Removing Foil Damp Paper

[nordberg73]

Hi,

We've started stripping our master bedroom only to discover what I believe is "foil damp" paper on the chimney. Presumably put there many years ago to hide damp/soot staining as the fireplace was blocked up. There's now a vent where the fireplace once was which I am guessing was installed around the same time. My original plan was to block up the vent as it's a right eyesore however, based on this discovery I'm thinking I'd be wiser finding a more attractive vent cover and just living with it.

My problem now is that I'm having the room skimmed on Monday so I need to remove this Foil Damp ASAFP. Can anyone offer any advice? I have a stanley knife, a wallpaper steamer and a scraper.....am I fully tooled up or is there some other implement/technique that's going to save me going mad over the next few evenings?!

Thanks.

 

[misterhelpful]

Get one of these: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Professional-Scraper/invt/154805
Should work a treat if a regular scaper doesn't.

 

[nordberg73]

Get one of these: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Professional-Scraper/invt/154805
Should work a treat if a regular scaper doesn't.

Got one. Sadly, it mostly just takes the foil layer off leaving the black gunky adhesive behind

 

[nordberg73]

After spending ages getting precisely nowhere with removing the black backing of this foil damp, I spoke with my plasterer. He says as long as the bitumin adhesive is well and truly stuck - which, by Jeezus it is - they will PVA it and skim as normal.

 

[misterhelpful]

Be warned that it is likely to bleed through the plaster leaving brown stains, so it would be wise to use a stain blocking primer on the areas when it comes to painting.
You could use it before skimming but check with your plasterer first.

 

[nordberg73]

Really? Given that water, wallpaper remover and everything else have thrown at it has bounced straight back, I'd be amazed to see any bleeding from it with PVA and a skim of plaster between it

 

[misterhelpful]

Absolutely! There is a big difference between it being unremovable and bleeding through. Could take a year or more but believe me, it will.
Leave it and see as you can always use a stain block when it does.

 

[nordberg73]

Leave it and see as you can always use a stain block when it does.

Or maybe foil damp

 

[misterhelpful]

Or maybe foil damp