Walls: Plaster or Lining Paper?

paperclap

Hello,

We've just had our bungalow fitted with a plethora of additional sockets fitted throughout (prior, it had very few sockets).

Our walls are currently old plaster with lining paper over the top.

Having had our walls chased out, and a lot of bad lining paper work done by the previous owner, we're going to redo our walls.

After having stripped off the old lining paper... the question is: do we replaster the walls, or reline the walls (with lining paper)?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of both?

Thank you in advance.

ryan7

It depends on the state of the wall.

Plaster is going to give a better finish if you want to paint the walls. If you like to give your walls a fresh coat or change colour scheme regularly then plaster gives you that flexibility 

Good quality Lining paper will hide bumps and uneven walls when you eventually put your wallpaper over it and is cheaper alternative.

paperclap

ryan7 said:

It depends on the state of the wall.

Plaster is going to give a better finish if you want to paint the walls. If you like to give your walls a fresh coat or change colour scheme regularly then plaster gives you that flexibility 

Good quality Lining paper will hide bumps and uneven walls when you eventually put your wallpaper over it and is cheaper alternative.

Sorry, probably should have said what we're planning to do with them! We're going to be painting them, not applying wallpaper.

I've never understood how lining paper can "hide bumps". Surely any surface, whether it be bare plaster, lining paper, paint, etc would show a bump if a bump is present?

fenwick458

if you are going to paint it, the only logical solution is to plaster it. 

wallpapering is quick and easy and theres no mess. especially if you just paper over the existing. trouble is it just doesn't last and is not durable and it needs replacing every few years

Ectophile

fenwick458 said:

if you are going to paint it, the only logical solution is to plaster it. 

wallpapering is quick and easy and theres no mess. especially if you just paper over the existing. trouble is it just doesn't last and is not durable and it needs replacing every few years

You can paint lining paper.  That's pretty much what it's for.

fenwick458

Ectophile said:

fenwick458 said:

if you are going to paint it, the only logical solution is to plaster it. 

wallpapering is quick and easy and theres no mess. especially if you just paper over the existing. trouble is it just doesn't last and is not durable and it needs replacing every few years

You can paint lining paper.  That's pretty much what it's for.

I never said you couldn't.

let me rephrase what I said, If I wanted a smooth wall that looked good when painted just one colour, then it'll look better if it's plastered. if you are going to try and paint over lining paper this may work out slightly cheaper at first and be a lot less mess at first, but it won't look as good. you'll be able to see joints in the paper.  and in 5 years it'll probably start peeling off. also any damage to the wall it harder to repair without replacing an entire strip of paper.

only time I would use wallpaper was if I wanted a feature wall with some patterned paper. I wouldn't ever I doubt, but I do understand that's quite common now

or I'd probably use lining paper to quickly fix up a house before I sold it, because I wouldn't be interested in the durability of it

neilmcl

laurencewhymark said:

ryan7 said:

It depends on the state of the wall.

Plaster is going to give a better finish if you want to paint the walls. If you like to give your walls a fresh coat or change colour scheme regularly then plaster gives you that flexibility 

Good quality Lining paper will hide bumps and uneven walls when you eventually put your wallpaper over it and is cheaper alternative.

Sorry, probably should have said what we're planning to do with them! We're going to be painting them, not applying wallpaper.

I've never understood how lining paper can "hide bumps". Surely any surface, whether it be bare plaster, lining paper, paint, etc would show a bump if a bump is present?

Depends on the thickness of the paper. If the sub surface is poor you either have the option of reskimming or choose to repair and smooth out the defects with fillers and use a thick lining paper. Some people just don't want to go through all the mess and time/effort getting the walls reskimmed or plastered and opt for a lining paper instead.

neilmcl

fenwick458 said:

Ectophile said:

fenwick458 said:

if you are going to paint it, the only logical solution is to plaster it. 

wallpapering is quick and easy and theres no mess. especially if you just paper over the existing. trouble is it just doesn't last and is not durable and it needs replacing every few years

You can paint lining paper.  That's pretty much what it's for.

I never said you couldn't.

let me rephrase what I said, If I wanted a smooth wall that looked good when painted just one colour, then it'll look better if it's plastered. if you are going to try and paint over lining paper this may work out slightly cheaper at first and be a lot less mess at first, but it won't look as good. you'll be able to see joints in the paper.  and in 5 years it'll probably start peeling off. also any damage to the wall it harder to repair without replacing an entire strip of paper.

only time I would use wallpaper was if I wanted a feature wall with some patterned paper. I wouldn't ever I doubt, but I do understand that's quite common now

or I'd probably use lining paper to quickly fix up a house before I sold it, because I wouldn't be interested in the durability of it

Not if it's done properly. All joints should be filled so if applied correctly you shouldn't be able to tell that lining paper's been used at all and I've never seen any of my wallpaper peel off in the many years that it's been up.

Grenage

Lining paper done properly looks absolutely fine.  Our house has it all over the place; you can't see the joins and it's been up for many decades.

paperclap

fenwick458 said:

Ectophile said:

fenwick458 said:

if you are going to paint it, the only logical solution is to plaster it. 

wallpapering is quick and easy and theres no mess. especially if you just paper over the existing. trouble is it just doesn't last and is not durable and it needs replacing every few years

You can paint lining paper.  That's pretty much what it's for.

I never said you couldn't.

let me rephrase what I said, If I wanted a smooth wall that looked good when painted just one colour, then it'll look better if it's plastered. if you are going to try and paint over lining paper this may work out slightly cheaper at first and be a lot less mess at first, but it won't look as good. you'll be able to see joints in the paper.  and in 5 years it'll probably start peeling off. also any damage to the wall it harder to repair without replacing an entire strip of paper.

only time I would use wallpaper was if I wanted a feature wall with some patterned paper. I wouldn't ever I doubt, but I do understand that's quite common now

or I'd probably use lining paper to quickly fix up a house before I sold it, because I wouldn't be interested in the durability of it

This was my main issue with using lining paper.

We've been quoted ~£700 to plaster two bedrooms, living room and hallway... so not terrible. Think I'll just run with it being plastered!

ryan7

That is a very good price for plastering.
I'd bite their arm if offered that.