Thread: Bathroom spackling and ventilation

Hi
As of May, we're in a 1954 brick rancher style home in VA. Have about an 8x9 bathroom with these funky spackled walls. Spackling starts 3-4 feet from the floor; only on 3 walls. Folks before us were in there over 30 yrs and were smokers. Bottom line, whenever it gets steamy in there, the brown "goo" emerges from the paint. I understand why the goo emerges, and our wonderful home inspector let us know of the importance of getting some exhaust in there.
Bazillion questions I have, so if anyone has any idea/experience with anything, could you let me know your thoughts?
1) How safe it is to change the texture and simultaneously get rid of the goo? My idea is to sand down the bumps so it's mostly smooth, then paint the wall again. Also have exhaust fan installed.
2) The paint is thick and shiny, and comes off on our rag when we wipe the walls down; regardless of weather we use water or a cleaning solution. Does that "mean" anything?
3) Is it possible the wall paint is oil based and gum up a hand-held electric sander? Is it possible the paint has lead in it?
4) Can the spackling be sanded without fear of seriously injuring my lungs in another way?
5) Would sanding it flat and painting it again mostly ensure there's no more brown goo? Or could the smoke have seeped deeper than that?
6) It's also curious that most of the goo emerges from the spackled part, not the faux tile part. Anything to that?

The ceiling is "un-gooed" now only because I just finished scrubbing it down. It was crazy brown and blotched. No doubts goo will return there too though if we don't get ventilation.

Not a project I plan to start in the next month; only at brainstorming stage. Thanks for whatever feedback you can provide. Looking fwd to being more educated in this area.

(BTW, don't laugh at our bathroom decor, there was a nail in the wall already so we hung the nearest picture. )

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1 - Complete waste of time and energy. Rip it out and install new drywall. This will also allow you to insulate the exterior wall cavities, run electric and clean the wall cavities if necessary. If you do sand it, spend a $1000+ on a good vacuum and sander with dust collection. (Festool CT26 and Rotex sander). Doing the job without DC is just another way of shortening your life span.
2 - Probably not the paint coming off but years of goo that is discolored by the paint.
3- Probably oil or lead based. Once again, using a sander without dust collection will contaminate you and most of your house. A box fan should be put in the window when working in there.
4 - Proper mask, vacuum and sander with DC, see #1; Festool vacs are compliant under EPA lead abatement rules
5 - Depends on the primer you use. Unless you use original Kilz or something like it, the goo will likely ooze through. Using a standard latex primer is unlikely to work
6 - maybe, maybe not, probably just because that surface area is more porous
I don't know your situation. I don't know how fat or skinny your checkbook is. This is however one of those classic homeowner wants/needs to save money situations that is a complete waste of time and energy. Taking construction and ownership factors into consideration it doesn't serve a homeowner best in the long run to pretty up such a space.
If the house has another bathroom demo this one and provide a safe living environment. If the house doesn't have another bathroom, make one and then do this one.

I suspect that it is likely drywall compound applied with a sponge to get that texture. When drywall compound is re-wetted, the water re-softens it, at which time you may be able to scrape it off with a putty knife.

That was probably applied over the smoke coated walls and ceiling to hide it and cover it up.

There really is one solution:

Originally Posted by Markus Keller

1 - Complete waste of time and energy. Rip it out and install new drywall.

Guys
I do not think you are giving the most appropriate advise.
If there is lead based paint, which it very likely it does.
The home owner SHOULD NOT
Use a sander
Open a window to exhaust the dust
Demo the walls

I would consider

Prime the wall(s)
Skim coat
Prime again
Paint or wallpaper

Only if the walls are in very bad condition should sanding, scraping or demolition even be considered.
If that is the case the home owner should contract with someone that is trained, and certified in Renovation Repair and Painting (RRP).

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

Guys
I do not think you are giving the most appropriate advise.
If there is lead based paint, which it very likely it does.
The home owner SHOULD NOT
Use a sander
Open a window to exhaust the dust
Demo the walls

I would consider

Prime the wall(s)
Skim coat
Prime again
Paint or wallpaper

Only if the walls are in very bad condition should sanding, scraping or demolition even be considered.
If that is the case the home owner should contract with someone that is trained, and certified in Renovation Repair and Painting (RRP).

Rick,

"Guys" is plural.

I, and Markus, both recommended "Rip it out and install new drywall.".

That was Markus' first recommendation too - he then offered other options.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Rick,

"Guys" is plural.

I, and Markus, both recommended "Rip it out and install new drywall.".

That was Markus' first recommendation too - he then offered other options.

Sorry, I'm not sure what you are saying.

I'm saying
It is likely to have lead paint (it is lead paint until it is proven it is not)
If it does have lead paint then HO should not do the demo, or sanding
If demo, sanding or scraping must be done, have a qualified person do the work. Qualified means being at least RRP Certified and using lead safe work practices.

Thanks for the detailed feedback, gents.
Couple of points -
We don't have a second bathroom, and our pockets are not deep (we just bought a house! ) But we are a two-income household, so we're not broke. Still, there are more important, more costly repairs we need to set as priority such as replacing the roof and wrapping AC ducts in the basement (which means a new ceiling in the basement b/c what's there now is stapled tiles).
At the same time, we don't like brown goo dripping off our bathroom walls and ceiling when we have guests and it accumulates fairly quickly and I have better ways to spend my time than wiping walls down. And if there's something quick and simple I can do (obviously my first idea was neither quick nor simple) without risking our health, we'd like to go that route.

