wallpaper lifted up

moneylover

lining paper has lifted in several places - mainly behind radiators. Its been painted over at least a couple of times. Is wallpaper paste the best thing to stick it down and if so can you get small packets of paste already made up?

adandem

I would try border/overlap glue. You could also use a strong wallpaper paste, it's dead esy to mix, you simply add water and stir.

You should avoid putting anything wet (washing) on the rads as this will cause the paper to lift again.

LandyAndy

adandem wrote: »

I would try border/overlap glue. You could also use a strong wallpaper paste, it's dead esy to mix, you simply add water and stir.

You should avoid putting anything wet (washing) on the rads as this will cause the paper to lift again.

This is very effective. I used it on a papered ceiling that was peeling all over the place at the seams. Work plenty of it behind and over the lifting paper and smooth flat. It looks a mess until you repaint it but then it is as new.

moneylover

LandyAndy wrote: »

This is very effective. I used it on a papered ceiling that was peeling all over the place at the seams. Work plenty of it behind and over the lifting paper and smooth flat. It looks a mess until you repaint it but then it is as new.

Did you manage to flatten any bit of paper that was lifted in the middle rather than the edge? I have a ceiling where a bit of paper has lifted a few inches and am worried that the paper is just too brittle to touch. But maybe if I put some of the glue underneath if I can and then press gently on the paper it may flatten? If not, well nothing to lose as was expecting to have to take all the paper off, which is a lot of work on a ceiling!

LandyAndy

Do you mean you have a bubble in the middle of the sheet of paper? We had these as well. Use a v.sharp knife to make a slit in the paper across the length of the bubble and then work some glue into the slit and press the paper to the ceiling Spread the 'overspill' on the 'outside' side of the paper. You will need to repaint the ceiling after but it's a lot easier than repapering;)

misgrace

moneylover wrote: »

Did you manage to flatten any bit of paper that was lifted in the middle rather than the edge? I have a ceiling where a bit of paper has lifted a few inches and am worried that the paper is just too brittle to touch. But maybe if I put some of the glue underneath if I can and then press gently on the paper it may flatten? If not, well nothing to lose as was expecting to have to take all the paper off, which is a lot of work on a ceiling!

Is the paper lining paper?, if so I can give you a couple of tips, that if it does tear/rip because its brittle you can fix it without having to strip the whole ceiling, but you would have to repaint the ceiling though.

moneylover

misgrace wrote: »

Is the paper lining paper?, if so I can give you a couple of tips, that if it does tear/rip because its brittle you can fix it without having to strip the whole ceiling, but you would have to repaint the ceiling though.

yes, it is lining paper and tips very welcome please!

misgrace

Here is what I do in a situation like this, when client doesnt want me to strip and re-line the ceiling, and just wants a patch up job.

Try and lift the edges anyway, and see if you can stick it back, PVA is very good for this, or border overlap adhesive,(same thing really)

If that doesnt work, and the paper tears, dont worry, just tear the paper as far back as where it started to bubble/lift/tear.
Tear the paper back as though you were tearing newspaper, and dont cut it back in a straight line with a knife or anything.

Once the paper has torn, you will have the rough jagged torn bits showing, get some old sandpaper, and gently sand these torn /jagged bits till you can get it as smooth as possible, if its tearing up more, then leave it.

Then get some slightly diluted PVA and brush on where you have either sanded or where its torn, this will hold the paper fast onto the ceiling so making it easier for you to do the next bit, and the paper edges wont lift any further.

When the diluted PVA had dried, knock up some powder filler, and spread over where you have ripped the paper, you dont have to apply it thick, sort of give it a skim.
When dry, sand down gently, and feel the filler, if you can still feel any jagged/torn edges, then fill again, the second lot of filler should do it.

Again when dry, gently sand down the 2nd lot of filler, then before you actually give your ceiling a coat of paint, get some thin emulsion, and brush the emulsion on the actual filled bits, leave to dry then do it again, sometimes you have to do this 2-3 times, personally I would do it 3 times.
When its dry, your ready to roll your ceiling with your proper coats of emulsion.

Reason I say brush the filler with the thinned emulsion, is for 2 reasons, 1st reason is, that if you just rolled with your roller over the filler, the roller will lift the filler onto the roller, and will get in a right mess.
2nd reason, is by 'spotting the filler' ( painting the filler using a brush), this will stop the filler showing through your finish coats, or as we say in the trade 'flashing'

Hope this has been of some help to you, any more probs, dont hesitate to ask.:D

Meant to say, if you can get your hand down behind the rads, this works the same, I'm very lucky as I have small hands, and can get behind most rads lol