Is it common for paint to bubble away from tape on recently primed drywall, and could improper drying time between coats be the cause?
Asked by Irina Jakovljević 
4 months ago
Last Updated: September 9, 2024
We did some home renovations a few months back, put up new drywall, primed it with Kilz, and then used Sherwin Williams Pro Mar 200 paint. I noticed this weird issue where the paint is bubbling away from the tape on one of the seams. It’s right below the washing machine, but everything seems dry and the tape is still smooth underneath (the paint just peels off).
Has anyone else had this happen? Do you think maybe the paint wasn’t dry between coats? I’m thinking of peeling off the paint along the whole seam, sanding it down, applying some mud, and then repainting.
I’m also interested in finding out the answers.
I noticed the tape where the paint is still sticking. Seems like there wasn’t enough mud covering it. I’ve stopped using Kilz. Maybe you should try a new drywall primer. The type of paint used also plays a role.
Did you make sure to thoroughly clean the walls before painting and ensure the mud was completely dried?
There must be something on the drywall preventing the paint from bonding, or some moisture seeping through.
It is a common occurrence on fresh drywall when there is excess dust left on the wall from sanding.
That is way too much thick paint texture on a new wall. You might be facing issues because you applied too much paint in each coat. Maybe the wall was too dusty before priming and painting.
I actually hired a painter.. I’m not exactly sure how they prepped it in terms of cleaning, but they used water-based primer followed by a coat of latex-based pro mar 200 from Sherwin Williams. It seems quite thick, I think they may have sprayed it on. If anyone has suggestions for a better primer in this scenario, I would be grateful!
Primer isn’t the problem here. It’s the tape/mud that’s causing the issue. Fixing that seam and then re-priming/painting is the solution.
That visible line was formed because there wasn’t enough mud in the Sheetrock seam before the tape was applied. This left an air gap between the Sheetrock pieces, allowing air from the attic to affect the paint. I suggest using a razor knife to cut through the visible tape line, fill the gap with mud, reapply tape, mud over it, sand, texture, and paint. Be sure to let it dry completely between coats.
This! Same
We experienced the same situation. We had to follow Neal’s advice above.
Exactly what Neal pointed out – make sure there’s sufficient mud both under and on top of the tape!
Yep, definitely a water leak.
Before you start fixing, it’s important to determine the source of the moisture.
After scraping off any loose paint, use an oil-based primer. Then spackle, followed by another coat of oil-based primer.
Did you apply an oil based primer followed by a water based paint?
I think the reason the paint didn’t stick properly was due to dirt, dust, and insufficient compound. As a result, it dried and started peeling off, especially around the tape.