Overcoming woodchip paper?

[RrogerD]

What's the 'normal' process for getting rid of woodchip?

I've tried stripping it with a steamer but it is seeming extremely difficult. It has taken us a whole day for just the one wall, with two persons.

Is it an okay practice to simply pva it and over-skim, like is done with artex ceilings?

Thanks

 

[Chivas69]

It is a complete bar steward to remove. The best way would be a steamer but you need to score the paper first. Use a stanley knife and score diagonals left to right and right to left. You'll then be left with diamonds which the steam can get underneath. You want the diamond to be about 10 to 15 cm in height!

 

[RrogerD]

It is a complete bar steward to remove. The best way would be a steamer but you need to score the paper first. Use a stanley knife and score diagonals left to right and right to left. You'll then be left with diamonds which the steam can get underneath. You want the diamond to be about 10 to 15 cm in height!

Thanks for the reply.
Yep, we've been doing this and it certainly does make it manageable. Before then we couldn't make any in-roads at all.

Has anyone tried simply plastering over it?

 

[Tigercubrider]

And when the paste that held the woodchip on fails, what then?
You need to remove it.
zinsser do a wallpaper stripper that you add to hot water

https://www.screwfix.com/p/zinsser-...VDtPtCh1bgwJTEAQYASABEgLml_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


https://www.screwfix.com/p/zinsser-paper-tiger-scoring-tool-3mm/3469h

 

[RrogerD]

And when the paste that held the woodchip on fails, what then?
You need to remove it.
zinsser do a wallpaper stripper that you add to hot water

https://www.screwfix.com/p/zinsser-...VDtPtCh1bgwJTEAQYASABEgLml_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


https://www.screwfix.com/p/zinsser-paper-tiger-scoring-tool-3mm/3469h

Interesting!
Just read the reviews on the Scfrewfix site and it seems to be, just what we're looking for. At least worth a try.
Guess where I'm off to tomorrow.
Many thanks Tigercubrider

 

[mattylad]

Use all the above methods, DO NOT try and skim over it - it will end in misery.

Or some other ideas to try:
Sledge hammer, remove the wall.
Napalm
Move house.

 

[Chivas69]

I remember blowing someones ceiling lights I was steaming that much. Dodgy wiring but I end up having to sort it!

 

[Tigercubrider]

I was steaming some stuff above a wall socket and Flt my arms tingle, just enough dampness to liven me up.
Too much spare steam had trickled down the wall.

 

[JohnD]

If you use a broad metal scraper, you can knock some of the scabs off (and break the protective layer of paint).

repeated light misting with a garden sprayer will penetrate and soften enough that you can scrape some more scabs off and it will soak in more.

If you work round the room, by the time you have misted it all, the first bit is ready for another spraying. A tiny bit of WUL in the water helps it soak in.

Spray mostly at the top because it will run down. No point in applying excess water that runs down the walls onto the floor.

When loose enough, scrape off the top few inches, and when you spay along the top, some of the water will run down behind the paper, and it will start to stretch and bubble, enabling more to get down behind it.

Working round the room gives it time to soak in, rather than trying to spray and scrape one patch at a time.

Keep misting and don't let it dry out. Shut the doors and windows.

 

[Mottie]

Look up 'Zinsser paper tiger'.

 

[opps]

I agree with JohnD. Use one of those scrapers that have the replaceable 18mm snap off blades. Run it over the surface to remove the chips. The "paper tiger" mentioned by Mottie will then further puncture the surface of the paper. Spray the paper, leave it for an hour or so and then use a steam stripper if need be.

https://coloursupplies.shop/products/zinsser-paper-tiger

Wear a dust mask though, knocking off the wood chips is very dusty.

Knife scoring is very slow and inefficient and leaves you with frustratingly small bits of paper.

BTW, DO NOT be tempted to use one of the enzyme based additives such as Zinsser DIF in your steam stripper. I did that years ago with my (now) £450 steam stripper. It took me ages to flush the white gunk out.

 

[Tigercubrider]

although - I used distilled water from Halfords in my steam stripper (£25 from Screwfix) at £5 a gallon before realising that I'd spent £30 "saving" a £25 steamer.
Actually, I'd be surprised if DIF in a steamer did anything to aid stripping?

 

[foxhole]

Used hot soapy water, soak the area top down wait a few minutes , paper falls away.Very messy though.

 

[Mottie]

It is very satisfying though when you rip off a large intact section of woodchip. It’s like winning the lottery!

 

[opps]

although - I used distilled water from Halfords in my steam stripper (£25 from Screwfix) at £5 a gallon before realising that I'd spent £30 "saving" a £25 steamer.
Actually, I'd be surprised if DIF in a steamer did anything to aid stripping?

Yeah, you aren't supposed to use it in a steam stripper. I thought that I was being clever. Turns out I was stoopid. The little ball that is supposed to tell you how much water is in the reservoir is now stuck.

TBH I don't use my stripper that often. In fact so little that I only recently noticed that it now costs £450. I purchased it for £150 about 17 years ago and that was the going rate at the time.

https://www.decoratingwarehouse.co.uk/wagner-steamforce-pro-230-240-volt-wallpaper-steam-stripper

Mine is branded as the 240v Earlex. I suspect that Wagner purchased the rights for the 240v model given that the same unit with the Earlex name is now only available in 110v. It is a well made machine but stoopidly over priced (now).