Too many decorating problems!

Gingham_Ribbon

Sorry to be a pain, but if someone could help, I would be grateful.

We are trying to decorate our staircase and it's taking forever. We have stripped most of the paint off the woodwork finally but have hit a couple of snags.

First, does anyone know the easiest, cheapest way to smooth all the gunk off the wood before sanding it? We have stripped the paint and varnish with a heat gun. Someone told us caustic soda was good but we're a bit worried about how to do it or if that'll work.

Second, some of the seal between the doorframes and the plaster has come away leaving gaps and we've no real clue how to fill them without making a mess? Any tips?

Third, the plasterer made a bit of a mess by the look of it, and there is thick plaster over quite a lot of the skirting board on the stairs looking uneven and messy. Is it possible to do something about that without pulling big chunks of plaster down? We've tried using the electric sander on it, but it's just sliding off it because it's only about half an inch wide. How do we make it look tidy enough to start painting?

We're sick of the house looking a mess but have decided that it's best to do a proper job now, then we can forget about it.

Should we get someone in? We can't really afford it at the moment, but could save up if it's too big a job. Thanks.

Magentasue

Do you live in my house?

We have a similar problem in our porch. Caustic soda, nitromors and such like get rid of the resin-ey stuff that gets left after a heat gun. It bleachs the wood a bit and looks bad if you get runs but good apart from that. Best stuff we've used is by Ronseal, powder that comes in a box, you mix with water and spread over the wood - expensive though. Most of our stripped wood has been oiled with Danish oil and looks good even if it isn't perfect after stripping.

We dig/scrape out small amount of loose or cracked plaster near frames etc and renew with new plaster or filler for small amounts.

The plaster on skirting board is the problem we have in the porch, we've chiselled the worst away but it's too bad for us to tackle. Really needs the skirting boards removed, plaster renewing but when we've got some spare cash we're going to put tongue and groove from dado to skirting to cover up.

They never have all this on Changing Rooms, dothey?

robnye

Third, the plasterer made a bit of a mess by the look of it, and there is thick plaster over quite a lot of the skirting board on the stairs looking uneven and messy. Is it possible to do something about that without pulling big chunks of plaster down? We've tried using the electric sander on it, but it's just sliding off it because it's only about half an inch wide. How do we make it look tidy enough to start painting?

plasterers are very skilful but blooming messy....

having recently had our loft converted, we wanted to varnish the new staircase to match the rest of the hallway......... took ages to remove the plaster bits that had gone over the edge, although it does sound like your plasterer really went to town.
i used a scraper of sorts (it was one which had a craft knife blade in), took a while, but i was able to remove most of the plaster, then finished it with an electric sander which had a fine attachment, otherwise sandpaper (wrapped around a piece of wood), start with harsh, then medium, ending with fine.....

the effort is worth the outcome..... honest .... : )

Gingham_Ribbon

Thanks, guys. That's really helpful.

Just to clarify, it isn't blobs of plaster he's dropped that's on the skirting board. It's the WALL that kind of ends all over the skirting! The wall is lovely and neat, he's done a great job, but look down and the wall kind of dribbles into clumps at the bottom and it looks a mess! It's old work, done before the house was ours.

Hey ho, we're plugging away at it. We ordered the carpet weeks and weeks ago thinking all this would be done by now!

robnye

the worst thing is to have a fitting date for the carpet...... that usually gets us to pull our finger out..... fortunately put last coat of varnish on staircase this weekend gone, carpet comes next monday......

cattie

Caustic soda is a good cheap way of stripping paint & is very effective where an undercoat has been used. In difficult areas or uneven wood you can work it in using a very fine wire wool. On a normal flat surface apply it with an old rag, but make sure the floor is well protected first as this is just a solution of crystals mixed with water, so very liquid.

You need to be very careful in using it though, use good quality rubber gloves & if there is any danger of the liquid running down your arms then protect them with carrier bags secured to your arms with tape or rubber bands. If you do get splashed then wash the area immediately in plenty of cold water.

If you have made a solution up there is no need to have to use it all in one go, you can go back to it a few days later.

Good luck, paint stripping is a terrible job & very hard work, so I don't envy you. But it will look great when you're finished.

zincoxide

To straighten up your plaster board, you could always use a stanley knife to cut off the worst chunks, then get down on your hands and knees with a sanding block and prepare to sweat your heart out!!

But it'll be worth it in the end...

Gingham_Ribbon

Back to it tomorrow. It's slow going with a toddler in the house who sleeps right by where we're working. We can't do it during in the evenings because of the fumes and noise and I can't do it when my husband's at work because I can't leave my son while I work.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel now we've had a good run at it this last few days.

Thanks everyone. Off to get the rest of the stuff we need tomorrow. (Along with some insulation for the cellar ceiling/diningroom floor. Boy it's COLD today!)

njm_2

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

Second, some of the seal between the doorframes and the plaster has come away leaving gaps and we've no real clue how to fill them without making a mess? Any tips?

Painter’s mate or decorators caulk is what you need! These are non-silicon based gap fillers that have some elastic properties; perhaps more importantly they can be painted once they have gone off – about an hour. Apply using a caulking gun and then smooth with a wet finger – cleans up with water. Also good for skirting board gaps and around windows (on the inside).

Poppy9

I do feel for you :wave: I've rubbed down so much rough plaster in this house as we've had it rewired. Electric sanders are best, belt sanders tops! Dusty but good. Put a damp towel or sheet on the floor where you are working. The dust will stick to it and when you move it from the room it won't go everywhere.

I gave up stripping my bannisters as I couldn't get the white residue off and I painted/varnished with Sikkin. Gave a nice even wood effect.

This weekend we've had a belt sander on the go in our dinning room. The oak parquet floor is now stripped right back and we've used some reclaimed oak flooring on the extension. The dust was horrendous and my house is a tip with TV's chairs etc in the hallway & kitchen. Managed to contain the dust in the one room by taping up door from both sides. Tomorrow I'm in charge of waxing the floor _pale_ . It has to have at least 2 coats with 12 hours in between and I'm back in work on Weds. Saturday we then have to sand down the channelling in the walls where we've had the room rewired. Has to be all done by Sunday night as Decorator coming on Monday:) Now what colour shall I have?

robnye

robnye wrote:

the worst thing is to have a fitting date for the carpet...... that usually gets us to pull our finger out..... fortunately put last coat of varnish on staircase this weekend gone, carpet comes next monday......

just been told by my wife, that she doesnt like some of the stains on the new wood that has shown through the varnish...... she wants to paint over it with gloss...... the carpet is due to be fitted next monday...... :eek: aaaaaagghhhhh