Losing the will to live -prep wall help needed.

[Marth39]

Just moved in to 1900s property. It's decorated as a Mecca to woodchip. It's everywhere.

Removed the paper in the front room but it's left all the brown gluey paper all over the walls.

The plaster is a mixture of mainly old roughish type paster and some new.

This brown gluey paper just isnt coming off. I've used a steamer, water with fabric conditioner etc, but it's just taken me about a hour and a half to do about square 2 feet of it.

The walls are not great so was hoping to get them skimmed. how clean and smooth do the walls need to be for this? Could I get an electric sander on the walls?

I feel defeated by it, and this is just the first room.

And as a last resort what may it cost me to hire someone to do it in East London?

Any advice really appeciated

Thank you

 

[Nige F]

Decorators @ £120 a day down here in sticks Try some Zinsser DIF wallpaper stripper concentrate. I like Zinsser products

 

[Marth39]

Thanks for your reply. I've just had a look at that and it looks good.

i'm starting to really dislike the bloke that did all the "diy" in here. By the time I get it all sorted I'll be really for retirement

 

[joe-90]

The secret to removing woodchip is one of these.

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16530...y-Scraper?cm_re=SEARCHPROMO-_-SCRAPER-_-16530


You use it to remove the chips off the paper and if you are lucky most of the paper too.

Then use warm soapy water to remove the rest.

You are wasting your time and money on paper removers as the paper has been painted and the solution just runs down the paint onto the floor.

 

[Marth39]

Thanks Joe, I was looking at those scrapers the other day. Given the whole property is floor to ceiling in woodchip it is probably a very good investment.

What about the wallpaper stripper solution for what's left on my front room walls? The actual paper came off in big strips, but I'm left with the backing paper and glue reside all over the walls, it's like cemented on and as lots of the plaster is a rough surface it's almost bonded on to the walls.

 

[joe-90]

You could try it but I'm not hopeful.

 

[ifatfirst]

Just dealt with this "residue" problem in my kitchen. Amateur advice only.

Equipment: 1 sponge floor mop, 1 bucket very hot water, green scratchy pan scrubs, microfibre cloth.
Method: soak wall really well with hot water using floor mop. (Can cover a large area without getting soaked.) Leave for a few minutes, re-soak if necessary. Wipe off brown backing paper and residue with scratchy green pan scrub, work in lines, not circles. Rinse scrub regularly. Wipe over cleared area with wet microfibre cloth.

Worked a treat for me. Obviously, only works on the residue once the top, painted part of the woodchip has been removed.

 

[Marth39]

Thanks for that.
I've managed to do the front of the chimney breast using that sort of method now. Now for the rest of the room.... lol

 

[Nige F]

Get that bottle of Zin out .Joe 90 reminds me of my late Father-in -Law. A master chippy, and general builder. Always arguing with my old Dad -a decorator. On how to decorate, always saving money

 

[ifatfirst]

Keep at it!

Am going to try the Zin stuff recommended - will soon have whole house to strip after rewire. Grateful to know about it.

http://www.acohardware.com/435.html

 

[joe-90]

No cellulose remover will work if the top coat has been painted. It's pretty basic stuff - if you can't get the paper wet - then cellulose removers not going to work as it never reaches the paste. Stick to the angle head scraper and a bucket of soapy water.