skip to main content

Paint Home Repair The Old House

Wallpaper over plaster, then poorly skim coated, what do we do

2 years ago

We are purchasing a 1910 home that is under renovatio, we don’t have a say in how the renovations are done since we only agreed to purchase once complete. the plaster walls had multiple coats of wallpaper but look solid. The contractor decided the best thing to do was skim coat the walls with drywall mud and paint. They didnt sand very well so the walls look bad, plus in spots you can see the textured flowers of the wallpaper. we are wondering if we should just do another smoother skim coat over the paint or try removing it all down to the plaster.

Featured Answer

rwiegand

2 years ago

Oh yuck!

were it my house I guess I'd try to be happy that there was a wallpaper layer under there that could be perforated to allow me to lift the whole mess off with wallpaper remover and steam. Depending on the condition after that I'd either patch or resurface with plaster (never drywall compound!)

The bozos with their drywall mud should be kept at a large distance from nice old houses!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (12)

klem1
2 years ago
If paper is sound and holding tight,proper skim coat is best use of time and labor. It really sucks that you must approve anything they do and how it's done. Paint they apply over their skim coat might effect adhesion of new skim coat so you would be better off if they left it alone.
phillips088
Original Author
2 years ago
It Has been skim coated and painted. But something else must be done to improve the look of the walls. Are you saying that another skim coat may not stick to the paint?
Related Discussions
Help translating plaster skim-coat proposals?
Q
Comments (7)
We're in the NYC metro area and I'm sure the prices we were quoted reflect that, so suffice it to say that your preference order matches the cost from most to least expensive. As a side note, #2 came from a website, not personally recommended by a trusted friend, and also told me over the phone that he'd do it for less than 1/2 the quoted cost if we did it off the books. Given that I had just met him, I wasn't too keen on the idea of doing anything w/out a written contract, so we kind of crossed him off of our list. What was it about his proposal that you liked - skipping the mesh, removal of the damaged plaster? And if the mesh is not necessary in this scenario, when is it? I thought the purpose of it was to help prevent old cracks from reappearing. This post was edited by aliciaandbilly on Wed, May 29, 13 at 11:10
...See More
How do I repair lifted plaster skim coat?
Q
Comments (4)
Any butt joint without reinforcing tape of some kind installed prior to a skim coat will fail, usually pretty quickly. Masonite is especially unstable so it's somewhat surprising that more seams have not opened up. If you really want to try gluing, I'd opt for cyanoacrylate - aka super glue in the gel form so that it does not run excessively. Non-water containing and sets up fast enough so that a simple brace or even hand pressure would be all that's needed. Not that it makes a great deal of difference, but are you sure the skim coat is actual plaster and not joint compound? I also hate to be pessimistic, but you'll likely have continuing problems with these joints.
...See More
What do I do? I am at my wits end with this wallpaper mess!!
Q
Comments (6)
katybug, you mentioned you don't want it to look bad, so from reading what you are saying, I would much rather take the time and do it right than have to look at a room or wall all the time and never be satisfied because I was in a hurry . If you have knicks, gouges, scrapes, etc. the best thing to do of course is to mud it out; or even if you are going to do a finish with joint compound you are still doing work (unless you want a textured finish). So either way, there is going to need to be work from either way you choose. Just throwing out some of the possibles. Just doing a decorative finish over your wall imperfections with paint is not going to take care of the walls condition, unless you take some other kind of steps to correct what you have mentioned above. One thing for sure after I removed all that paper, I surely wouldn't put anymore up. :)
...See More
New drywall finish question. Skim coat=plaster coat=?
Q
Comments (21)
We did veneer plaster for a couple of reasons. In our regional area, no one does it. We had to go to a specialty supplier and order it in. We found someone who trained in Maine to install it and the only reason it was a bit more expensive than drywall is because our original framing was uneven and we ordered 5/8" thick sheets. I had a pretty strong aversion to drywall after the adventures with mold. Veener plaster is freakin' gorgeous, perfectly smooth and we would do it again in a heartbeat. The feel of it perfectly matches the rest of the house - which is all 1920's plaster. Here, people call the supposedly water resistant drywall "blueboard", so I was surprised by what it looked like (gray, gray and more gray) and that it was made up of two slightly different layers and that it is much harder and denser than drywall. It works pretty well as a sound deadener too! @casey Wow, that is really nice!
...See More
klem1
2 years ago
That is exactly what i am saying. Depend's on type mud and paint. Are you planning to tackle this yourself or geather information for the professional you hire?
phillips088
Original Author
2 years ago
Planning to tackle it ourselves.
phillips088
Original Author
2 years ago
They used drywall mud and the paint they used was Sherwin Williams super paint.
cat_ky
2 years ago
.

