Patching and Plastering - Peeling ceiling paint

We had some water damage to our living room ceiling about a year ago. I repaired the cause and let the area dry out for a few months. The ceiling is plasterboard with plaster. The only damage was the paint and some plaster skim coat peeled away (the plasterboard was fine).

I then scraped the area, spackled, sanded, primed, and painted. It was great for a couple months but now it is cracking and peeling. What did I do wrong???

Thanks!

When you say spackle do you mean fixed with drywall mud? How deep was the area that peeled away? Usually if you fill more then an 1/8 of an inch in a large area you will have to put tape over the area to prevent cracking. You can put strips of self adhesive mesh tape over patch and cover with mud. That should do it.

Instead of premix mud use easysand. It is a lot closer to plaster and if mixed with a minimum of water does not shrink appreciably. It also will not soften if exposed to water after it has set. It will even set under water.