I'm not sure what you mean by paint turning powdery. Cheap flat has a high chalk content so that will not be durable and will come off when you rub it hard. That could be a powdery effect I guess. The rule is high quality paints have more solids and thus will be more durable. It used to be that semi gloss was more durable than a satin, but I find them to be equally as durable these days as long as you use high quality paint.

Hi Oct17...Welcome to the Paint forum!

Are ya painting inside or out?

The "dusting" you're talking about is called "Chalking" in the paint world.
Chalking happens (mainly on Exterior paints) when the paints resins/binders start breaking-down, and the pigments are "exposed" in a sense.

Yep...cheap paints will do this first, but even high-end paints will eventually.
* Good cleaning/rinsing of the surfaces is crucial, ESPECIALLY if it's chalking!
* A chalking surface isn't considered a "sound" surface to paint.
* Allowing to dry thoroughly.
* Priming is a must outside!!
* Lastly...2 coats of paint.

Faron

Yes, I guess "chalking" is what I mean. I know I used good quality paint - Benjamin Moore - in the rest of the house. It's the bathroom that's really dusty and I know I used a cheaper (HD) paint in there. Though, I think it was probably a kitchen/bath paint.

Over on the cleaning forum the consensus is that it is the TP causing the dust!!!! They say to use the cheapest TP - it has least dust. I know I've seen dust (or whater) fly out when I've yanked a piece of kleenex from a box - never dreamed a roll of TP would be doing the same thing! LOL.

I am now educated!

Thank you so much for your advice on paint though. I wonder, do you know just how long it takes for the higher quality paint to chalk? I've lived here 17 years, about to paint for the second time. Most of the walls still look pretty good, but it's time.