My walls

I am stripping paper off my wall, which looks like platerboard and its taking the plasterboard with it !!

The idea was to get rid of the wallpaper - looks like wood chip stuff - and get someone in to make the wall smooth so i can paint it.

What needs to be done to the wall so it ends up smooth, and what state does the wall have to be in before this can be done, coz its a knightmare taking the paper off as i dont know how far and how much i should be taking off with my steamer.

Oh and if anyone local to me - Camberley, Surrey wants a job then feel free to contact me as I need some plastering done too !!

Thanks
Gary

Hi gary,once you got all the paper off,there's nothing more you can do really. Are the wall's stud or has the plasterboard been dot n dabbed to the wall?. If it is a stud wall and the board is falling apart then it might be easier to replace the board. When your stripping the paper is there a skim coat there? thats what it needs to be taken down to.

Gary, Sometimes I find a steamer a nusiance, wonder have you tried just soaking with hot water and sugar soap?. I normally try giving the wall a soak first to let water penetrate the joints, then pull off the face, then soak again (with a large brush) then wait ten min or so and see how its goin, sometimes after a couple of soakings and a few cups of tea the paper usually falls off. Though it all depends how and what it was put on with. If you want to paint you need to get the paste off too. after stripping a few lengths I soak the wall again leave for a few min to let water soak into the paste then scrape off with a large spatula finally a quick rinse over with cold water.. very tedious but .......thats decoratin ....

Good luck
John