Project · Site
Repairing a peeling bathroom ceiling
In this bathroom of a 1960s-70s Geneva building, the ceiling paint was coming off in flakes above the shower. Rather than painting over it, we started again from the substrate: it is the only way to make it last.
- Type of work
- Ceiling painting
- Room
- Bathroom · full ceiling
- Area
- Geneva
The project
A classic of Geneva’s 1960s-70s housing stock: above the shower, the ceiling paint was blistering and falling off in flakes, exposing the substrate in patches. The wall tiles were in good condition. The goal: repair the ceiling properly, without touching the tiling — and above all make sure the problem does not come back six months later.
On arrival, at handover
Two photos taken on a phone from the entrance of the room, not quite the same angle: the state on arrival, the ceiling at handover.
Between these two photos, everything comes down to preparation.
Scraping and making sound
All loose material was scraped back to a sound substrate — you keep scraping as long as it comes off, not just where it has already fallen. The edges of the scraped areas were then sanded flush and the whole ceiling dusted off.
Primer, filling, levelling
On the exposed substrate, a consolidating primer was applied to stabilise the surface and guarantee the adhesion of the following coats. The gaps were filled, then sanded, until the ceiling was uniform again. It is the invisible stage of the job — and the one that decides everything.
A finish made for humid rooms
Two coats of a matt paint designed for humid rooms were then applied, with careful cutting-in along the tiles and around the recessed spotlight. The matt finish absorbs the raking light from the small window and the spot, exactly where any defect would show. The result: a clean, uniform ceiling ready for everyday condensation — provided, as always, that the room is aired regularly.
Project carried out by Renovhome SA, house painter in Geneva since 2019. Anonymised project: no address or client data.
Frequently asked questions
Peeling ceilings, in brief.
Why does a bathroom ceiling peel?
Almost always because of condensation: water vapour settles on the ceiling, the coldest surface in the room, and eventually lifts a paint that was unsuitable or applied on a poorly prepared substrate. Insufficient ventilation speeds this up. Until the cause is addressed, painting over it will not hold.
Can you paint directly over a peeling ceiling?
No. The new paint would bond to flakes that are about to fall and would come off with them. The loose material must be scraped back to a sound substrate, the edges sanded, a suitable primer applied and the gaps filled — only then can the ceiling be repainted.
Which paint should be used on a bathroom ceiling?
A paint designed for humid rooms, able to withstand repeated condensation. On ceilings, a matt finish is the most common choice: it hides small irregularities and raking-light reflections. What matters most remains the preparation of the substrate and proper ventilation of the room.
Does Renovhome repair peeling ceilings in Geneva?
Yes. Renovhome SA, based in Le Lignon, repairs peeling, stained or water-marked ceilings across the canton of Geneva — bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms — for homeowners, property managers and architects. Free, no-obligation quote.
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