Emulsion lifted when wallpaper stripped

[rqy99g]

Hi

I have just started stripping the wallpaper off the walls of a bungalow that we have just bought. Our intention is to emulsion the walls throughout.

In some areas the emulsion has come off with the paper and it seemed to do this in two different ways:

1) The emulsion flaked off
2) The emulsion seemed to go slightly gooey and then come off

Untitled

• rqy99g
• 4 Apr 2015
• 1

What do we do to get smooth walls without lines as the areas where the emulsion is still on is slightly higher than where it isn't? Is this what Spackle is for?

Cheers

Simon

 

[honda]

If it goes gooey I surmise that's due to the water (steam) you used to strip off the paper which leads me to think it's probably not emulsion paint. Try wetting a small patch with warm soapy water, let it soak awhile and then scraping it off. That's if you want to completely remove it all.

 

[rqy99g]

Thanks for the reply. No I think it is emulsion tried the warm soapy water but didn't do anything.

I suspect that I may have to scrape a the wall.... or is there a better way?

 

[misterhelpful]

If the paint is lifting then it basically means the original mist coat wasn't done correctly. There's no changing that now but there are ways to resolve the problem you have. (It also sounds as if you may have silk emulsion on the wall as that is the type that usually becomes rubbery when steamed.)

Firstly, you will need to thoroughly clean off all traces of wallpaper adhesive and then scrape off all loose edges of paint when the wall is dry. (*This can be avoided to some extent if you'd prefer to seal the wall with Zinsser Gardz.)

You will then need to mist coat the bare patches of plaster, allow them to dry and follow up with some fine surface filler around the edges of the patches to feather in/level out the paint film. (Powdered filler, rather than ready-mixed, is generally easier to sand flat.) Once this is dried and sanded, you will need to mist coat the bare filler and allow that to dry.

You can then proceed to paint the whole of the room with your chosen finish emulsion but, if you are intending to use matt on top of silk, you should lightly sand the existing silk to provide a key and reduce the risk of further adhesion issues.

* If you want to use Gardz then you can just remove any loose/flaky paint, give the walls a light sanding to remove any dried lumps of paste and apply it to the whole area. This will give you a nice sound surface to paint but you still need to feather fill the edges of the existing paint to make the wall level. Basically, this option eliminates the need to remove all of the paste residue and helps bind the paint edges down.

 

[JohnD]

gooey might mean some idiot put PVA glue (which is water soluble) on the wall, or it might be wallpaper paste traces (also water soluble) under the paint.

Wet the wall with a sprayer and remove any sludge with a broad metal scraper.

 

[misterhelpful]

BTW, that's a nice looking door so protect it well.

 

[rqy99g]

Thanks for the replies.

Misterhelpful, I think you are right it does look like silk emulsion.

I've seen somewhere that diluted fabric softener is good for removing wallpaper paste with a broad metal scrapper, any views on that?

Plan:
Remove wallpaper paste
Scrape off lose emulsion
Gardz (belt and braces)
Fill/feather
Mist coat
Paint

Would there be any benefit from sanding the existing good emulsion?
Can you suggest any particular powder filler that you've had good experience with?

Thanks

Simon

PS It looks like the whole house will need doing in this way.... begger!

 

[misterhelpful]

I've seen somewhere that diluted fabric softener is good for removing wallpaper paste with a broad metal scrapper, any views on that?

Plan:
Remove wallpaper paste
Scrape off lose emulsion
Gardz (belt and braces)
Fill/feather
Mist coat
Paint

Would there be any benefit from sanding the existing good emulsion?
Can you suggest any particular powder filler that you've had good experience with?

PS It looks like the whole house will need doing in this way.... begger!

Plain old warm water and a scraper will do the job but fabric softener can help, although that tends to work better when soaking into the wallpaper to strip it off. It's advisable to avoid using any type of detergent than can be absorbed into bare plaster but it will be fine on the painted areas, providing it is all rinsed thoroughly.

If you are going with Gardz then there is no need to mist coat after applying it as the product is a sealer. It would be a good idea to mist the bare patches, feather fill, re-mist and then use the Gardz. (I like to do it this way because sometimes bare plaster can absorb too much moisture from the filler causing it to crack.) This will ensure that the whole area has the same finish and reduce the risk of patches/filler showing through the final coat.

Sanding the wall after cleaning and filling will remove any nibs and high spots, offering a better finish all round, but you only need to sand it lightly.

Toupret do some great fillers and even their basic powder filler would be fine for this job:

http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/t/TOUPRET_INTERIOR_FILLER/

For larger jobs, or if you want to level out the whole area instead of just feathering the edges, you could use:

http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/t/TOUPRET_CACHET_BLANC__DECORATORS_SKIM_COAT/

The only issue with those products is that they are not stocked by any sheds (at least they weren't last time I was in them) and only some Decorator's Merchants carry them, so you will probably need to order online.

Good luck if it's the whole house - but don't forget that you have the option of filling and using lining paper everywhere instead!

mrH

 

[rqy99g]

Thanks again for the reply.

I like the look of the Toupret Cachet Blanc - Decorators Skim Coat. Is that what a plasterer would use to skim walls or is it something different?

I've just moved in to the hall way and whoever papered these walls have just stuck wallpaper on large patches of bare plaster.

To me they look a real mess I'm sure to a professional that works in the trade will just have the right approach/answers.

So as it is starting to look a lot of work I may get someone in to look at making them good or at worst re skimming the walls. Which is the best trade to give advice decorator or plasterer? Ultimately we want reliable surfaces that will look good emulsioned.

 

[misterhelpful]

The Cachet Blanc is just a (good quality) fine surface filler and not what a plasterer would use to skim with - that would be something like multifinish plaster - but a decorator would use it to skim over those bare areas and the sand it all smooth. (Gyproc Easi-fill can also be used for this, but the Toupret is a better quality product for this situation.)

You are right, to a decorator who sees your kind of issue everyday it isn't a big deal, but it can be time consuming and annoying because you are tidying up someone else's poor workmanship - believe me, I saw it all the time!

I would advise you to ask a Decorator before a Plasterer because a good one will tell you if they can make the walls good enough for decoration or if a plaster skim would be needed. A plasterer (in most cases) will basically just suggest skimming them because that is their job. Either way, make sure you get a recommended tradesman and not a jobber because, contrary to popular belief, painting isn't as easy as some suggest and a true plasterer will usually do a much better job than someone who says 'I can skim that for you'. (I'm sure the other Decs and Spreads will agree. )

Personally, from the image you have posted, I don't think a skim is required.

 

[zad3717]

Have you tried a wall with out the steamer and just warm soapy water and sponge? you might not get the same again with less heat then use the Zinsser Gardz