The worst decoration product of all time!

[FrederickDeLarge]

Distemper! There are probably thousands of properties still with this ghastly stuff encumbering them, it now being the unenviable job of many an innocent decorator to have to remove. Distemper basically now survives on in two forms only; either flaking off at a touch (which is lovely) or else stuck so fast, with neither paintstripper nor blowlamp having any effect, that demolishing the wall is the easier option.

Here's a solution you might find as useful as I did. The trick is to moisten the stuff with water for long enough for it to soften right through. This is not so easy, since the coating soaks up all water immediately. I got round the snag by mixing up an extra thick solution of wallpaper paste and applying it liberally to the distemper. Of course it started to dry out. But after five minutes, another thick layer was able to remain rather more damp. A polythene sheet, or a bin bag then overlaid for 30 mins. kept things moist. After peeling away I was then able to scrape off the soft distemper easily. The pasting was repeated for a couple of stubborn patches but I cleared a whole large ceiling beautifully in a couple of hours using this method! So there you are - half a week saved and mine's a Guinness. Good luck!

 

[opps]

Or just roll over it with Zinsser Bin. When you eventually use emulsion the water content wont reactive the pesky distemper

 

[deanibusmaximus]

Just curious! Would masonry stabilizing solution do the trick or not?

 

[TheDec]

Just curious! Would masonry stabilizing solution do the trick or not?

Seeing as the binder would be Oleoresin then the the answer would be yes, yet it is often unwise to try an seal certain types of distemper so it is always better to remove prior to sealing.

Dec

 

[opps]

[quote="deanibusmaximus";p=" it is always better to remove prior to sealing.

Dec

Hi TheDec

I have only had to deal with relatively small areas of distemper to date.

Isn't a steam stripper is the easiest way to remove it?

 

[TheDec]

[quote="deanibusmaximus";p=" it is always better to remove prior to sealing.

Dec

Hi TheDec

I have only had to deal with relatively small areas of distemper to date.

Isn't a steam stripper is the easiest way to remove it?

Well a sream stripper could well speed up the removal, yet the distemper being porous in the extreme their use could damage the underlying substrate.

Dec