Skimming or Lining Paper

KatieDee

Hi there,

I have just stripped the old wallpaper from our hallway walls and although the walls aren't terrible condition, there are a few cracks in it. We live in an old house and I'm slightly worried that any new plastering we have done will just crack again in the near future.

With a wall like this, would it be okay to buy some thick lining paper and wallpaper over them? I just want a flat base to paint on to.

Or would it be a better investment to just replaster everything (we're talking very large hallway, high ceilings, highly likely to need redoing in a few years when we finally convert our attic!) and paint over that?

Pictures can be provided if necessary. Thank you in advance for your answers

DRP

If you are planning further work I'd be lining the walls for now. It's cheap and quite easy to do - I did it for the first time last weekend!

We are tidying up a room with lining paper with the expectation of some major refurb and extension in the autumn. If we have any cash left we will be skimming next year...

KatieDee

Spare cash? What's that?? :rotfl:

Thanks for the advice...was it easy enough to put up? I've never wallpapered anything in my life!

brandydog

fill cracks sand walls and line
jg
painter

wallbash

KatieDee wrote: »

Spare cash? What's that?? :rotfl:

Thanks for the advice...was it easy enough to put up? I've never wallpapered anything in my life!

Wallpapering is one of the very best DIY skills to learn. Pity few do it.

Its clean, not heavy, start cheaply , indoors and if the worse comes about......rip off and start again.
Check out you tube for great help, a video much better than words.

searchlight123

sorry but IMHO you cannot beat the finish of newly skimmed walls. all else being equal, ie cost, mess created etc i would want skim every time.

wallbash

tonygold wrote: »

sorry but IMHO you cannot beat the finish of newly skimmed walls. all else being equal, ie cost, mess created etc i would want skim every time.

But its never equal.

AlexMac

Agree the above comments about using lining paper- and at under £20 for materials for the average room, it seems a cheap no-brain option; once you've sanded off the obvious lumps, filled big cracks/holes, applied heavier (1000 guage) paper and painted, the finish will be perfectly acceptable; once you've got furniture, pictures, mirrors etc in place, and unless you place a spotlight along the wall to hoghlight imperfections, no-one peers at the surface that closely anyway.

I assume by now youve seen a video or manual, but helpful tricks are
- to 'size' the walls or apply a wash of paste the day before and let it dry (as when you then apply the paper, you can slide it about to get accurate joins)
- cut a lot of lenghths first then paste about ten at a time, so by the time you stick em up the paper has soaked and stretched a bit, so when it dries it shrinks a bit and covers small imperfections
- learn the trick of folding the pasted lenghths in on themselves or concertina style so as you present them to the top of the wall, they unfold, sticky side down, so you can squeegee or sponge 'en flat, working downwards from the centre out to elininate air pockets
- borrow a pasting table... and ideally a broad bladed tool instead of a sponge or squeegee

But don't let the family sing the old music hall song; " When father pasted the parlour...#" (google it)

wallbash

Great advice apart from

hen paste about ten at a time,

Been wallpapering for over 40 years, but I would have problems hanging 10.
Include the fact that 10 drops on one wall , that's a large wall , so you have windows / doors / corners to have fun with.

A beginner should think 3 at max.

KatieDee

Perfect, thank you so much for all your advice!

Can you line a ceiling as well, or is it better to plaster those?

wallbash

KatieDee wrote: »

Perfect, thank you so much for all your advice!

Can you line a ceiling as well, or is it better to plaster those?

I could but I think you are trying to run before you can walk.
Stick to walls.