I am looking to redecorate my girlfriends apartment which is on the 15th floor. I would greatly appreciate advice on materials and procedures for this.

The existing paint has some bubbling, possibly caused by water that got through the external wall at some point in the past - nothing major and in isolated spots only. I am not sure if this is still an existing problem but there is no sign of dampness or progressive paint bubbling. It appears the paint has been placed straight onto the external concrete/concrete blocks - cannot see any kind of plastering/drywall underneath where the bubbled paint has broken off.

How should I go about stripping the paint off?

Is there any kind of waterproof paint layer I can place on the concrete that will prevent water causing bubbling in future?

What would be the best way to go about re-painting the wall? Should I bother plastering or just use a few layers of paint? Is there any particular type of paint I should use?

Thanks

If your still there

You don't have to be an expert for a simple re-paint job.

In shops like HomePro & Homemart there are paint stripping products if it is really necessary to strip off the old paintwork, instead of just scraping off and filling affected areas.

When the old paint is cleaned off, using a filler from the same shop fill any bad areas, flatten off to a flat smooth surface.

Follow the instructions in using an concrete sealer from the same shop, you can usually see in parts of the wall where it soaks in like a sponge that will seal the wall and stop future bubbling.

When the wall is sealed and dry, apply your finishing coats of paint using a brush for cutting in at edges and a roller for larger ares, whether it's Acrylic or Gloss, usually two coats is enough.

Thanks very much for you help.