceiling skirting could be a result of poor surface adhesion or moisture infiltration from condensation, especially if it's near a window where temperature fluctuations are common. Before repainting, remove any peeling paint and sand the area to create a smooth surface. Using a moisture-resistant primer like Taubmans 3 in 1 Sealer Primer Undercoat will help improve paint adherence and protect against future peeling. Finally, repaint with a moisture-resistant topcoat such as Taubmans Endure to provide a long-lasting finish.

Ensuring proper ventilation in both rooms can help reduce moisture buildup and improve air circulation, preventing future issues with paint blistering or peeling. With these steps, you should see better results and longer-lasting paintwork.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Thank you for the information

Regardless of the ongoing sanding and repainting efforts, spiderweb cracks continue to surface in the bedroom ceiling. The reason for this is that the plaster has absorbed cigarette smoke. The painter has mentioned that the only way forward is to hire a plasterer to install a sheet of plaster over the existing plasterboard. However, I have read and heard that this could potentially cause problems with the cornices, such as misalignment and cracking at the joints. How likely are these issues to occur, and what can be done if it happens again? I don't want to have remove the ceiling

Hello @Eganmm

You're right to be cautious about covering the existing ceiling plasterboard with a new sheet, especially when cornices are involved. Spiderweb cracks reappearing even after sanding and repainting suggests a deeper issue, and in your case, the smoke absorption has likely weakened the plaster’s bond and surface integrity. Your painter is correct that overlaying the ceiling is a practical solution, but it does come with challenges.

The likelihood of cornice issues such as cracking, detachment, or visible misalignment is quite real, especially if the new plasterboard isn't installed with precision. The most common problem is a visible step or gap where the new sheet meets the cornices. This happens because you're effectively lowering the ceiling height by the thickness of the new board (usually 10–13 mm), which breaks the visual and physical alignment with the original cornice profile.

To minimise this, a good plasterer will:

Scribe or cut back the new sheet to fit snugly just up to or just behind the cornices.
Use adhesive and screws to ensure strong contact with ceiling joists and reduce movement.
Apply a fibreglass tape and flexible compound at the junctions to help prevent future cracks.
In some cases, recommend shadowline trims or a thin decorative trim below the cornice to visually mask any slight misalignment.

If cracks do reappear at the cornice after the new sheet is installed, they can usually be repaired with a flexible acrylic gap filler (like Selleys No More Gaps) or a flexible cornice adhesive, followed by repainting with a high-quality stain-blocking primer and ceiling paint.

To avoid having to remove the ceiling altogether, the most important thing is to hire a plasterer who has specific experience overlaying ceilings without removing cornices. Ask for examples of previous work or references if you're unsure. It’s a delicate job, but very achievable with the right technique.

Let me call on our experienced members @Nailbag and @Dave-1 for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Thank you so much for this information

Good Evening @Eganmm

I must admit I havnt come across the **** cracks that you have descibed 😕 That is a pain. As you have tried to repair them and havnt been succesful and the plasterer has sugested a new sheet over the top (something I would really not like long term) I would be tempted to remove the ceiling and replace with new plaster, I am not sure what the price difference between the remo0ve or put up a cover sheet type deal. If its not too big a price difference I would go for the replacement 😕 Not a great answer but sometimes getting rid of an issue at the start compared to down the track when the cornice dosnt look quiet right or the **** cracks return might be money better spent.

Would love to see a photo of the **** cracks before you make a decision, for future reference but at the same time to make sure we are all on the same page.

Dave

AlanM52

HI Eganmm,

I also would like to see a photo, actually a few from different angles with lighting in mind.

I have never come across spiderweb cracks caused by smoking and I have been in many homes that have smokers.

There must be some way to prep and seal before painting?

Cheers,

Alan

Nailbag

Hi @Eganmm

I agree with @Dave-1 in that the best long term solution would be to do the job properly and replace the ceiling and cornice. As major a job it might sound, it actually isn't. A decent plasterer could have this done in a few hours, only needing to come back to finish stoping up and installing the new cornice. You can save some mess, by removing all the insulation above and arranging for an electrician to make save the lighting connections.

Then it's up to you if you want bro repaint it yourself or get the painter back. It will need priming before 2-3 coats of ceiling white.

Nailbag

Hi Nailbag,

Behind my ceiling, there are insulation bats. If I were to remove the ceiling, what would happen to these bats, and how would the floors in the room be affected by the ceiling's removal? Additionally, I have a wardrobe from the 60s style in the room (which is not built-in) and a Queen size bed that I cannot remove from the room. Furthermore, what actions would need to be taken regarding the batten light in the room and the electrical wiring?

Hi @Eganmm

Let me tag @Nailbag to make them aware of your questions. I imagine the process will be that the batts can be kept in place using Zenith 19mm x 700m Poly Pro Insulation Strapping. Your floor, bed and other appliances can be covered with builder's plastic along with floor protectors while the ceiling is being demolished.

Your wardrobe cabinet can stay in place, and you have the choice of moving your clothing out or covering the entire cabinet with builder's plastic. Every item in that room must be covered while the ceiling is being removed and re-installed. As for the ceiling light and wiring they will stay in place and be secured using zip ties while the new plasterboard is being installed.

