I need to paint a bathroom ceiling. Basically just a coat of Kilz and some latex over the existing paint but I need to address some issues with the old drywall tape.

It's not bad but there are some hairline cracks in a drywall tape seam and one of two small bubbles around what looks to be a nail or screw. This is a high moisture area.

What should I do about the hairline cracks and blisters at the screw? I'm guessing some type of drywall compound with a wide blade, sand and paint? Maybe skin the blisters and apply compound?

Any recommended products? Thanks.

I would cut away the loose tape and mud, then re-mud and sand.

If it’s anything like auto body work, remove & make the correct repairs. You can’t bury cracks or bubbling issues with more product.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
I would cut away the loose tape and mud, then re-mud and sand.

^^^ this ^^^

You mention a high moisture area. Do you have an exhaust fan??

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
You mention a high moisture area. Do you have an exhaust fan??

Yes, it vents to the outside but I don't use it every time. It's really loud. I should probably look into a quieter version.

I have a fan/light combination that I got sometime ago at Lowes. It is quiet and cutdown the moisture considerably.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
You mention a high moisture area. Do you have an exhaust fan??

Yes, it vents to the outside but I don't use it every time. It's really loud. I should probably look into a quieter version.

Yes. You should be running your exhaust fan every time you bathe/shower, including at least 20 minutes after you're done.

If you're going to be replacing your fan anyway, swap in a digital timer switch while you're at it. I just hit a button on the wall before showering, the fan kicks on for the preset time (mine's set on 60 minutes, but you can select among a number of different options), then it shuts off automatically.

It's a no-brainer habit. Hit button, then get in shower.

The digital timer fits in any standard rocker-switch-sized cover, and install is no harder than changing out a flip switch.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
I would cut away the loose tape and mud, then re-mud and sand.

^^^ this ^^^

Happened in my bathroom, I did this and it's held up since. I actually cut the whole tape out over 12 linear feet of so, redid the corners and ended up with better corners than the original. Been 10 years or so, no problems.

Get a light/exhaust/heater combo. You can (with a little bit of effort,) unplug the heater in the summer. In our cold winters, it’s great to have a heater in bath.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:
I would cut away the loose tape and mud, then re-mud and sand.

^^^ this ^^^

Agree. And it wouldn't be a bad idea to throw a little knock down finish across the ceiling to hide any small irregularities before sealing and painting it.

I put Panasonics in a rental house, but would not recommend them.
I would recommend the Delta Breeze light/fan with automatic humidity detection we bought from Costco. As quiet as the Panasonics, much cheaper (I think $80), the auto humidity switch works fine but you can turn the fan on manually by clicking the fan switch off and on.
You will need separate switches for light and fan.

And that’s how a simple coat of paint turned into a $500 project.

New Panasonic fan, towel holder and other hardware, paint for ceiling, walls, Kilz plus supplies, a new light over the sink, drywall stuff ...

Not taking the wife to the home improvement store for a while. There goes 2 weekends.

Thanks all.

EDIT - Back to the store - I need the lower profile version.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Oz_Shadow,

The fun continues. The drywall tape crack was not due to moisture from below. The plumbing vent pipe appears to have a bad rubber seal at the roof flange. The insulation is damp after it rained all day. Not a bad leak but enough over long enough time that I was able to put my finger through a spot in the ceiling drywall today. It never sagged or even looked wet.

Now I get to cut and replace about a 3'x3' section after I address the leak.

Isn't home ownership grand!

With regard to exhaust fan noise, we just added an hvac duct and an exhaust fan in our bathroom. When discussing this with hvac service, noisy fans was an issue for my wife. The service recommended what they termed a remote fan installation. The fan is mounted inline with the duct closer the the roof vent instead a the ceiling. The fan’s noise is still noticeable but way less an annoyance.