Surface Preparation: Painting on Poor Condition Lining Paper

[justindelucia]

Hi all,

I'm a new member and this is my first post!

We've been removing some pretty awful looking wallpaper from a hallway recently and have found that half of the room has lining paper behind it. Most of the wallpaper has come off fine, leaving the lining paper in tact (which I'm assuming is fine to just paint straight onto), but in a number of places the lining paper has ripped, leaving behind a bit of a mess (see pic).

My query is - should I try to remove the lining paper in areas where it's torn, or is there a primer/product or simpler way to get this ready for painting? I'm concerned removing the lining paper will be hard and make a mess of the plaster underneath!

Thanks all.

[Ktuludays]

Those edges will want to lift when you paint them. You could fill and sand them and try to paint but i suspect you may have to strip the walls.

[wine~o]

All lining needs removing, depending on what you find after removal will dictate what to do next.

You will need to loosen any light switches/socket plates to get all the lining paper off. Be very careful with any stripping knives around the electrics

[justindelucia]

Thanks both. That's what I thought might be required, but wasn't sure. I'll try to remove it all and see what I'm left with!

[wine~o]

once you've got it all off post up pics of what you are left with/state of walls.

[justindelucia]

Ok Verwood, I'll try to remember to do that

[justindelucia]

I've finished removing all the wallpaper now from this whole room, but haven't really started taking the lining paper off yet, apart from what came off in the process.

Can I query a couple more things if anyone has any wisdom?!

1. As I remove the lining paper it appears there's bare plasterboard underneath - does this sound likely (see pics)?
2. If that's the case, presumably I can't paint straight onto this now. Is the only course of action to get it plastered?

[OchAye]

1. Yes you can have plasterboard underneath the lining paper.

2. You can normally paint over plasterboard but the issue in this case is that you will have wallpaper paste residue on the plasterboard or plaster. So you have two options:

a. Use lots of water elbow grease etc. and wash down the walls until there is no paste left BUT if you have unskimmed plasterboard do not do that.

b. Sand down any parts that feel to have paste left overs (they will be rougher patches). Make good any holes, indentations etc using a quality filler (e.g. Toupret). Finish with all the sanding you need to do, dust the walls. Then use Zinsser Gardz as a first coat which will seal any paste left overs AND at the same time will solve how to paint over bare plaster/plasterboard. Use Gardz as is (undiluted). When you come to paint over Gardz allow a lot longer than what the tin says as before you apply the second coat of paint, paint over Gardz takes longer to dry.

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Just for your information, if you had bare plaster/plasterboard you would normally paint it a first coat with a quality (i.e. trade) paint diluted with some 25% water.

PS. Just to clarify, if you have plaster you can wash it down and remove the paste, if you have bare plasterboard you can't wash it down.

[justindelucia]

Wow that is SO helpful OchAye - really appreciate your advice!! I was stuck, but now I have a good plan to move forward. I think I'll go for option B.

Many thanks indeed!