How to Remove Cracked Paint Before Repainting

LESLIE: Tina in Illinois needs some help with a painting project. What can we do for you today?

TINA: Hi. I just wanted to know – I previously had some mold on an area. We had that professionally treated and the mold has not come back but now the paint is cracking off of that area. Is there any special treatment I need to use before I paint that again?

TOM: Well, if you have cracked paint, the reason that probably happened is because that wall was damp and that would also be what supported the mold growth. So you do need to get rid of the loose, cracked paint. If you leave it there – no matter what you put on top of it; even if you prime it – it won’t stick and the cracking will come through.

So is this a situation where you can scrape off the loose paint, Tina?

TINA: Yes, I can.

TOM: OK. So you need to get rid of that loose paint and then I want you to wash the wall down with a damp solution of trisodium phosphate, TSP. That will clean it real well and then you want to prime it. And use a good-quality primer and if you do that, then you can topcoat it with a latex wall coat after that and you should be good to go. But just make sure that you get rid of that bad paint, because you can’t put good paint over bad paint or you’ll have good/bad paint, if you know what I mean.

TINA: Oh, yes. OK. Thank you.