Repairs On New Lining Paper

[Ambergreen45]

Hi,

I have a problem with lining paper which I don't seem to be able to resolve every time I decorate a room. I use a 1400 grade and a strong paste (like for blown vinyl) but there are always areas where the butt joints lift away from the wall as it dries. There is enough paste on the edges but as the paper dries it pulls weaker areas of plaster or old paint and that makes it repairing quite tricky and time consuming since I may have to refill the plaster or old paint with fine surface filler in the restricted space where I've made an opening.

Prior to that I always prepare the walls by sanding them down, filling any imperfections and then rubbing them down again with sandpaper before sizing the walls where needed. Would it be that the 1400 is too thick and strong? Would using 1000 solve the problem?

I would really appreciate your answers to try and resolve that problem.

Please see picture below.

Many thanks.

 

[opps]

before sizing the walls where needed.

What do you mean by "where needed"?

(As a pro) I have experienced the same problem in the past on a few occasions. Each time I put it down to my not having noticed blown finish plaster on the old horse hair base plaster.

I tend to use 1000 grade paper and paste the walls with the same strength paste that I paste the paper with (ensuring that both paper and wall are wet as I hang each drop. An advantage of using the full fat double paste is that I will see any old paint bubbling and then act accordingly (doesn't help with blown plaster/filler though).

I don't think that the problem is the result of using 1400 grade paper.

I have had very problematic walls where I ended up using Zinsser Bin to prevent the water in the paste activating the old paint. I think that you have been unlucky rather than doing anything wrong per se.

 

[Ambergreen45]

What do you mean by "where needed"?

By saying "sizing the walls where needed" I mean that all the areas of the walls where I did put some filler, I had to then size those areas (which were porous).

When I took the old paper off the walls, several spots of old eggshell or vinyl silk paint came off the walls. As the old paint peeled here and, I thought that by sanding down the walls by hand would make good all the areas where the paint could have been weak. That paint is impermeable, so my observation was that some edges of the new lining paper pulled out some hidden weak old paint as it dried.

When hanging the new lining paper, I have also pasted the wall but could not see anything odd as the old paint does not allow water through. It happened in several rooms that I decorated, so as you said, maybe I have been unlucky with those walls... I have one more room to do (so still a bit nervous).

 

[opps]

How did you strip the old paper off? Steam stripper/cold water with wall paper remover?

 

[Ambergreen45]

How did you strip the old paper off? Steam stripper/cold water with wall paper remover?

Sorry for the late reply. I initially tried a steam stripper using water only and a scrapper but I still had that problem. I now use a 2 litre pressure sprayer to soak the paper, personally I find the paper comes off easier. I don't use any wallpaper stripper solution. I have taken a picture of another wall where you can see the old paint detaching itself from the wall (the grey plaster looks as if it had been sized originally). Where the paint is flacky, I use a sharp scraper to remove as much paint as possible until I feel some resistance, sand it down and fill the gap with a fine surface filler (otherwise the edges of the old paint would show through the new lining paper).

Have you come across such paint before?

I've seen in so many houses where lining paper seams and edges come undone, probably due to age. I know originally lining paper was to line the walls prior to put wallpaper. If I have to do too many repairs on one wall after hanging lining paper, I then put a second layer of paper onto the first, no more repairs to be done, it looks really good but it's time consuming.

 

[opps]

Is this a "relatively" new build?

If yes, I have experienced something similar in the past. Most of my work however is in turn of (last century) properties.

I still don't think that you have done anything wrong, I think that your problems result from poor workmanship prior to your input.

If you can work out where each of your potential joins will be, then you can use BIN (etc), 50-75 mm wide coverage. Alternatively use a decent random orbital sander to sand the paint away (soaking and using a scraper to remove the old paint will probably suffice if you don't have access to a decent sander).

In those kind of cases, I use Toupret Red Lite filler to back fill, a light sand with 180 grit paper and then seal it it will paste/size.

Btw, not sure if you realise- if using a sander with dust extraction- you can sand high areas flat- all the way through the lining paper, effectively treating it as a filler. Random orbital sanders are preferable though, orbital sanders can potentially rip the lining paper.

 

[Ambergreen45]

Is this a "relatively" new build?

No, the property was built in the late 40s. The plaster is made up of internal cement render as a base coat and a grey finishing plaster.

Thanks for your help and the useful information you've provided.