Help! Paint is just falling off the ceiling in the bathroom

[DitaVonCheese]

This was the disappointing start to our day. Ceiling has been painted for no more than a few months, shower has been in for about a week. Paint is bubbling due to condensation and just dropping off. Argh. We have a fan. These aren't even very hot showers but the room is cold so a lot of steam is created.

Paint is coat of Dulux Bathroom then a filling of cheap white emulsion because it was going to need more than two coats and I didn't have enough DB, then another coat of DB over the top, which I assumed would seal it. It's painted directly onto plasterboard/plaster type stuff. Should I have primed it in some way? Previous owners had vile polysterene tiles on there.

Anything we can do short of reverting to plastic clapboard?

Is this a new plaster ceiling? If so that does need priming. 50/50 paint to water first coat, then several coats of normal paint straight from the can.

No, it's proper ancient (it's been a while since this house was decorated) but I did strip it down to the bare plaster because the old paint was flaking off plus I had to hack off all the adhesive that had been used to glue the tiles on. That was a fun job and I'm looking forward to doing it again. I did actually use a steamer to get the old paint off, so that should probably have been a warning to me!

Thus taking it back to bare plaster! Bare plaster is porous. Thick paint will not stick to the plaster. I'd strip it back and start again, mist (50/50) coat then DB paint on top.

Thanks!

if this problem continues it might be because your extractor isn't powerful enough and the unit needs upgrading - thats what our problem was when paint peeled

we also have this problem in our bathroom too. it's been like that now for 3 years (and counting!). will get round to sorting it eventually...

good luck with getting your's fixed.