Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Hi,

This sounds like really stupid question - but bear with me...

How pedantic would you be in washing off the old wallpaper paste after
wallpaper stripping, especially on ceilings?

Obviously, you wouldn't just leave it on in lumps.

I haven't come across such slimy gooey paste before - and I intend to
contribute to the wall paper stripping wiki in due course, so I'd like to
give best advice.

Scenario: Celing paper strips easily with steam, leaving bare plaster and
painted plaster.

More steam and a scraping blade takes off 90% of the paste very quickly.

An immediate wash with hot water and a drop of Flash takes off a bit more
quite quickly, but leaves a thin film of slime that takes inordinate
amounts of hard and repeated washing to shift (as in double the length of
the job).

So far, I've been washing it to the point where there's a hint of slime
whilst wet, and when dry, you can see a faint light haze in patches, but
otherwise you wouldn't know it's there.

Washing it off 100% will probably take as long again (quadruple the original
paper stripping time) as it's an absolute bugger to shift - moreso on the
bare plaster than the paint.

----

Do you reckon this is:

a) Good enough;

b) Too good and I could have stopped after the first scrape and quick wash
off;

c) I need the plaster to be crunchy clean - as in feels rough when wet.

----

I'm rather hoping it's not c) - but if it is, then I'd better do it and
recommend accordingly in the wiki (which should, IMO reflect best practise,
but I'd rather be practical rather than perfect about it...

Cheers

Tim

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Tim S wrote:
Hi,

This sounds like really stupid question - but bear with me...

How pedantic would you be in washing off the old wallpaper paste after
wallpaper stripping, especially on ceilings?

Obviously, you wouldn't just leave it on in lumps.

I haven't come across such slimy gooey paste before - and I intend to
contribute to the wall paper stripping wiki in due course, so I'd like to
give best advice.

Scenario: Celing paper strips easily with steam, leaving bare plaster and
painted plaster.

More steam and a scraping blade takes off 90% of the paste very quickly.

An immediate wash with hot water and a drop of Flash takes off a bit more
quite quickly, but leaves a thin film of slime that takes inordinate
amounts of hard and repeated washing to shift (as in double the length of
the job).

So far, I've been washing it to the point where there's a hint of slime
whilst wet, and when dry, you can see a faint light haze in patches, but
otherwise you wouldn't know it's there.

Washing it off 100% will probably take as long again (quadruple the original
paper stripping time) as it's an absolute bugger to shift - moreso on the
bare plaster than the paint.

----

Do you reckon this is:

a) Good enough;

b) Too good and I could have stopped after the first scrape and quick wash
off;

c) I need the plaster to be crunchy clean - as in feels rough when wet.

----

I'm rather hoping it's not c) - but if it is, then I'd better do it and
recommend accordingly in the wiki (which should, IMO reflect best practise,
but I'd rather be practical rather than perfect about it...

Cheers

Tim

I use a long handled scraper (the Stanley knife type)to skim gunk off
plaster. You need to keep turning it over to keep a sharp edge, and
wiping it clean, but it beats the hell out of washing. It also gets rid
of any gritty bits and leaves you with a baby's bum surface.

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Stuart Noble coughed up some electrons that declared:


I use a long handled scraper (the Stanley knife type)to skim gunk off
plaster. You need to keep turning it over to keep a sharp edge, and
wiping it clean, but it beats the hell out of washing. It also gets rid
of any gritty bits and leaves you with a baby's bum surface.

Hey - I think I've seen those in B&Q. OK - I'm with you here. So you don't
do any more than a cursory wash off afterwards, if at all then?

I'll try this. It would be good to be able to add to the wiki with some more
optimised techniques for particular paper types (I've done good vinyl,
cheap vinyl and painted ceiling paper and they all need different
techniques.)

Thanks muchly;

Tim

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Tim S wrote:
Stuart Noble coughed up some electrons that declared:


I use a long handled scraper (the Stanley knife type)to skim gunk off
plaster. You need to keep turning it over to keep a sharp edge, and
wiping it clean, but it beats the hell out of washing. It also gets rid
of any gritty bits and leaves you with a baby's bum surface.