If they are not doing the walls right, are you sure that important stuff, like wiring, and plumbing, and structure, and roof, etc, are being done right. Its all something you need to look into. It may turn out to be a money pit for you, or a really bad renovation, that you really do not want to deal with.
klem1
2 years ago
Good point cat. Most unusual arangement. I'm accustom to sellers giving buyers a repair allowance at closing or working off buyers scope of work if doing repair between signing contract and closing.
cat_ky
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Yes, that would be preferable to me too. The skim coat is usually done by a professional, and should have been done right. This sounds like a diy gone bad, so it makes me suspect more important things, like electrical, and plumbing and roofing, etc..
graywings123
2 years ago
What kind of paint can't you skim coat over? I would think that if you sand any wall that is painted, you could then skim coat over it, assuming the paint is adhering to the wall.
phillips088
Original Author
2 years ago
The house was Donated to the historical society who did repairs before selling. We did do inspections and electrical and plumbing look good. We thought the historical society would know what they were doing.
klem1
2 years ago
"We thought the historical society would know what they were doing."

They know what they are doing,so does anyone that has bought or sold a piece of real estate. They are "putting the screws to you". The evidence point's to you being the one who doesn't know what they are doing. If you don't have a realtor repersenting you in this deal,I reccomend you stop worrying about wallpaper and get one right away.

Related Stories

WALL TREATMENTS 11 Ways to Roll With Wallpaper All Over the Home

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

Ditch the misconceptions and latch on to some great ideas for decorating your walls with patterned, textural and colorful wallpaper

DECORATING GUIDES Brush Up on Paintable Wallpaper for a Posh Look

By Lisa Frederick

Customize your wall treatments the affordable way, with richly textured wallpaper painted any color you like

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Get New Wallpaper and Wallcoverings

By Laura Gaskill

Learn about the inventive treatments available today, where to use them and how to find expert installers

WALL TREATMENTS Surface Smarts: Venetian Plaster

By Lisa Frederick

Centuries-old Venetian plaster has made a roaring comeback in modern interiors. Could this old-world wall favorite work in your home?

DECORATING GUIDES Paper Chase: Wallpaper Through the Ages to Today

By Elements of Style

Get on a decorating roll with a wall covering that's been around for centuries but comes in more exciting designs than ever

DECORATING GUIDES A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Wallpaper Right

By Sophie Baylis

Follow these experts’ wallcovering ideas and tips to help ensure a successful outcome

DECORATING GUIDES How to Remove Wallpaper in 4 Steps

By Christine Tusher

Learn the best way to remove wallpaper with only water (and elbow grease) so your next wall treatment will look great

GREAT HOME PROJECTS Considering Wallpaper? Here's How to Get Started

New project for a new year: Give your room a whole new look with the color, pattern and texture of a wall covering

DECORATING GUIDES So Your Style Is: Black, White and Read All Over

By Mary Jo Bowling

Make headlines at home with newsworthy decor

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Bold Wallpaper Kicks Up a Century-Old Craftsman

By Sarah Greenman

Design risks pay off in a Seattle bungalow that combines fearless patterns with subtler colors and a sophisticated practicality

Sponsored

More Discussions

New Home, Fresh Start, What Colors to Paint?

19

Please help us pick the color(s) for our house

7

Open floor plan painting?

14

Kitchen Update Recommendations

3

Do I change the wall paint for selling?

0