Skim coat or lining paper on these walls ?

[Ben565]

My failed lath and plaster ceiling is going to be replaced with plasterboard. Not overboarded, its all coming down. I figured since I'm in a mess anyway might as well redecorate in there. Stripped all the wallpaper off and this is the state of the walls (see pictures)

What would you suggest I do with walls like this. Lining paper and paint it, skim coat and paint it, hack it all off and plasterboard it.

Its just a 9x9 spare bedroom, doesnt have to be an amazing finish. Couple of areas sound hollow when you tap them

 

[Wayners]

Charliediy on YouTube has some videos up where he used insulated plasterboard over brick for walls. Something like that an option?

 

[Leftum]

Get a quote to skim it and take it from there. There’s a lot of work on papering them

And insulation would be nice if it’s in your budget

 

[RrogerD]

Personally I'd skim-coat the whole lot. Lining paper will always show up the imperfections.
Any areas currently sounding hollow, you can hack off (is it just the current skim that's loose or the whole base coat too) or, drill, pva and glue back to the wall. I've done this many a time, especially with lathe and plaster walls, but also with solid walls. It's all on Youtube.
I'd also over-board the ceilings. It's one hell of a mess to take the lathe and plaster down. You'll end up damaging the wall plaster too, whereit meets the ceiling.
The second pic, I used pva and expanding foam, being a solid wall behind.

 

[Koolpc]

Skim.....100%

 

[opps]

I am a decorator. It should be cheaper to get it skimmed, provided that you can get a decent plasterer.

You are going to have a plasterer on site anyway to skim the ceiling. A plaster and someone to mix up the muck should be able to do that in one (hard) day.

It would take me at least 4 hours to sand the walls and then I would have to fill them and sand the filler.

 

[opps]

Personally I'd skim-coat the whole lot. Lining paper will always show up the imperfections.
Any areas currently sounding hollow, you can hack off (is it just the current skim that's loose or the whole base coat too) or, drill, pva and glue back to the wall. I've done this many a time, especially with lathe and plaster walls, but also with solid walls. It's all on Youtube.
I'd also over-board the ceilings. It's one hell of a mess to take the lathe and plaster down. You'll end up damaging the wall plaster too, whereit meets the ceiling.
The second pic, I used pva and expanding foam, being a solid wall behind.

I often use expanding foam for those kind of jobs, but why did you need to screw plywood?

As the foam expands the excess should come out of the drilled holes. It should not be able distort the wall.

That said, years ago a mate used foam to lock a mdf panel in place. He didn't leave any escape holes at the bottom of the panel and the panel did bow.

 

[Leftum]

I am a decorator. It should be cheaper to get it skimmed, provided that you can get a decent plasterer.

You are going to have a plasterer on site anyway to skim the ceiling. A plaster and someone to mix up the muck should be able to do that in one (hard) day.

It would take me at least 4 hours to sand the walls and then I would have to fill them and sand the filler.

Words from a genuine and honest tradesman.

 

[Ben565]

Thanks for the advice. Looking like skimming it is going to be the best option. I've got a decent plasterer lined up to do the ceiling already. I know a good decorator too who's done jobs for me in the past.

I did think about insulated plasterboard for the external wall (window wall). I've already had the master bedroom and bathroom stripped back to bare brick and redone. Did the donkey work myself gutting them, and got pro's in for the plastering & decorating. I just want to get this room done looking half decent, nothing amazing required.

The lounge downstairs I stripped the old wallpaper off, replaced with lining paper and painted. You can see a few lumps and bumps but it looks fine.

 

[aveatry]

If over boarding I would use insulated plasterboard on that angled section as its very difficult to get insulation down there from the loft.
If taking down then you can add PIR insulation inbetween the joists and use insulated PB over that angled section

 

[Scally-Ho]

I am always an advocate for back-to-brick if the budget can stand it. Once it's all done, you can then forget about anything grinning through
Skimming over a less that perfect substrate could cause problems when decorating.