Hey - I think I've seen those in B&Q. OK - I'm with you here. So you don't
do any more than a cursory wash off afterwards, if at all then?

Usually not at all. I might quickly rub down with sandpaper when it's dry

I'll try this. It would be good to be able to add to the wiki with some more
optimised techniques for particular paper types (I've done good vinyl,
cheap vinyl and painted ceiling paper and they all need different
techniques.)

Thanks muchly;

Tim

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Stuart Noble coughed up some electrons that declared:

Tim S wrote:
Stuart Noble coughed up some electrons that declared:


I use a long handled scraper (the Stanley knife type)to skim gunk off
plaster. You need to keep turning it over to keep a sharp edge, and
wiping it clean, but it beats the hell out of washing. It also gets rid
of any gritty bits and leaves you with a baby's bum surface.

Hey - I think I've seen those in B&Q. OK - I'm with you here. So you
don't do any more than a cursory wash off afterwards, if at all then?

Usually not at all. I might quickly rub down with sandpaper when it's dry

That sounds really optimal. That might make the difference between 1/2 day
and 1 day for a medium sized ceiling which is not to be sniffed at (I've
got 3 to go).

Walls aren't so bad, as washing down is easier, but I'll try this trick on
then too. The advantage with scraping is it knocks the surface off the
paint too, and finds some of the loose plaster(!).

Cheers

Tim

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

"Tim S" wrote in message
...
Hi,

This sounds like really stupid question - but bear with me...

How pedantic would you be in washing off the old wallpaper paste after
wallpaper stripping, especially on ceilings?

Obviously, you wouldn't just leave it on in lumps.

I haven't come across such slimy gooey paste before - and I intend to
contribute to the wall paper stripping wiki in due course, so I'd like to
give best advice.

Scenario: Celing paper strips easily with steam, leaving bare plaster and
painted plaster.

More steam and a scraping blade takes off 90% of the paste very quickly.

An immediate wash with hot water and a drop of Flash takes off a bit more
quite quickly, but leaves a thin film of slime that takes inordinate
amounts of hard and repeated washing to shift (as in double the length of
the job).

So far, I've been washing it to the point where there's a hint of slime
whilst wet, and when dry, you can see a faint light haze in patches, but
otherwise you wouldn't know it's there.

Washing it off 100% will probably take as long again (quadruple the
original
paper stripping time) as it's an absolute bugger to shift - moreso on the
bare plaster than the paint.
0
----

Do you reckon this is:

a) Good enough;

b) Too good and I could have stopped after the first scrape and quick wash
off;

c) I need the plaster to be crunchy clean - as in feels rough when wet.

----

I'm rather hoping it's not c) - but if it is, then I'd better do it and
recommend accordingly in the wiki (which should, IMO reflect best
practise,
but I'd rather be practical rather than perfect about it...

Use chemical wallpaper remover (from B&Q) on the leftover paste. Appears to
make the paste breakdown and easily washable off the wall. Also great for
getting off stuburn wall paper off faster than steaming.

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Tim S wrote:
Hi,

This sounds like really stupid question - but bear with me...

How pedantic would you be in washing off the old wallpaper paste after
wallpaper stripping, especially on ceilings?

Obviously, you wouldn't just leave it on in lumps.

I haven't come across such slimy gooey paste before - and I intend to
contribute to the wall paper stripping wiki in due course, so I'd
like to give best advice.

Scenario: Celing paper strips easily with steam, leaving bare plaster
and painted plaster.

More steam and a scraping blade takes off 90% of the paste very
quickly.

An immediate wash with hot water and a drop of Flash takes off a bit
more quite quickly, but leaves a thin film of slime that takes
inordinate amounts of hard and repeated washing to shift (as in
double the length of the job).

So far, I've been washing it to the point where there's a hint of
slime whilst wet, and when dry, you can see a faint light haze in
patches, but otherwise you wouldn't know it's there.

Washing it off 100% will probably take as long again (quadruple the
original paper stripping time) as it's an absolute bugger to shift -
moreso on the bare plaster than the paint.

----

Do you reckon this is:

a) Good enough;

b) Too good and I could have stopped after the first scrape and quick
wash off;

c) I need the plaster to be crunchy clean - as in feels rough when
wet.

