Stripping paint off plaster walls

skattrd

I've started stripping the wallpaper off my kitchen walls and have now discovered 2 coats of old/thick paint (oil based I think) under the 3 layers of wallpaper and dirtectly on top of the plaster.

The paint comes off easily in some places but not in others. I have been removing the wallpaper with a steam stripper and this also removes the first coat of paint without too much trouble, but there is still one coat left that is more stubborn. So what would be best to remove it?

The kitchen is quite large (roughly 18' x 12') and the wall I'm doing atm is 18' long and 8' high ... I have attempted to remove this paint with a regular orbital sander and a hot air paint stripper but both are going to take ages for the size of walls ... I'm currently considerring nitromors or similar ....

Any tips/help appreciated
Thx
Chris

misgrace

What are you intending to do with the walls?
Do you need to strip all the paint off, would it interefere with your decorating plans if you left it on?.

Couldnt you do your prep, and line with heavy grade 1400 lining paper, would save a lot of grief and hard work.

skattrd

I was planning just to strip down to plaster and paint the walls, no paper of any sort ... my paper hanging skills are non-exisitant so I'd prob end up having to pay a professional to come in to do that.

Unfortunately there are a couple of areas of the wall where all the paint came off with the paper so I think the rest really needs to come off ...

misgrace

There is a way of getting round this, or making good without getting all the paint off, but would involve a lot of hard graft and preperation,I could guide you through it, but it would be better if you could post some pics.

I have come across many walls like this, and have done all the prep to get the walls to a good finish, but it is hard work,you might better to line it.
You cant go wrong with lining paper, if you go down that route, let me know and I can tell you the easiest way to do it.:D

skattrd

I'm beginning to think that lining paper would be the better option ....

A quick snap just taken from my phone - the blue paint is relatively easy to remove, but the yellow is a pain ....



Do you have a link for an idiots guide to hanging paper

Thx

lapat

get the heaviest gauge lining paper you can you poor s*d

dooby

Ouch! :eek:


I know just how you feel cos that's just how my son's room looked like when I stripped it last year.

I just percevered (sp) with a steam stripper and heavy sanding paper. It took forever but I was determined and just thought of it as though I was saving myself forty quid a month for a workout at the gym.

ormus

use lining paper across the room and then HD wallpaper as per normal.
saves a lot of work trying to get all that crap off.

misgrace

[QUOTE=skattrd;5298967Do you have a link for an idiots guide to hanging paper

Thx[/QUOTE]


Lol No, but I can instruct you, and I would write it so you could follow me.

I am not the fastest typist in the world, but if you do decide to paper then I will type it out for you.

But looking at the pics, I think you will be better of lining, but you would still need to do a bit of prep beforehand, but nothing on the scale of if you didnt line.

let me know, and I will guide you.:D

skattrd

Ok, lining paper it is then as I want to get the kitchen finished before the end of the summer

I assume the first step would be for me to sand the walls down to a smooth(ish) finish.

misgrace

Right then, here we go.....:D

First sand down your walls, and any jagged bit that you can feel after you sand, just get some powder filler and lightly smooth on these bits, when dry then sand down lightly.

Then measure your wall, say for example the right one looking at the pic.(the one with loads of yellow paint on it)lol

Lining paper is 22" wide, so measure your wall.
Try and leave your self at least 6-8" on either end of your wall to paper, there is nothing more harder than trying to fit in a 2" piece.

Then get a sprit level and put a line down the middle or at the start of the wall, I prefer to start in the middle with L/P, then work either side to the end of the wall.

After your walls are prepped filled etc, get a watery paste and 'size the walls' the night before you start to paper.

Cut your lengths, start off with 3, and put then on the table, then paste your first length, make sure you you get every inch of the paper, if you miss a bit it will cause the bubble to appear and not go down.
When you have pasted your first length, just slightly fold, and leave each length to soak for approx 8 mins.
Whilst its soaking, get your brush, dip it in the paste, and just lightly paste where the butt ends of the paper are going to be.
The reason for this is, not matter how well you size the night before or paste your length, the end butts of the paper always seem to go dryer first, and then you can get bubbles on the end bits.
When the time is up, hang your paper on the line, and start from the top and brush from middle to right and left, orleft to right all the way down.

Cut your top and bottom, and go back again and give it another smooth down.

Then paste your second length, when you get more confident, you can be hanging one length whilst the other is soaking on the table.

Dont over butt the paper, leave a tiny gap,half a cm,or less, its best that the gap it slightly too big than over lapping.
There is a trick that you can do if that happens, but with over butting/lapping, you then have the nightmare of trimming the overlap off when paper is dry.

Lining paper is easy to hang, if you tear it, or do a wonky cut, there is another trick you can do when paper is dry, with finished paper its different, but as long as you some out the paper, you should get any bubbles that dont go down.
If that happens its cause you have missed a bit when you have pasted, or havent smoothed the paper out.
if your not too sure if you have smoothed it all out, then go back and run your hand lightly over the paper, and if you feel a bubble lump them smooth again.

Hope this helps, any more questions let me know.:D