I've got an upstairs bedroom alcove with signs of mould on and under the paper. I've used a moisture meter to make sure the wall is now dry and I'm looking to redecorate but want to do it right. Speaking to a local decorator he said it needs a stain block, undercoat and top coat - is that correct? Will I also need some kind of filler/sealer to make the wall smooth due to some paper being missing? Any help appreciated! (Photo attached)
Help redecorating mouldy area of wall
- Thread starter Wikaman1
- Start date
I've got an upstairs bedroom alcove with signs of mould on and under the paper. I've used a moisture meter to make sure the wall is now dry and I'm looking to redecorate but want to do it right. Speaking to a local decorator he said it needs a stain block, undercoat and top coat - is that correct? Will I also need some kind of filler/sealer to make the wall smooth due to some paper being missing? Any help appreciated! (Photo attached)
Sponsored Links
Reminds me of my wardrobe in an old house.
Presume it’s a solid brick wall, i.e. no cavity?
You might be able to get the mould spores off with a weak bleach and water solution.
I’d remove the pole and screw a piece of foil backed plasterboard over the area, cut the pole down and reattach.
It’s more than likely a ventilation problem and a cold wall meeting.
Presume it’s a solid brick wall, i.e. no cavity?
You might be able to get the mould spores off with a weak bleach and water solution.
I’d remove the pole and screw a piece of foil backed plasterboard over the area, cut the pole down and reattach.
It’s more than likely a ventilation problem and a cold wall meeting.
I agree that it is possibly due to a lack of ventilation.
Mr Chib's advice is sound.
If you don't want to go down that path then paint it with an alcohol, shellac based paint such as Zinsser BIN or Blockaide. They dry extremely quickly and can be recoated after 30 mins on a warm day. They will not allow the moisture to penetrate through to the plaster.
The white is slightly off white though, but is that an issue given that it is inside a cupboard?
With regards to filling over the torn paper. Apply the shellac paint first and use a filler of your choice. The shellac will prevent the water in the filler from activating the old wallpaper paste.
Brushes and rad rollers used to apply shellac paints can be soaked in household ammonia to clean them. The ammonia doesn't simply dilute the paint, it breaks it down. The following day, the ammonia evaporates off and the container is full of water and powder that has settled to the bottom. It can be safely poured down the sink.
Ammonia is stinky though, so consider storing the cleaning tub outside over night.
Mr Chib's advice is sound.
If you don't want to go down that path then paint it with an alcohol, shellac based paint such as Zinsser BIN or Blockaide. They dry extremely quickly and can be recoated after 30 mins on a warm day. They will not allow the moisture to penetrate through to the plaster.
The white is slightly off white though, but is that an issue given that it is inside a cupboard?
With regards to filling over the torn paper. Apply the shellac paint first and use a filler of your choice. The shellac will prevent the water in the filler from activating the old wallpaper paste.
Brushes and rad rollers used to apply shellac paints can be soaked in household ammonia to clean them. The ammonia doesn't simply dilute the paint, it breaks it down. The following day, the ammonia evaporates off and the container is full of water and powder that has settled to the bottom. It can be safely poured down the sink.
Ammonia is stinky though, so consider storing the cleaning tub outside over night.
Thank you both for the advice. Not decided which route I'll take yet, but good to know the options. It is a solid brick wall in an old house. The space used to be full of clothes and covered with a curtain but I'm thinking of opening it up and using it for shelving instead, which should help with the ventilation.
Sponsored Links
I'm starting this job tomorrow and will be picking up some Zinsser BIN - just wanted to clarify if I should cover the entire wall with that or just the area where the paper is torn?
My plan was to use the BIN for just the damaged area, then filler over it as you suggest, then do the entire wall in some bullseye 123 I have before painting with a water based paint. Does that sound right?
Fair play. I hadn't initially realised that it was an open area.
You can apply emulsion over the BIN. The moisture should not penetrate through the BIN but the (matt?) emulsion sitting on top of the BIN may still allow the mould to grow.
It is a tough one. Without improving airflow or using insulation, the walls will still potentially become damp.
At a minimum, hang items on the rail so that they are not in direct contact with the walls. It will help the airflow (slightly).
The rail is gone now so there won't be anything hanging there anymore and it will be open so that should help ventilation.
Trouble is I've had to remove a lot more of the lining paper to find and treat the entire area of mould. Is this too big an area for fine surface filler? I'm somewhat apprehensive about patch papering this section as I'm unsure what grade the existing paper is and how well it would go trying to blend the edges.
Attachments
Why not just strip the section, it doesn't look very big
Due to the paper being trapped behind the wooden beams it would have been a bit of a pain to strip. Decided to go ahead with the BIN primer and filler, followed by more BIN and a final top coat to match the rest of the walls. Really pleased with the results, thanks for all the help!!
Attachments
Well done.
BTW, if you had run a stanley knife down the edge of the timber, you would have been able to remove the paper.
Looks good though. Kudos.
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