----

I'm rather hoping it's not c) - but if it is, then I'd better do it
and recommend accordingly in the wiki (which should, IMO reflect best
practise, but I'd rather be practical rather than perfect about it...

Cheers

Tim

B is more than ample for painting, strip paper and give it a quick wash and
allow to dry, then prior to paining, a very light sanding will remove almost
all of the remaining paste.

for papering over, simply strip, then after it's completely dried, a light
sanding, then size with dilute PVA.

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Phil L coughed up some electrons that declared:

Tim S wrote:
Hi,

This sounds like really stupid question - but bear with me...

How pedantic would you be in washing off the old wallpaper paste after
wallpaper stripping, especially on ceilings?

Obviously, you wouldn't just leave it on in lumps.

I haven't come across such slimy gooey paste before - and I intend to
contribute to the wall paper stripping wiki in due course, so I'd
like to give best advice.

Scenario: Celing paper strips easily with steam, leaving bare plaster
and painted plaster.

More steam and a scraping blade takes off 90% of the paste very
quickly.

An immediate wash with hot water and a drop of Flash takes off a bit
more quite quickly, but leaves a thin film of slime that takes
inordinate amounts of hard and repeated washing to shift (as in
double the length of the job).

So far, I've been washing it to the point where there's a hint of
slime whilst wet, and when dry, you can see a faint light haze in
patches, but otherwise you wouldn't know it's there.

Washing it off 100% will probably take as long again (quadruple the
original paper stripping time) as it's an absolute bugger to shift -
moreso on the bare plaster than the paint.

----

Do you reckon this is:

a) Good enough;

b) Too good and I could have stopped after the first scrape and quick
wash off;

c) I need the plaster to be crunchy clean - as in feels rough when
wet.

----

I'm rather hoping it's not c) - but if it is, then I'd better do it
and recommend accordingly in the wiki (which should, IMO reflect best
practise, but I'd rather be practical rather than perfect about it...

Cheers

Tim

B is more than ample for painting, strip paper and give it a quick wash
and allow to dry, then prior to paining, a very light sanding will remove
almost all of the remaining paste.

for papering over, simply strip, then after it's completely dried, a light
sanding, then size with dilute PVA.


Jolly good - thanks. I think a sharper scraper and a quick wipe off then.
That should make the job goe twice as quick :)

I'll have a bash at the Wiki this weekend if possible, after I've done some
more work :)

Cheers and thanks!

Tim

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Stuart Noble coughed up some electrons that declared:

I use a long handled scraper (the Stanley knife type)to skim gunk off
plaster. You need to keep turning it over to keep a sharp edge, and
wiping it clean, but it beats the hell out of washing. It also gets rid
of any gritty bits and leaves you with a baby's bum surface.

Good call Stuart!

I got one of the Harris "Throat Slasher" ones with a 3" blade. It did what
you said - nearly all the paste comes off in one scrape and a quick wash
off leaves a nice surface. I use mine in a "drag" mode at about 45 degrees
inclination after a quick steam.

The other advantage is it takes the gloss off any paint too :)

Also handy in "push" mode for trimming off ridges of paint where shelves and
stuff used to be :)

Cheers

Tim

Washing walls prior to PVA-ing, plastering or painting
 

Tim S wrote:
Stuart Noble coughed up some electrons that declared:

I use a long handled scraper (the Stanley knife type)to skim gunk off
plaster. You need to keep turning it over to keep a sharp edge, and
wiping it clean, but it beats the hell out of washing. It also gets rid
of any gritty bits and leaves you with a baby's bum surface.

Good call Stuart!

I got one of the Harris "Throat Slasher" ones with a 3" blade. It did what
you said - nearly all the paste comes off in one scrape and a quick wash
off leaves a nice surface. I use mine in a "drag" mode at about 45 degrees
inclination after a quick steam.

Glad you like it. I use push mode for everything, two handed where
possible. I'm so hunky :-)


The other advantage is it takes the gloss off any paint too :)

Also handy in "push" mode for trimming off ridges of paint where shelves and
stuff used to be :)

Cheers

Tim


I got a pack of spare blades with it 5 years ago, and I've only used
one. The wet plaster dust seems to keep it honed to perfection.