Painting a wallpaper stripped wall

[Orson Kart]

Hello

We've just stripped a layer of wallpaper off in order to paint the walls but found that removing the wallpaper has also removed some of the underlying paint, down to the plaster. I'd say around 10% of the wall is down to the plaster. The stripped walls are in good condition, but the plaster bits are recessed by a couple of coats of paint.

The house is around 15 years old and the room 10x10ft. I'd assume it just had a couple of coats of builders magnolia. What would you recommend I do:

A. Redo the room in lining paper and paint over the top.

b. Dab the plaster bits with a watered down solution of magnolia and then do another coat on the plaster bits in a futile attempt to bring them up to the same 'height' as the still painted bits. Then paint over the lot with a roller. Are we likely to still see the plaster bits with this approach?

Any ideas welcome. I start tomorrow.

TIA

[JustMe]

Not an expert, but if the areas are relatively small, couldn't you use a little light filler, applied so that it stands a little proud of the surrounding paint and then sanded down to be even? Or sand the paint around the area so that the transition from painted to plaster is smoother?

I'm about to paint a room which is the opposite: stripped off the paper to bare plaster beneath, but one or two patches of thick paint which the previous owner used as testers for the skirting board paint. The room will require a few coats anyway, so I'm just going to paint over it - this worked well in other rooms.

[Orson Kart]

The trouble is there are small bits (inch square) and there's large bits (foot square). The small bits wouldn't be too bad, but I'd have to do something different with the larger bits.

I may do that, but thought that if I attempted to fill the patches with paint, the proud edge of the existing paint will 'catch' the paint.

I'll do it somehow, I just wondered what other people have had success with.

Many thanks.

[Jim]

I have had this very problem.....many times.

My solution is simple, buy some filler that is designed for skimming over newly erected plasterboard and, using a suitably wide applicator, skim it over the offending paint 'steps'. You don't have to go over the clear plaster areas, just the 'steps'. It will dry very quickly, perhaps half an hour. Then rub gently with sandpaper on a sanding block.

You can buy this type of filler from Wickes. It sounds tiresome but it's soon done and works without a trace. Used this system on removed wallpaper on many occasions.

Good luck.

Jim

[LJ.]

Hello Orse'

Well it depends on what sort of finish you'll be happy with afterwards. Personally I would go for re-lining paper the walls. Use a really thick grade paper and hang horizontally. Always allow the paper to soak and very slightly overlap so that the paper dries butted when it shrinks. Of course make sure that you prepare the walls as best as you can. It is more work and expense this way but always worth it in the long run. Good luck and stick at it!

[BobS]

Don't you mean vertically - needs to be horizontal only if you are to wallpaper over. Otherwise I agree - lining paper is the best answer. BobS

Always allow the paper to soak and very

[LJ.]

Well Bob... You are quite right about walls being lined horizontally if wall papering afterwards, but in the case of painting or emulsioning over after lining, it dont really matter. It is a personal perference on my part I suppose.

I have found that hanging lining paper horizontally and then painting is less noticable because everyone expects paper to be vertically hung. Sometimes vertically hung emulsioned lining paper has the appearance of 'not having bothered to strip the paper before emulsioning'! Also the illusion of horizontally hung paper makes a room look wider than it actually is. Wheather the paper is hung vertically or horizontally, the important thing is that it is put up properly. LJ.

[Orson Kart]

Aye, that's the problem. Thanks for your advice.

[a.n.other]

you could feather the edges with sand paper