Once the installation and plastering are done the only thing left is the painting and when that's finished you can then remove all of the protective covering.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

I have posted photos below. However, I am a lousy photographer

Thank you for that information

Nailbag

Hi @Eganmm

@EricL has already explained well how to deal with the issues you raised. Moving the bed out though would make the process far easier on the plasterer, and potentially only for the day.

Alternatively if these cracks are relatively small and just 2-3 of them, the plasterboard could be cut out and new sections fitted.

Nailbag

Unfortunately, there is nobody in my home who can move the bed. As for the spiderweb cracks they keep spreading. It started off as one crack and now has spread to other areas.

Morning @Eganmm

I would actually try another plaster to the one that has suggested sheeting over the existing. The cracks you say are spreadingto other areas tends to make me think there is something else going on and its timeto get a professional in to assess.

When I have done major rennos (flooring, kitchen, spare rooms) I will generally empty them out as much as possible to make the job easier and flow better, even to teh point of setting up camp in another room (loungeroom if possible) during the course of the job.

There are groups such as Airtasker that you can put out the job to move the heavy furniture and get them to put it back after the ceiling is complete.

Dave

JacobZ

Hi @Eganmm,

You could advertise the job on a service such as Fiver or Airtasker or even ask the plasterer if they could help. I am sure someone would be able to help you move the bed.

It's a bit hard to tell from the photos, but they don't appear to be massive or structural, but I can't look at them in person to have a hugely informed opinion.

Jacob

Hi @Dave-1,

The painter made an effort to eliminate all the cigarette tar from the ceiling when he painted it 18 months ago. It cracked 4 months after he painted it. He said that the cigarette tar penetrated the plasterboard, leading to the paint cracking. Subsequently, he tried repainting it two more times. Each time I requested him to repair the cracks and repaint the ceiling, the cracks reappeared in a different location four months after each painting. This time, he recommended that I hire a plasterer to install plasterboard over the existing plasterboard. I am uncertain about which professional to consult regarding this issue. A tiler has inspected the roof and confirmed that there are no broken or missing tiles. However, 18 months ago, there was one broken tile that allowed moisture to enter the ceiling in this room. That tile has since been repaired and is no longer an issue. The ceiling does not sag, and the roof is in good condition. Therefore, I am unsure which professional I should engage to examine the room where the paint continues to crack and where cracks appear in different locations almost precisely every four months. As you can see, I have already had a painter and a roof tiler assess the situation, and I am in the process of hiring a plasterer to evaluate my ceiling.

Good Evening @Eganmm

Yeah I know that feeling of "what trade or expertise next" and now even more money going out the door. So here is a list I have in my head -

- Issues with doors jaming (Carpenter)

- Issues with creaky floorboards (Carpenter)

- Issues with taps (Plumber)

- Issues with gas fittings, heaters, stove, hot water (Plumber)

- Issues with stormwater (Plumber)

- Issues with leaking showers/bathrooms/laundrys (plumber and builder most likely)

- Issue with hot water (plumber, electrician maybe)

- Issue with Electrical stuff, light fittings turning, circuits tripping out, elcb circuit breakers tripping, old switches arching/replacing (Electrician)

- Issues with windows (Glazier, carpenter maybe)

- Issues with plaster, holes, cracks, sagging, discoloration (Plasterer)

- Issues with painting inside, outside, ceiling or at heights (painter)

- Movement of items for whatever reason (Air Tasker, Fiver, Odd job person)\

- Concrete issues cracks, sinking, crumbling (Concreter)

- Issues with Brick work cracks, sinking, effervescence, new fences, repointing, fixing driveway corners (Builder/brickie tho builder will know a brickie)

- Issues with Roof leaks, gutters, downpipes (Roofer, repointer ) Repainting is seperate and not neccasarily fixing a leaky roof. Plumber will lead you in the right direction. (They will know someone for sure)

- Small jobs you dont think nbeeds a tradesperson, washer replacement, small paint jobs, timber fix, fence repairs (Handy Person) Finding the cut over point between the two types, Once the price or complexity gets larger thats when I head towards a trades person.

We take it for granted that we all know what and who to hit up first. It is daunting but I do have a way that has worked well for me.

Find a trade that you are happy with their work, wait until you are HAPPY with their work (As it was satisfactory with no excuses)

Then ask that trade person "Do you know a builder you could recommend?" and so on for other trades. I have generally found that when I have been happy with the quality of work from one person, their trade mates are also of the same calibre. Not always the case I know, I had one that failed dismally but the replacement was great. You may find that you will accept their moneytry rates without seeking other quotes, I call that "making your own little team" and they will look after you. 🙂

And remember you can always hit any of us up in here, We have differant opinions but we all work to the same solutions. There are NO silly questions 🙂 If so Id be the first on the list that has asked. Im sure the crew will add other trades that I have missed and the issues they look after, I just realised I forgot roofer so will fix that up now 🙂

Dave

Hi @Dave-1

Could you please inform me about your trade qualifications? I trust you do not mind my question. The reason for my question is that I am curious whether, based on the photos I have provided and my comments regarding the paint developing **** cracks every four months, it might be more advisable to hire a different painter to sand down the ceiling and apply two coats of sealer binder. Alternatively, do you believe I would encounter the same issue again? This inquiry is precisely why I am asking about your qualifications.

Hello @Eganmm

Let me tag @Dave-1 as well to make him aware of your questions. Perhaps it would be worth getting a second opinion from another painter. I would also suggest engaging the services of a plasterer and asking them if there is a way to recoat the surface for better durability.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric