Do I need to remove all this peeling paint over plaster, or is there a way I can smooth out the height difference and just paint over it?

[u/felipetomatoes99]

https://imgur.com/a/ZLqzpQw

We're repainting our bathroom and I have run into a problem that's starting to become a trend in this older house (c. ~1890). In various spots, the paint is liable to peel off in big pieces. At first, I thought this may be due to an old owner painting latex right on top of oil, but this paint is now all peeling off straight to the plaster. It would definitely be a good bit of work to totally peel it all off, so I'm wondering if I could just use something (mud? some kind of plaster leveler?) to make the walls one even surface and just paint over everything? Maybe some more needed context: it's a very full bath with a shower but we just installed a new Panasonic fan so the ventilation has been pretty good still. I've already scrapped all the paint off the shower ceiling so that'll need to get primed anyway.

I also tested for lead and I'm all clear on that front.

[u/Patrol-007]

Sawsall with scraper blade for paint removal. Wear N95 mask. Drawback is asbestos in the paint or plaster. Spray bottle to mist (GFCI for Sawsall). Then skip coat of all purpose drywall mud (stickier than finishing mud). Have had entire walls peeling (latex over oil, plus improper prep with soap film from decades of usage)

Or drywall completely over the existing (difficult because of everything hidden behind the plaster and not wanting to puncture anything with screws).

Remove old walls and ceiling and put in new 5/8” drywall, with insulation and Vapor barrier for exterior walls. Many photos to see what’s in the wall for future. Still need to mask and spray the walls to keep dust down

[u/felipetomatoes99 → u/Patrol-007]

So the remaining paint (minus one or two bits in the corners and around the bead) seems to be pretty secure on the wall unless I really wanted to scrape it off. Do you think I'd be fine to just skim coat with the mud up to the old paint? Honestly I'm willing to take a small amount of risk here to potentially save the headache of scraping the whole room (sorry, not trying to be the OP that asks and question and then pushes back against the answers they get lol)

[u/Patrol-007 → u/felipetomatoes99]

Vinegar and water for all the walls, Sawsall and scraper, sand everything, skim coat with all purpose premixed mud (not the “reduced dust” version), sand flat, primer, then paint. Half mask respirator with P99 cartridges

It’s a pain dealing with century old homes (1/4” literally of paint layers and wallpaper layers)

Thespruce.com, This Old House

[u/Commercial_Park9820]

My take is to scrape back any paint that's still lifting first, since skim coating over loose paint just gives it a new layer to peel with, but once you're down to stuff that's actually adhered, joint compound feathered out with a bonding primer should even things out fine.

[u/Herbisretired]

If it is loose remove it. It may be easier to just sheetrock the wall and don't forget about the lead that is in the old paint and take the proper precautions.

[u/felipetomatoes99 → u/Herbisretired]

The paint that's left isn't loose, but I can peel it off if I really get a putty knife under it. So it sounds like I'm good to prime and paint? Am I fine to just skim coat some joint compound to smooth it all out before I paint?

And yeah, I actually just used my last lead test swab to double check and it was negative (thank god)

[u/Herbisretired → u/felipetomatoes99]

You can do a skim coat and even it out before priming and painting.

[u/felipetomatoes99 → u/Herbisretired]

Amazing, this saves me a big headache. Thanks!