Is it limewash painted on my walls...

[tomuk2003]

My 1900 mid terraced house was stick in the 1960s when I bought it. The walls are layered in this horrendous stuff, not paint but is on top of the old plaster. It's mainly pale blue but is brown or green in places. It's brittle when scraped but in places is very difficult to remove. When sprayed with water it softens after a few minutes and becomes more of a paste when scraped. How is the easiest way if removing it as I've just spent about 8 solid days removing it from the landing.

Untitled

• tomuk2003
• 13 Feb 2014
• 1

Untitled

• tomuk2003
• 13 Feb 2014
• 1

 

[kbdiy]

It might be distemper. We bought a flat in the early '70s that had a similar problem. Washing and scraping was the only effective way to get rid of it we found - as advised by an old-school decorator at the time.

If you try to paint over it with anything water-based (emulsion) then it just softens and comes away from the plaster beneath - which was how we found out it was distemper in the first place.

 

[tomuk2003]

Thanks for the info. I googled distemper and it looks familiar to what's covered on every single wall in my house (under the woodchip wallpaper that is). I've also found that spraying with water helps ease the more stuck on parts. I'm wanting to skim over the 'good' walls - did you plaster over any parts of this old style paint?

 

[Bosswhite]

clean off the worst of it then paint over it using Stabilising Solution, that will kill any residue left on the walls,

Dont see much of it about now (Thank Goodness)

 

[tomuk2003]

Thanks for the advice. I've just quickly searched and is 'sandtex stabilising solution' suitable? I've removed the majority of the flaking brittle stuff but this last part - wall along side the stairs is killing me to remove. Once it's had a coat of the stabilising solution will it be ok for skimming? I want to avoid taking it back to the brick if possible.