Plastering over lining paper

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Looked at a job today where water has leaked from the roof and ran down the wall
The wall is in a Grade 2 listed building (converted into flats).
The wall consists of haired lime mortar with a lime mortar finish coat and what seems to be lining paper then a 2-3 mm gypsum finish coat on top of the lining paper.
The water has caused the lining paper to swell pushing off the finish.
So I said to the client " you cannot plaster over lining paper the finish plaster and the lining paper must be removed from the whole wall then the wall must be allowed to dry out, treated with a bonding agent and given a coat of finish, there is no way I will guarantee the work unless I have done this"
Now, the flat has been recently decorated (within last 10 years) and the plastering and decor is of a good standard so I thinks surely no one would have plastered over lining paper in a million pound flat in Mayfair, so my question is: Does anyone know of a lining paper product that can be plastered over.

I just don't want to make myself look stupid, which is not differcult to do these days.

Thanking everyone in advance for there replys
 
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Hi
Some year ago I re skim a property very much the same . It nust a been a very thin paper which I understand they use to put a more expensive paper on top of . Anyway pva skimmed it was ok. I think you will have problems trying to take this paper of if it is what I think it to be. Problem, problems sent to try us.
 
Thanks Henry, the pennys dropped, yes the paper was quite thin I bet they stripped off the top layer of wall paper, pva and skimmed over the top. The plastering is very good with no cracks apart from the damaged wall, I will have to take it off the paper has acted like a sponge and the lime mortar substrate is saturated, got to do a proper job can't have any comebacks when the tenant pays nearly 4k a month
 
Maybe just a good idea to pva the day before you skim. I think you only get this paper in old listed building for some reason .
 
You dont understand beddy, what this paper is like .it will not come off with a steamer or a razor scraper.
 
As a very last resort You could gripfill boards over the top then mechanically fix them
 
If you are going to skim it, make sure you have sealed it well. This is a no, no, but can be done with the right prep work.
You will know if it's going to go tits up when the first coat has been sitting there for a while, you will see bulges, bit like skimming plasterboard where the paper has not bonded to the gypsum, it bubbles in places.
 
I hear what your saying beddy and your right. The thing is the lads who was doing this job for I ve had a lot of work out them over the years. Now if I walk away from that job , I would have not got any more work off them. If the paper was going to peel it would have done then I was troweingl off. Last year I had to do some other works at this house and the skim was as good as new. Some times you just do as your told and shut the feck up .

Beddy do you know you can skim over woodchip . LOL.
 
Hi,
Been in the same situation a few times, it's hard to walk awAy when you need the £'s !
I used Thistle gyp prime and had no problems at all. But it's about £50- £60 a tub very good stuff .
Hope it helps!
 
Thank for all your replies I can't afford to walk away after being very busy for the last 6 weeks its gone deader that a dodo.
They have had another quote at nearly 60% less than mine but the building manager knows there something not quite right.
I have priced it to completely remove back to brick, its about 10m2 and float & set with gypsum but I bet they go with the cheaper quote which is cheap even to patch the damaged area with bonding and re-skim
 
Dont know if you will get away wiith that on a grade 2 mate check with the heritage people first, years ago when only lime finishes were used it was always lined before decoration so any cracks wouldnt show through
 
Grade 2 is the bottom of the pile to be honest.

They tend to only care about how it looks outwardly.

And at the end of the day its the owners responibilty not a tradesmans.
 
Guest what I done a bit of research its not a Grade 2 listed its a grade 1 dates back to 1700 century told then to contact the conservation officer for westminster council before I touch it.
Could be opening a can of worms here.
Oh well going to be another week with no work
 
sometimes they just have the job done and feck off about been a grade 1 listed building. Then it all comes down to the blame gane if it goes tits up.
 
lets face it,we all skim over paper everyday!(plasterboard). Still something not right about doing it over liningpaper.Reckon if it dont bubble when you pva it,then it wont when you skim it either. Not something I would want to chance though I must say. Noticed that 100+ year old paper is a bitch to get off so maybe???? Good luck!
 
may be a long shot but it could actually not be paper ...it could be canvas ,in higher end buildings it was common in the old times to canvas the walls prior to wallpapering or even painting...I say this because you say you cant remove it even with a steamer.

canvas lining was used in the 1880's to the 1920's or so....where they then switched to papers
 
If its wallpaper or canvas it can be removed. (Although not easilyt if plastered over )

Best way to remove standard stubborn paper is to sand with 40 grit sander alover justa good quick blast enough to scratch through the top lair then add some fabric softner to a spray bottle of hot water about 70 water 30 softner spray the hole wall and 10 mins later itll be easy to get off.

There are some really thin paper on the market ive only ever come across them in a kitchen or batroom and they are really thin with a white top only way to get rid of this is with a blade and pateince.
I wouldnt plaster over wall paper or if i did id offer no guaratee !!
 
pretty interesting read this... be good to see what the outcome is...

Personally, if a jobs worth doing.... and all that....
 
What I think happens is over the years the paper bonds to the wall even stronger when first put on. And dont forget they would have used glue in them days like made from rabbit, this was common and also used in lime plastering. Let's not forget they did not have wall paper paste, I can remember my grandad sticking wall paper down with flour and water were it had lifted.
 
Thanks for your replys guys, I am sure its not canvas as it has gone soft where the water has soaked right into it. Further along the wall the where it is dry its a mustard colour and very brittle which suggests very old paper.
If I get the job I will post pictures and supply more details however me thinks they will go with the cheapest quote and just patch it where its blown.
 
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