Stripped walls - now want to paint what's underneath

[claudeballs]

Hi, I've recently stripped the wallpaper from one of my kid's bedrooms and now want to paint (rathere than line/re-paper) it.

The walls underneath have been painted in what I think is matt-silk which looks rather shiny and, some of the paint has also come away with the paper when I stripped it. It has left some bare plaster and some areas of flaking paint.

How do I prepare the walls for painting ? Do I :

1) Fill in the (very few) small cracks and then sand down ALL the wall(s)
2) Have to 'seal' the bare plaster bits or the whole of the wall?
3) If I have to 'seal' the walls, how do I do it and with what ?

Many thanks.

 

[Third_Eye]

There are 3 options being, 1/ get a plasterer in. (£200 labour and material for walls only) 2/ scrape, fill, then size all walls. then line. (do yourself £60 material or get decorator £200 labour and material) 3/ Buy some polycell smoothover, then scrape, then rub down, then apply smoothover, then rub down. (4 tubs = £100 + sundries £30 = £130 to do yourself)...............Explanantion does not include painting of new surfaces.

 

[claudeballs]

If I do Option 2, how do I 'size' the walls - what do you mean ?

 

[Third_Eye]

size, means 'A thin coat paste on surfaces' i.e. Mix paste to a thick mix, then let sit for one minute, then pour some water in thick paste till thin, then apply thin paste on to walls, then let dry, this this works as a sealer/size prior to lining.

 

[Zampa]

He means you need to 'seal' em...sizing evens out the porousity of the walls..and sort of seals them (temporarily) allowing you slip and slide the paper into postion.

You can use thinned out wallpaper paste. or just give it a quick roll over as you go along...or if you look carefully you can still buy actual glue size..which is a similar principle as paste.

Or lash a coat of thinned down PVA on it and allow to dry.

If you have a rad in the room then I would roll some PVA down the back of it and 6 inches around it wallpaper is notorious for coming off around radiators

(oops..you beat me too it T/E..I was busy typing 'a brief history of wallpapering'!)

 

[claudeballs]

He means you need to 'seal' em...sizing evens out the porousity of the walls..and sort of seals them (temporarily) allowing you slip and slide the paper into postion.

You can use thinned out wallpaper paste. or just give it a quick roll over as you go along...or if you look carefully you can still buy actual glue size..which is a similar principle as paste.

Or lash a coat of thinned down PVA on it and allow to dry.

If you have a rad in the room then I would roll some PVA down the back of it and 6 inches around it wallpaper is notorious for coming off around radiators

(oops..you beat me too it T/E..I was busy typing 'a brief history of wallpapering'!)

Zampa, is there really no way I can just sand the flaking paint off, PVA the walls and then just paint ? I really don't want to go down the lining-paper path

 

[Zampa]

You could try and make the walls good..but to be honest all the action is going on between the plaster surfae and the existing coating..you could put a hundred coats of paint on it and it will still be underbound.

By the time you have scrubbed all the paste from the walls, sealed the bear areas filled them rubbed em down touched em up...you could have lined the room..and remember you now have two different surfaces..the flat-ish finish of the bare plaster and the ornage peel texture of the existing paint coating...add to that the smooth filler after you have rubbed it down and you are looking down the barrel of a rough finish job.

You will still need to fill and sand around the dodgy bits of flaky paint...but by lining the wall you will have one continuous uniform surface to decorate.

Oh and whatever you decent...keep the PVA and paint well away from each other..

 

[claudeballs]

Zampa, thanks for the swift reply. Looks like it will have to be the lining paper then....
What grade lining paper should I use and, can I just put it on after I've filled / sanded the cracks and also sanded down the flaking paint ?

 

[Zampa]

800 or 1000 grade should do you...give the walls a rub down size the bare bits and away you go..its not hard to put up..or sideways..make sure you leave it to soak though, I normally leave 800 for five mins and 1000 for ten

Some paint may flake away when you rub down the filler because it warms it up slightly...so give it a rub down first..this will help feather any rough edges too.

If you struggle butting the joints then leave a tiny gap and then fill it after.

Mix the paste fairly thick...about 6/7 litres of water to one standard 10 roll size bag.

 

[claudeballs]

Thanks, Zampa. I know what I have to do now. Your advice (and Third Eye's) is much appreciated.

 

[Third_Eye]

Just to disagree with "Zampa" (cos agreed to much recently which aint normal) you could also use 1400 grade lining paper as easier to work with. Also DO NOT USE B&Q lining paper. Try and buy some at an Dulux Trade shop & buy the dearest lining paper.

 

[Zampa]

Just to disagree back... ...a lot of the thicker grage lining papers have a bumpy surface and this really shows up when they are painted..worse still with silk

The ideal one was always said to be 400 grade xtra white lining paper...but like electricity..ive never seen it so I dont know whether it ever existed.

600 is good...but a bit of a pig to hang..

Oh B&Q lining?..what wrong with it?..never used it, but if its like a lot of their products I'll give it a wide berf.

Johnstones used to make a lovely lining paper, good wet strength..dunno who makes it for them now...but its not much cop..like the sundries!!

 

[Third_Eye]

B&Q lining paper would make an professional decorator look like an idiot, though it would be acceptable to a diyer who doesnt know better.

 

[Zampa]

B&Q lining paper would make an professional decorator look like an idiot, though it would be acceptable to a diyer who doesnt know better.

I can manage that on me own!

 

[Third_Eye]