Hi all, (Sorry if this is a second sending, 12 hours have gone by and
it is not showing up for me)

I began a wallpaper removal in a kitchen using a steamer and now
discover that the very bottom layer is contact paper, ugh. The
contact paper is pulling the facing off of the wallboard! The walls
are not sheetrock, it has some type of pressed paper as a core. How
do I repair the damage so far? .....do I put a skim coat or mud on
the surface? If I need to skim coat the walls do I need to be as
concerned about pulling the facing off? Will the facing need to be
replaced? It may be faster and easier for me to pull the facing off
and make repairs after, put on a new facing or skim coating. Are
there other things or ways to go forward that I am missing? Maybe
skim coating over the wallpaper that has been peeling?

The good news is that the steamer is taking off the top 2 layers :-) .
Right now work is at a stop but it won't be long before the wife
starts asking questions.

HELP!

Bill C.

Bill C. wrote in message
...
Hi all, (Sorry if this is a second sending, 12 hours have gone by and
it is not showing up for me)

I began a wallpaper removal in a kitchen using a steamer and now
discover that the very bottom layer is contact paper, ugh. The
contact paper is pulling the facing off of the wallboard! The walls
are not sheetrock, it has some type of pressed paper as a core. How
do I repair the damage so far? .....do I put a skim coat or mud on
the surface? If I need to skim coat the walls do I need to be as
concerned about pulling the facing off? Will the facing need to be
replaced? It may be faster and easier for me to pull the facing off
and make repairs after, put on a new facing or skim coating. Are
there other things or ways to go forward that I am missing? Maybe
skim coating over the wallpaper that has been peeling?

The good news is that the steamer is taking off the top 2 layers :-) .
Right now work is at a stop but it won't be long before the wife
starts asking questions.



I would just reface it with 1/4" drywall since the existing wall is not
standard.

Thinking about this a little more....I did not get to the core. The
smooth part of the facing pulled off leaving the back part of the
facing that I mistook for the core. So what I will have if I continue
this way is an unfinished paper surface.

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:05:39 -0400, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


Bill C. wrote in message
.. .
Hi all, (Sorry if this is a second sending, 12 hours have gone by and
it is not showing up for me)

I began a wallpaper removal in a kitchen using a steamer and now
discover that the very bottom layer is contact paper, ugh. The
contact paper is pulling the facing off of the wallboard! The walls
are not sheetrock, it has some type of pressed paper as a core. How
do I repair the damage so far? .....do I put a skim coat or mud on
the surface? If I need to skim coat the walls do I need to be as
concerned about pulling the facing off? Will the facing need to be
replaced? It may be faster and easier for me to pull the facing off
and make repairs after, put on a new facing or skim coating. Are
there other things or ways to go forward that I am missing? Maybe
skim coating over the wallpaper that has been peeling?

The good news is that the steamer is taking off the top 2 layers :-) .
Right now work is at a stop but it won't be long before the wife
starts asking questions.



I would just reface it with 1/4" drywall since the existing wall is not
standard.

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:32:35 -0400, Bill C. wrote:

Thinking about this a little more....I did not get to the core. The
smooth part of the facing pulled off leaving the back part of the facing
that I mistook for the core. So what I will have if I continue this way
is an unfinished paper surface.

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:05:39 -0400, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


Bill C. wrote in message
. ..
Hi all, (Sorry if this is a second sending, 12 hours have gone by and
it is not showing up for me)

I began a wallpaper removal in a kitchen using a steamer and now
discover that the very bottom layer is contact paper, ugh. The
contact paper is pulling the facing off of the wallboard! The walls
are not sheetrock, it has some type of pressed paper as a core. How
do I repair the damage so far? .....do I put a skim coat or mud on
the surface? If I need to skim coat the walls do I need to be as
concerned about pulling the facing off? Will the facing need to be
replaced? It may be faster and easier for me to pull the facing off
and make repairs after, put on a new facing or skim coating. Are
there other things or ways to go forward that I am missing? Maybe
skim coating over the wallpaper that has been peeling?

The good news is that the steamer is taking off the top 2 layers :-) .
Right now work is at a stop but it won't be long before the wife
starts asking questions.



I would just reface it with 1/4" drywall since the existing wall is not
standard.

Have you considered a heat gun on low setting or even a steam iron? I
would think warming the adhesive a bit would allow you to then peel the
contact paper off. Whatever reside is left could then be sanded lightly,
primed and finished.

If the heat gun (or hair dryer) works, the mess should be less. How big
of an area?



--

=================================================
Franz Fripplfrappl

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:44:09 -0400, Bill C. wrote:

Hi all, (Sorry if this is a second sending, 12 hours have gone by and
it is not showing up for me)

I began a wallpaper removal in a kitchen using a steamer and now
discover that the very bottom layer is contact paper, ugh. The contact
paper is pulling the facing off of the wallboard! The walls are not
sheetrock, it has some type of pressed paper as a core. How do I repair
the damage so far? .....do I put a skim coat or mud on the surface? If
I need to skim coat the walls do I need to be as concerned about pulling
the facing off? Will the facing need to be replaced? It may be faster
and easier for me to pull the facing off and make repairs after, put on
a new facing or skim coating. Are there other things or ways to go
forward that I am missing? Maybe skim coating over the wallpaper that
has been peeling?

The good news is that the steamer is taking off the top 2 layers :-) .
Right now work is at a stop but it won't be long before the wife starts
asking questions.

HELP!

Bill C.


