Keith (Dorset) wrote:
We have patches of old emulsion paint peeling from a ceiling which I now
need to redecorate.

How can I best 'seal' the flakes, after scarping off the loose stuff, before
overpainting?

Paint it all with wallpaper paste. Then, get some lining paper, paste
that too, let it "soak" for 20 minutes, and put it up, brushing out any
bubbles, and butting the edges *just* up together. When it's dry, paint
the lot for a lovely blemish-free ceiling.