How do I fix a flakey wall above the shower stall?

Moisture is the main problem. You may want to install a fan in the bathroom. That being said, you will need to scrape any loose pieces, spackle and sand. Use a good primer and then repaint.

Your plan to fix this sounds exactly right. You will want to choose products intended for bathrooms. The trouble is high humidity in the bathroom. Installing a fan will help, in the meantime opening the window to let the steam out will help.

I would use Bondo or plaster. Over fill then sand down and make sure it is completely dry then prime with a good bonding primer and paint with a semi gloss paint to repel water.

You can scrape, then sand away the flakey areas above the shower surround, then apply Drylock Extreme White Flat Mildew Resistant Waterproofer paint available at the big box home improvement stores. This is typically used in basements for weatherproofing but will workk well in you situation.

You would need to scrape off the area and then redo it with the correct spackling- use a product that is for bathrooms or damp areas. Sand it smooth and then prime and paint

You first need to address the moisture problem. Do you have an exhaust fan?

Almost all areas have building codes that must be adhered to regarding exhaust fans please check your local stats.

You have the right idea. Use spackle compound. Do not use drywall compound. Drywall compound is for taping drywall, filling large holes, and working over large areas. Spackle is vinyl based and used for thin layers. Dries faster. Doesn't shrink as much as drywall compound. Use Kilz 2 primer. Then paint.

It sounds like you know how to fix the problem, but to stop it from recurring the room needs a way for moisture to get out like a fan, or an open window.

If you don't have an opening window in the bathroom, you really need to have a working ceiling fan in there. You won't get rid of the problem without one or the other.

Once you get that part taken care of, it's an easy fix with some sanding, spackle and painting.

More than the problem being caused from moisture, it looks to me as if the previous owners perhaps attached something (holder, rack, etc.) on to the wall of the shower, (by adhesive and staples). Then when they removed it before moving, they attempted (unsuccessfully) to quickly patch up the holes.

You are on the right track in thinking how the area can be fixed.

Follow William's advice to make the repair.

You'll need to sand it smooth, prime it and paint over it.

Grace,

You can use joint compound, just not anything that says "light weight." Scape out anything that is wet and apply multiple thin layers. If the drywall is compromised from getting wet, I find it easier to just replace the whole section over that part of the tub as opposed to trying to fit in a patch.

I would use Kilz primer once the repair is done. Works great and it's mold and mildew resistant. It has a powerful odor though, definitely open windows, wear a mask and use it in a well ventilated space.

Since that's water damage, you'll need to sand that down. Then add some dry wall compound to fill in the gap. When it's dry, sand it flat and paint it with a more water resistant paint.

Get a putty knife a wide one about 4 inch scrape all off till wall has nothing comings off then plaster over it and fill the area you will need to sand it then hit again with putty then paint after you sand smooth

Use the Dap Alex Plus. It's for patching all kinds of surfaces. Perfect for filling holes and cracks in surfaces such as drywall, plaster, wood, brick, metal and stone. Its ready-to-use, smooth white formula spreads easily for fast, professional repairs that will not sink, shrink or crack. Alex Plus Spackling is ideal for interior or exterior projects.

Dap Platinum patch is basically an exterior patching compound. Can be used indoors. It should not be used for floors or as a caulk, sealant or joint filler over cracks & joints where expansion & contraction may occur or as a skim coat. It also should not be used when staining is preferred or for continuous underwater use.

Start with a scraper and scrape as much away as possible. Then you can patch with a product that is made for damp areas. Then sand, prime, and paint. Make sure to vent the area well so this doesn't happen again in the future.

It will stick with no problems. Dap Alex Plus is made for skim coats. Once primed it will be sealed. Vinyl spackling would be a good choice. Bonds better, less shrinking as it dries, and would be more moisture resistant. What I like to use is Dap Patch and Paint Lightweight patching compound. Goes on creamy, doesn't shrink, dries fast. I use just enough to cover the patch. Once it's dry I go over it with a damp sponge to smooth out the surface. I do this with any drywall installation or repair. Then prime and paint.

We had to do this and it came back. The end result was we needed a more powerful fan in the bathroom. But, sometimes the fan can be clogged and just needs to be cleaned. You'll need to sand it and prime, paint over it.

Your very welcome.

That is a sign of moisture .. you can re compound but you might also thing about ventilation in this bathroom so this doesnt happen again

You will have to install a fan if you don’t have it otherwise it will come back.

That's definitely a moisture issue, especially if it goes all the way around. Be sure to check your fan to make sure it's not clogged, and make sure to run it every time the shower runs, or shower with the door open if possible. It could be that moisture is coming from behind causing this too, so check around if you can. The steam and warmth of the shower combined with cold air behind the wall can cause condensation in the wall and this as a result.

As others have mentioned, if the stuff keeps falling out deeper as you touch it, you should consider replacing it with cement board. Home warranties won't cover this, just fyi, in general they're pretty useless.

Get a good patching material, ask at the paint counter if need be and bring a photo, dig out a little further around the problem spots, fill, let dry, sand, then prime and paint.

You need to remove old plaster that has flaked off, rub down and smooth the area using spackle. When dry. Rub down smooth and then seal the whole wall or add more tiles. etc.

Extractor Fan should be installed to stop this from re-occuring.