My first post, I am not a plasterer but need advice, and will probably be coming back for more advice in the coming years! The house we have just bought is a doer upper, its a Victorian terrace that has all woodchip wallpaper on every single wall and ceiling in the house. Under this is a couple layers of paint, and under this seems to be a washable green or reddish pigment (limewash, distemper?). All the walls are plastered in lime plaster. I have just started stripping the kitchen, which is proving painful. The woodchip paper is very stubborn, sometimes i can scrape the paint off underneath, sometimes seems impossible. Sometimes the paint comes off with the top thin layer of plaster, in that almost resembles sandpaper. On one wall I have found that the bottom metre or so has a gypsum plaster finish, and then rest of wall is lime plaster. It is odd that the area where they have used gypsum was damp and patchy from condensation. This tells me it is not a good idea to skim the lime plaster with gypsum. In areas where I have got down to the lime plaster, it seems in decent nick, but unfit to paint over, it will crumble if rubbed hard enough, but feels structurally sound. What would my options be to finish the wall? I am tempted to knock the gypsum plaster off and replaster that area with limeplaster. However, i then want to skim the whole wall to get an even finish. Is there a lime skim that can be used? As I say, I'm not a plasterer, but done a bit of googling, still left with questions!
Woodchip, paint, lime plaster advice needed
- Thread starter monkey378
- Start date
Cockney
Well-Known Member
Plenty of work you have to do there matey. I hope your ready for the trials and tribulations? My advice would be to definitely over board the ceilings rather than striping them. Good luck!
We may leave the ceiling in the living room as there is nice cornice and ceiling rose, however, in the kitchen i think it is coming off and replacing. People have mentioned stripping the walls back to brickwork, but then what, my idea was to use lime plaster on the external walls, and gypsum on the rest. We have ruled out damp, it almost certainly caused by condensation, there is no ventilation in the kitchen, and when we have cooked, beads form on the portion of external wall that is plastered with gypsum.
Where i have managed to successfully strip the woodchip, there is paint, may be easier to lay lining paper over this, would this be a good idea in a kitchen?
Where i have managed to successfully strip the woodchip, there is paint, may be easier to lay lining paper over this, would this be a good idea in a kitchen?
Gypsum and lime don't work. The gypsum traps the moisture in the walls causing condensation. Never put gypsum or cement based products over a building built with lime. The paint you put on is probably a non breathable vinyl, this will also trap the moisture. Answer is to get back to the lime and paint in breathable paint or hack it off and dryline.
Hoping you haven't got cement render on the outside cos thatwill be causing damp too and have to come off
Hoping you haven't got cement render on the outside cos thatwill be causing damp too and have to come off
tapit
Well-Known Member
Thought this was a Shaking Stevens tribute.
worthwords
Active Member
The 1 meter gypsum is almost certainly 'damp proofing' that needs to come off - do a little test to see what's behind. The surface of lime is often quite crumbly/dusty and needs stabilising. Clay paints are the best for external walls and a watered down clay plaint will stabilise the lime before your put the main coats on.
You do need a plan.
Taking back to brick can be easier but will be very messy and you will need to consider if you will be doing it room by room or the whole house. You could also think about vapour open insulating boards which can be stuck to the wall and covered in lime.
If not taking to the brick you can take it back to lime where possible , strip off gypsum and then fill any gaps or the 1meter with corse, haired lime mortar and then put a layer of smooth lime plaster on top to give it a uniform finish, then top off with a clay based paint (it's expensive but moisture buffering, goes on beautifully and dries hard).
Tips:
lime hates steam but can take water and dry without softening.
for wood chip get those heavy duty scrapers (two hand use) and knock as much of the tops off the wood and perforate the paper as much as possible. then wet it a few times and leave it before scraping off.
i've found that mixing wall paper paste , painting it on and covering with clingfilm and leaving overnight is the best way of softening
nasty surfaces.
beader
Private Member
He was the Welsh Elvis .
D
Deleted member 32554
Guest
Best way for stubborn woodchip
One coat of multi , after 20 min it pretty much falls off ,
One coat of multi , after 20 min it pretty much falls off ,