Having reread your post, I think I might avoid anything that has steam or
moisture. Damage to what surface there is beneath the mess may be
partially caused by the moisture. Still opt for a hairdryer or heat gun
to soften adhesive on contact paper. I would then apply a couple thin
layers of drywall compound and work it smooth to match rest of wall.




--

=================================================
Franz Fripplfrappl

If your house was built in the 40s to early 50s you may have one of many
paper fiber wallboard products that were tried during that time. Their fire
resistance is nil, their water resistance is also nil plus they are easily
damaged and hard to repair. Drywall mud may cause it to swell and the mud
may not bond properly, you need to test it first.

Personally, I would tear it all down, replace any insulation that may or may
not exist, add a draft barrier against the outside sheathing boards, replace
the wiring with modern grounded cables, add phone or TV cables as needed,
fix or replace any old plumbing in the walls and repair any problem areas,
add a proper vapor barrier then drywall the wall. Your house will be a
better place because of the work. Anything else is just a patch on the old
problems which will not go away.

"Bill C." wrote in message
...
Hi all, (Sorry if this is a second sending, 12 hours have gone by and
it is not showing up for me)

I began a wallpaper removal in a kitchen using a steamer and now
discover that the very bottom layer is contact paper, ugh. The
contact paper is pulling the facing off of the wallboard! The walls
are not sheetrock, it has some type of pressed paper as a core. How
do I repair the damage so far? .....do I put a skim coat or mud on
the surface? If I need to skim coat the walls do I need to be as
concerned about pulling the facing off? Will the facing need to be
replaced? It may be faster and easier for me to pull the facing off
and make repairs after, put on a new facing or skim coating. Are
there other things or ways to go forward that I am missing? Maybe
skim coating over the wallpaper that has been peeling?

The good news is that the steamer is taking off the top 2 layers :-) .
Right now work is at a stop but it won't be long before the wife
starts asking questions.

HELP!

Bill C.

"franz fripplfrappl" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:32:35 -0400, Bill C. wrote:

Thinking about this a little more....I did not get to the core. The
smooth part of the facing pulled off leaving the back part of the facing
that I mistook for the core. So what I will have if I continue this way
is an unfinished paper surface.

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:05:39 -0400, "John Grabowski"
wrote:


Bill C. wrote in message
...
Hi all, (Sorry if this is a second sending, 12 hours have gone by and
it is not showing up for me)

I began a wallpaper removal in a kitchen using a steamer and now
discover that the very bottom layer is contact paper, ugh. The
contact paper is pulling the facing off of the wallboard! The walls
are not sheetrock, it has some type of pressed paper as a core. How
do I repair the damage so far? .....do I put a skim coat or mud on
the surface? If I need to skim coat the walls do I need to be as
concerned about pulling the facing off? Will the facing need to be
replaced? It may be faster and easier for me to pull the facing off
and make repairs after, put on a new facing or skim coating. Are
there other things or ways to go forward that I am missing? Maybe
skim coating over the wallpaper that has been peeling?

The good news is that the steamer is taking off the top 2 layers :-) .
Right now work is at a stop but it won't be long before the wife
starts asking questions.



I would just reface it with 1/4" drywall since the existing wall is not
standard.

Have you considered a heat gun on low setting or even a steam iron? I
would think warming the adhesive a bit would allow you to then peel the
contact paper off. Whatever reside is left could then be sanded lightly,
primed and finished.

If the heat gun (or hair dryer) works, the mess should be less. How big
of an area?



--

=================================================
Franz Fripplfrappl

I think the heat gun idea is worth a try. Any damage you have left on the
surface of the drywall can be skim coated with new mud, you can patch just
about any damage up to small holes. If its worse, get out a utility knife,
score and cut the drywall all the way through, pull it off and replace it.
Right now it sounds like you are decomposing a paper laminate thats glued
down.

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:44:09 -0400, Bill C. wrote:

Hi all, (Sorry if this is a second sending, 12 hours have gone by and
it is not showing up for me)

I began a wallpaper removal in a kitchen using a steamer and now
discover that the very bottom layer is contact paper, ugh. The
contact paper is pulling the facing off of the wallboard! The walls
are not sheetrock, it has some type of pressed paper as a core. How
do I repair the damage so far? .....do I put a skim coat or mud on
the surface? If I need to skim coat the walls do I need to be as
concerned about pulling the facing off? Will the facing need to be
replaced? It may be faster and easier for me to pull the facing off
and make repairs after, put on a new facing or skim coating. Are
there other things or ways to go forward that I am missing? Maybe
skim coating over the wallpaper that has been peeling?

The good news is that the steamer is taking off the top 2 layers :-) .
Right now work is at a stop but it won't be long before the wife
starts asking questions.

HELP!

Bill C.
Thanks for the responses.

I will not be replacing the drywall. I did use a heat gun on low
setting and the contact paper did peel off, unfortunately the finished
paper layer also bubbled and peeled off so much that I carefully
peeled off the contact paper on that wall leaving a brown unfinished
paper layer over the the core. Actually the layer(s) of brown paper
is rather thick. And I got lucky, only one wall was not prepped well
before the contact paper was applied. All of the other walls had a
good coat of paint under and the contact paper peeled without any heat
or damage to the walls. Now I only have several parts where only
wallpaper was applied and the steamer will take care of that. So I
will be sealing the damaged wall with a Zinsser product and skim
coating.

The project has grown and I am removing the drop ceiling and adding
about a foot of board at the top to meet the tin ceiling. So drywall
prep work is something tha I am going to get familiar with.

Bill C.