We want to paint some of our bedrooms - only thing is they have various imperfections that woudl show up with being painted over (currently have wallpaper)
Aside from lining paper (which is essentially allpapering again!) are there anyways to somehow get a smooth wall?
Ive been reading a little about plasterboards - can i buy these and stick them to the wall to get a flat surface - any info?
i dont fancy ppaying someone to ocme in and plaster it properly tho!
Either way you won't get a smooth surface without employing a plasterer
How perfect do you want the wall?
f you don't want to have the wall reskimmed by a plasterer, or use lining paper, the only way is to fill any holes with filler, knock off any sticky-outy bits (and fill if necessary), put on a good dust mask, cover everything over or take it out of the room, and sand the wall with sandpaper over a sanding block, or an orbital sander.
You may also find when you strip the wallpaper, that it leaves a paste residue behind that you can only remove by scrubbing with sugar soap. Just painting over it creates a horrible mess.
Personally I'd use lining paper - it doesn't take long to hang, and would be a lot quicker and less messy than any of the methods mentioned above. Does your existing wallpaper have an embossed pattern, or is it flat. If the latter, can you paint over it?
Regards Richard
Do you know how much an average plasterer charges? Can you plaster straoght over conrete walls?
Also Ihave a potential damp problem (see my other post) - would a plastered wall help act as a barreir or would it just crubmle over time because of water coming through?
concrete? - are you in a high rise flat?
Plastering a damp wall is a waste of plaster, you need to:
1) ascertain where and how the damp is getting in. 2)stop it 3) plaster the wall 4) leave to dry, and then paint.
Depends on the part of the country you are in, but a platerer might charge around £150 per day plus materials. For a big job (several rooms including ceilings) s/he might need a labourer to mix the plaster etc. at another £70-£100 per day. It sounds like a lot, but it is generally worth it.
You can plaster straight over concrete (rendered?) walls - this is how it is usually done; get the walls as flat and square as possible with sand and cement render, then skim with plaster for a smooth finish.
Plaster is there to give a smooth finish, It is not a 'cure' for underlying problems such as damp.
If you have damp, you need to fix the source of the problem (such as leaking window frames and guttering) then wait for the wall to dry out.
At that point you can decide if the plaster is bad enough that it needs replacing, or if it is sound and redecorating (using stain block if you have staining from mould) will be enough.
From the tone of your posts it sounds as though you are looking for a 'quick fix' because the cost of a proper fix is daunting.
Most people fall into this trap early on in their DIY careers.
The quick fix, or 'bodge', is a way of throwing money away before you realise that you have to get the job done properly, and spend the money you originally tried to save. It generally costs more in the long run.
Been there, done that, ashamed to wear the T-shirt :-(
HTH
Dave R
I have to agree with this post. I have a few teeshirts but luckily cheap ones. As the OP mentions, the issue may not be too severe and could be along the lines I've posted. Getting condensation and mold patches around the window could relate to cold spots through air getting in from the outside around window frames.
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