Dealing with woodchip wallpaper

DanAir

I've seen a product called Polycell Smoothover advertised and I was wondering if anyone as any experience using it or anything similar?

I have horrible woodchip wallpaper but if I try to take it off it'll take half the plaster with it. I was wondering if I could use this product to produce a smooth finish on top?

I'm also open to any other suggestions?

LandyAndy

I don't know what it costs or what the expected coverage per tin is but from seeing it on the TV I'm guessing it will be a very expensive way to go. Its a calculation you definitely need to do.

handyman.

smoothover, doesnt do exactly what it says on the tin..........search (using search box, type 'smoothover')the forums on here, screwfix, and trustedtradesmen for a fully negative view of this product

Woby_Tide

use a steamer, I've had to take painted woodchip off two rooms worth so far with 1 more to go, it's more effort than normal wallpaper but by no means impossible

BenL

I removed loads of woodchip in my last house.

I took a scraper and sliced the woodchip criss cross with the edge and tried to get bits off as well. You need to get some grooves in that water can get down.

Once the wall was like that and you could see where water would get in behind the paper I used warm water mixed with wallpaper remover liquid, Focus own brand stuff (its orange) applied generously with a sponge.

Go over with a scraper again but flat this time in the correct motion getting bits off.

Soak again with the remover as a lot of places you will be down to the backing by now.

Steam stripper afterwards, this also re-activates the wallpaper remover solution with the steam and it starts to work a little better.

I was replacing all the carpets as well so these were up at thrown at the time so amount of water didn't really matter, except for the electrics of course.

The wallpaper stripper liquid was a revelation.

Ben

nelly_2

Q- How do you get wall paper off normally?

A - Wet it!

Q - What would putting smoothover or plaster on wall papaer do?

A - Wet it for about 48 hours solid?

Q - What will my wallpaper/plaster now be called?

A- Carpet

Doozergirl

Really, do not use smooth over for that. Apart from it being an incredibly quick fix solution that I bet won't work properly and will fall off the wall if you used it on paper, it really would cost a fortune. I've used it to repair where some tiles pulled little bits of the plaster skim off but there is no way I would even try with paper. I think they're stretching the marketing very thin there.

It takes about three goes to finally get the last of the wood chippings of the wall (which cloy annoyingly to whatever is left of the wallpaper paste) but it is satisfying when you've finished (if the walls turn out okay!)

If your walls do need replastering, then putting smooth over on it is not going to solve the problem. If it needs replastering, then tackle the woodship when you can afford to replaster that room. You'll be so pleased with the end result

babyangel10

Smoothover?

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Get the steam stripper on it and follow all the above advice! DO NOT waste your money on this rubbish!

As a property developer, woodchip is the bain of my life, but I'd rather spend a week stripping the b0gger than use THAT other stuff again!

Good Luck - don't leave the stripper on the same area of wall for too long, else the plaster may come off too :eek:

ds1980

just taken it of three rooms ceiling and walls. Leave the steamer in there for half an hour dont bother with doing it directly onto the plaster. Top layer will start to come off easily within half an hour.

Steamer will have cooled down by the time youve got it all off.

put it back on after and do the underlayer.

Try and put the steamer propped up on a ladder and move it around the room so that it doesn't just stay in one spot. Took me a day to do three rooms walls and ceilings!!

Ball ache but the walls are ready for prepping now! Bring on the lining paper!

greyteam1959

Am I the only sad person that LIKES woodchip ???????

babyangel10

mervyn11 wrote: »

Am I the only sad person that LIKES woodchip ???????

Erm, sorry Merv, but YES!!!!! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Nah, each to their own I suppose - after all, you can still buy it so there must be some other (tasteless ) people about too Only kidding with ya!