patching over vs skimming whole wall

[Paulb78]

Hi guys.

just joined. - great website!
i've had the wallpapers removed from my house. there is a peeling coat of paint on the wall as well as several chips etc on the walls. in some places the actual plaster came off the walls when the paper was removed.

I am not sure if filling the 'chips/holes/areas where the plaster came off' with something like easy-filler will have the same result as skimming the whole walls again.

if there is a difference, is it very slight?... or will the filled areas blatently be visible when light is shon on it?

thanks in advance!

 

[chessspy]

Hi, Paul,
It depends on what the wall is like (walls are like.)
If the walls are plastered with a lime putty then you should patch with a suitable modern filler and then use a lining paper pasted on horizontally.
If the base plaster is bonding and skim, (modern) then you can over skim.

 

[Paulb78]

it has a base plaster which is skimmed over. the skimmed part of it has fallen off in parts and its this fallen patches which will either need filling.. or those whole wall skimmed.

re:the number of walls. its the whole house. 4 bedrooms. and about 80% of the walls need pathcing up of some sort.
i was told by one builder that he'll patch over the holes etc.. and i wont notice the difference once painted over.... another builder suggested skimming all the walls because patching up the holes in the walls will always be visible regardless of how much you try to sand it down to smoothen the filling.

any thoughts on that?

many thanks.

 

[chessspy]

In order to give an informed opinion, I would need to know if the walls were bonding /plaster, (post 1950)
or sand cement/lime putty. (earlier)
However, if the finish has come off in a lot of places, then I suggest you look at both options and decide which will be best yourself.
Check to see if other parts of the skim coat are 'live' (ie. sound hollow when tapped) if so strip it all off and re finish all.

 

[54aardvark]

another builder suggested skimming all the walls because patching up the holes in the walls will always be visible regardless of how much you try to sand it down to smoothen the filling.

He's a builder, not a decorator!

Personally I'd go for the filling option, far cheaper and (despite your builder) provided you feather out the filler and use a fine sandpaper shouldn't be visible when painted.

 

[Paulb78]

apologies. the 2 guys were both decorators. they just both told me different things.. so i was not sure if filling the gaps/holes would have a finish thats on par with skimming the entire wall.

thanks

 

[54aardvark]

Either way, I've rarely had a problem with fill & sand showing through - put it this way, at least worth trying a couple of test patches, if you're not happy with the result start looking for a plasterer!

 

[dapper100]

i've just used the polyskim from B&Q and covered a whole wall, the sanding is a messy job and it takes a few sands and touch ups in small areas once the walls completed, but end result looks nice.

It was that or i pay for a plasterer, so it cost me £18 and some sanding sheets.

It Maybe not everyones choice but for money save it worked a treat.

 

[Paulb78]

sounds good to me!
thanks a tonne for your help guys!