Hinesville, GA · Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 1 vote
Does anyone have any experience with drywall that bubbles when pained/primed? Just bought our first property and there was 80s wallpaper in the kitchen and bathrooms (yuck). Removal was fair but there was some rips in the drywall. Now when I have tried both priming or just going in with paint the drywall is bubbling in some places (not just where the wallpaper ripped the drywall). I’ve looked into different types of primes but am unsure what to use! Also, any recommendations on how to repair the bubbles would be greatly appreciated.
Flipper/Rehabber · Orange Park, FL · Member since 2014 · 180 posts · 83 votes
6y
Its easier to paint over wallpaper than remove it. As long as its not textured wallpaper just cut out the seams, mud them and then oil prime it. Water based paint will just make it bubble.
Specialist · Riverside, CA · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
@Makenzi Capezza it sounds like you didn't get the wallpaper all the way off if you leave that thin paper coating and the glue that could be what is bubbling, drywall shouldn't bubble on it's own. And if you thought the wallpaper removal was fairly easy that also leads me to believe you didn't get it all, because most of the time it is an absolute pain.
Hinesville, GA · Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 1 vote
6y
@Aaron K. Oh the removal was a pain! It just didn’t completely rip the walls. It looks like it is all removed (I can see all the drywall smoothly) is there something I can do to ensure it is all gone? I have lightly sanded and wiped down.
Specialist · Riverside, CA · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
6y
@Makenzi Capezza I suggest taking a spray bottle filled with water and lightly spraying a section of the wall and see if there are any small strips of paper that change color with the water or roll up in your fingers easily.
Rental Property Investor · Inglewood, CA · Member since 2015 · 24 posts · 12 votes
6y
@Makenzi Capezza You can also double check you don't have glue residue on the wall by using a heat gun (or blowdryer to warm the location up) in a spot or two and checking to see if that's what's making the weird texture. Otherwise it may just need some touch up spackling.
Flipper/Rehabber · Orange Park, FL · Member since 2014 · 180 posts · 83 votes
6y
Its easier to paint over wallpaper than remove it. As long as its not textured wallpaper just cut out the seams, mud them and then oil prime it. Water based paint will just make it bubble.
Investor · Gettysburg, PA · Member since 2016 · 35 posts · 27 votes
6y
If its all already painted then scrape or cut the bubbles, do a light mud over them, then prime with Kilz-2 and hope no more bubbles show up.
If you still have walls that are stripped but not painted, before you paint, I recommend washing well with TSP which seems to get the glue off, which is what causes the bubbles. then rinse the wall and paint with an oil-based primer. Low odor Zinsser is a good choice.
Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
I agree with @Craig Jeppesen. My experience with removing drywall usually requires a skim coat of drywall compound to give a good surface to paint. It costs more, but it helps resolve any of those lingering issues.
This is easy to fix and I do it often. Here are the steps... 1. Strip as much wallpaper as you can. 2. Apply a layer of gardx 3. Go back and with a scrapper or a box cutter, cut out all the bubbles, put mud on it to level. 4. Apply another layer of gardz 5. Fix the bubbles 6. apply another layer of gardz 6. Fix the bubbles and then put on a layer of skim coat. 7 Fix the bubbles... 8. Patch the spots that need to be patched. 9. Prime 10 Paint ... gardz is your buddy...go look at a can at the local Home Depot, it will tell you how to do it..
Real Estate Investor · Williamson County, TX · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 961 votes
6y
@Makenzi Capezza I have cut an x with a utility knife over the bubbles and used wood glue or if a lot of damage use guardz primer. It supposedly penetrates to glue and harden. Not sure if you have to cut an x but I do.
Rental Property Investor · Waupaca, WI · Member since 2018 · 89 posts · 30 votes
6y
@Makenzi Capezza
I had the same thing happen when ripping my wall paper off and it ripped a whole bunch of the drywall paper off. To seal the areas where the brown paper was showing through I used a utility knife and cut the edges so there weren’t any loose ends hanging up then I used RX-35 Pro 999 and used a brush to apply it to all areas where the brown paper showed through. After this I went through and did a normal repair with mud then primed and painted and there was no bubbling at the end! Let me know if you have any questions!