Rick, you mentioned "Prime the wall(s). Skim coat. Prime again. Paint or wallpaper."
What is "skim coat"? and when you say PRIME, is this killz or standard primer?
We'd definitely go with a paint (vs. wallpaper).

And also, if we do anything to that room that breaks the existing seal on the paint and/or spackle (like sanding or installing an exhaust fan), we should have a RRP Certified handyman come and take a look first?

I realize inspectors are typically detail-oriented and don't like to advise doing something half-way, but we're not yet ready to tear the entire bathroom out. Goes without saying we're also not in a place to build a second bath and re-do the existing one.

Thanks again, all.

Originally Posted by Martha Deutsch

Rick, you mentioned "Prime the wall(s). Skim coat. Prime again. Paint or wallpaper."

My apologies, sometimes when I write I do not write what I am thinking.
First, the texture will need to be removed. This is not an easy job to do.
After the textured surface is removed, then you prime, skim coat, prime, and paint.

Originally Posted by Martha Deutsch

What is "skim coat"?

A thin layer of drywall mud applied on the wall to cover gouges made by removing the textured surface.

Originally Posted by Martha Deutsch

and when you say PRIME, is this killz or standard primer?

Kilz is a brand name, but yes, I use Kilz.

Originally Posted by Martha Deutsch

And also, if we do anything to that room that breaks the existing seal on the paint and/or spackle (like sanding or installing an exhaust fan), we should have a RRP Certified handyman come and take a look first?

search for a local RRP contractor
Lead Home | Lead in Paint, Dust, and Soil | US EPA

Originally Posted by Rick Cantrell

My apologies, sometimes when I write I do not write what I am thinking.
First, the texture will need to be removed. This is not an easy job to do.
After the textured surface is removed, then you prime, skim coat, prime, and paint.

Rick, what others are suggesting that removing the texture, priming, spackling, priming, and painting is a loosing battle. It is much easier, cheaper, quicker and less disturbing of the lead by just removing all the drywall and start over with new drywall.

Drywall is about $10 a sheet. An 8x9 bathroom wouldn't need more than 4-5 sheets. Then they know the brown stains have been removed and will not return. It would take about half day to demo the walls in a bathroom. Another day for a drywaller to hang and tape. Bathroom is back in business. Third day drywaller applies second coat of mud. Next day, sand and ready for primer and paint.

The only time the bathroom is out of commission is during the demo. Once all the icky stuff is removed and the floor swept, it is ready for use.

Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsey

Rick, what others are suggesting that removing the texture, priming, spackling, priming, and painting is a loosing battle. It is much easier, cheaper, quicker and less disturbing of the lead by just removing all the drywall and start over with new drywall.

Maybe, maybe not.
Door, window trim and base boards will have to be removed.
What will be done about the wall tile? Does it stay as is or will it also be removed? If it is removed will it be replaced?
.
Also demo is NOT less disturbing to lead paint.

The point of my first post was the HO should not demo the walls (because there is likely lead paint on them).
I was not saying the wall should not be removed, (but if removed only by an RRP contractor).
I objected to the advice that the HO: demo the walls, and the use of a fan to exhaust the dust.

I did offer a possible alternative, but only as a possible alternative.

Here is my opinion after owning and working on older homes. The goo as it is referred to is the additives in the paint. Someone took water based paint and painted over the oil base paint with out a proper primer. Basically the new paint won't stick to the old. If they smoked and the wall were not cleaned with TSP or some other cleaner this can contribute to the problem. Sanding it down will generate lots of dust and yes the old paint will more than likely have been lead based paint. I would scrub the walls and get the loose paint and goo off. Then prime and paint using the right materials. I would get a suggestion from the local paint store so if there is a problem you at least have someone to go back to. When you decide to remodel the bath someday take it all out and do it over.

Thanks again, guys.
I definitely don't want the dust from sanding to get into the vents --and subsequently the rest of house.
Also, as all the other walls of the house are plaster, I'm guessing the bumps were made with the same (or a similar material as someone mentioned earlier). We've nailed a few pix up, and I've drilled a couple holes, but other than that, we don't really know how plaster was applied in a home like this. I've only lived in drywall homes far as I know. I'll google this more, but if anyone has the "readers digest" version of how my walls were most likely plastered, I'd be happy to hear.
What I know so far is that our house is brick veneer - one layer of brick on the outside. Has vertical wood joists just inside that, then ...Is a drywall nailed to that, then the plastic slapped on and smoothed out?
In the bathroom's case, I suppose they added an extra layer of plaster for textrure (followed by paint & more paint, etc).
Am I on the right track here?

Hello. In 1954, the most likely interior wall material was gypsum lath. These were 16' wide strips of drywall. Because there were multiple seams, the entire wall would then be covered with a coat of plaster.
If an old-school contractor built the house, it will have wood lath covered with plaster instead of plastered gypsum.
The concern now is that this plaster may and most likely does contain asbestos, and it should not be sanded.

Clean it, paint it, plan to have it properly removed.