The Wall of Indestructible Gloss

Joined
14 Feb 2009
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
Location
Northamptonshire
Country
United Kingdom
The front entry hall of my house is like the technical challenge on a Great British Decorate-Off.

The problem wall is made of breezeblock, unplastered. It is painted in some kind of gloss paint, which was ridged somehow to give an effect of big stone blocks. I'm guessing the paint dates back to at least the 1930s. I need to get rid of that effect as much as I need to get rid of the paint.

I have tried nitromors. No impact. I tried a heat gun. No impact. An angle-grinder just about scraped off a bit (exposing very thin red and green coatings underneath)-- it would be possible to just attack all the ridged lines this way, but that would still leave the indestructible glossy paint. Sandpaper or any electrical sanding device I have tried doesn't even scratch the surface.

What I am thinking now is to paper the walls with anaglypta, which would cover the ridges. But would wallpaper paste even stick to the glossy surface? Is there a primer I can apply (zinsser BIN?) that would form a surface suitable for papering?

Alternatively, I'm wondering if the best bet would be to angle-grind down the ridges (hoping there is no lead primer under the gloss! but who would have lead-primed interior breezeblocks?) and zinsser BIN it for painting. They claim it will stick to anything -- is that actually going to work?
 
Sponsored Links
Yeah, I was thinking about perhaps having it skimmed. Some things are just not worth the hassle! Grins.
 
The hallway is already too small, so no space for boarding it. I did think about skimming -- but would skim even stick to the gloss?

If I can get those ridges ground off, then I will probably try a high adhesion primer -- I'm also thinking tile primer would probably work?
 
Sponsored Links
The hallway is already too small, so no space for boarding it. I did think about skimming -- but would skim even stick to the gloss?

I had a quick look for you, and the answer seems to be that it can be done:

http://www.plasterersforum.com/gene...27895-skimming-over-gloss-paint-surfaces.html

I'd get a plasterer in.

If you *did* prefer the matchboarded look, then inch by one and a half batten and matchboard would lose you about 2 inches. Which I appreciate could make a difference in a narrow terraced house.

Cheers
Richard
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Back
Top