I need to redecorate one of the bedrooms whilst we're in lockdown. It's a Victorian house, original plaster, thick heavy patterned wallpaper. Three walls have brick and plaster which seems sound, the fourth wall is lath and plaster but there are a few areas where the plaster has come loose from the lath and bounces when you press on it behind the wallpaper.
Ideally I'd prefer to just emulsion over the wallpaper but putting wet paint on may end up bringing it off as some of the seams are starting to part. If I have to dispose of the paper and go back to plaster walls, bits of loose plaster may come off and I know from experience that once small areas fall off the rest follows suit if it's not well bonded to the lath. Obviously I can't get anyone in to replaster the wall for me and my only previous experience of DIY plastering ended in disaster so I need a bodge fix if the wallpaper comes off.
I've seen a technique on Youtube for repairing lath and plaster:
If it's worth doing what type of adhesive would I need, and do I need to wait for the dilute PVA to dry first? I read somewhere you can use PU glue and that needs moisture to set?
In case it makes a difference I'm in the UK - most of the Youtube repair advice is in the US and I'm not sure if 100 year old American plaster is different to Victorian British plaster? Also I haven't seen anywhere in the UK that sells plaster washers - what do folks use in this country if anyone repairs walls in this way?
Ideally I'd prefer to just emulsion over the wallpaper but putting wet paint on may end up bringing it off as some of the seams are starting to part. If I have to dispose of the paper and go back to plaster walls, bits of loose plaster may come off and I know from experience that once small areas fall off the rest follows suit if it's not well bonded to the lath. Obviously I can't get anyone in to replaster the wall for me and my only previous experience of DIY plastering ended in disaster so I need a bodge fix if the wallpaper comes off.
I've seen a technique on Youtube for repairing lath and plaster:
- drill holes over the loose plaster where there is a strip of lath using a masonry bit
- vacuum out the dust
- inject some sort of dilute PVA water "conditioner" into the holes (wait to dry or go onto next step?)
- inject adhesive into the holes
- screw into some of the holes and hold plaster to lath with "plaster washers"
- remove screws and plaster washers
If it's worth doing what type of adhesive would I need, and do I need to wait for the dilute PVA to dry first? I read somewhere you can use PU glue and that needs moisture to set?
In case it makes a difference I'm in the UK - most of the Youtube repair advice is in the US and I'm not sure if 100 year old American plaster is different to Victorian British plaster? Also I haven't seen anywhere in the UK that sells plaster washers - what do folks use in this country if anyone repairs walls in this way?