The Great Wallpaper Debacle

Post Reply
 
User avatar
coaledsweat
Site Moderator
Posts: 13763
Joined: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 2:05 pm
Location: Guilford, Connecticut
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
Coal Size/Type: Pea

Post by coaledsweat » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 11:16 am

So I'm refreshing the downstairs bathroom, the 37 year old wallpaper has to go according to the bride. I peel the paper off using a paper tiger and DIFF. Works pretty good. The problem is the two drunks that built the place did not prep the drywall properly. Looks like one coat of primer if that. Anyway, got a bunch of wall board paper coming up and you know when painting it more will lift. Not dealing with that. I sniffed around and found Zinnser GARDZ, a milky looking product that dries clear. It penetrates the residual glue, paper and into the drywall gypsum itself leaving a solid, water impervious surface. So I paint the stuff on (it's like water), dries in 3 hours. Make the repairs with mud and sand. Re seal with GARDZ and it's ready to paint, no primer needed. Leaves a waterproof, even surface, not bad for $30. I'm impressed.

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17980
Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
Location: Chazy, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr

Post by Rob R. » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 11:33 am

Good to know, that sounds like a good product.

I had a similar problem and ended up calling a wall paper guy. He must have had.a different bag of tricks, because he had all of the old paper off in one morning and the wall prepped for paint by the end of the day.

 
User avatar
coaledsweat
Site Moderator
Posts: 13763
Joined: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 2:05 pm
Location: Guilford, Connecticut
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
Coal Size/Type: Pea

Post by coaledsweat » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 12:18 pm

There's a big difference between the old true paper wallpaper and the newer composites as far as taking it off. The newer stuff is harder to get a remover through it. The big problem is if the drywall isn't prepped properly for wallpaper, you get a disaster removing it.


 
lincolnmania
Member
Posts: 2684
Joined: Fri. Jan. 26, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Birdsboro PA.
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 350
Hot Air Coal Stoker Furnace: reading allegheny stoker
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: alaska kodiak stoker 1986. 1987 triburner, 1987 crane diamond
Coal Size/Type: rice

Post by lincolnmania » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 12:24 pm

i used a wagner wallpaper steamer on my laundry room. dad got a real deal on some unglued wallpaper back in 1992 when we finished that room. he glued it on there good!
i had to steam all that off then steam off the glue. then repaired and primed the walls with oil based primer.
2 more large wallpapered rooms to go, not looking forward to them. the dining room wallpaper is mostly good, one wall ripped by the kids. i have matching paper although it's not faded, will have to cover that whole wall. the living room paper is peeling off bad in the corner from the house moving. dad and i put that up in 1988 iirc.

 
rberq
Member
Posts: 6445
Joined: Mon. Apr. 16, 2007 9:34 pm
Location: Central Maine
Hand Fed Coal Stove: DS Machine 1300 with hopper
Coal Size/Type: Blaschak Anthracite Nut
Other Heating: Oil hot water radiators (fuel oil); propane

Post by rberq » Thu. Dec. 14, 2017 3:13 pm

If the old paper is securely adhered, we have had no problem going right over it with new paper. One problem is, if the seams were overlapped instead of butted, then the overlaps may show right through the new paper, depending on the pattern. Paper with vertical lines pretty much hides the old seams; paper with other patterns does not.

A little joint compound can repair tears/gouges in the old paper so the surface is flush for new paper. We have a hallway where several layers of old paper were the only thing holding the crumbly plaster in place. I reinforced the loose seams and tender spots with fiberglass mesh tape with sheetrock screws driven through the tape, then a careful application of mud tapering to the solid areas, then new wallpaper. Now that the kids no longer whap tennis balls against the walls to hear the plaster tinkle, the fix has held up very well.

 
User avatar
Rob R.
Site Moderator
Posts: 17980
Joined: Fri. Dec. 28, 2007 4:26 pm
Location: Chazy, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: EFM 520
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Chubby Jr

Post by Rob R. » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 5:46 am

The big problem is if the drywall isn't prepped properly for wallpaper, you get a disaster removing it.
The guy that hung my wall paper put a few coats of primer on the walls, and then something else that I was not familiar with. To your point, he said proper prep. of the surface made all the difference in removing the paper later.

Our wallpaper was made by York Wallcoverings. Excellent product.


 
User avatar
Uglysquirrel
Member
Posts: 1205
Joined: Mon. Jan. 07, 2008 8:27 pm

Post by Uglysquirrel » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 7:28 am

Wallpaper would not exist as a concept if Eve did not exist. Or for that matter some variants of Adam that were obviously gay.

 
User avatar
coaledsweat
Site Moderator
Posts: 13763
Joined: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 2:05 pm
Location: Guilford, Connecticut
Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
Coal Size/Type: Pea

Post by coaledsweat » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 8:03 am

Ug, are you filling in for Dave McBeth in his absense?

 
LehighanthraciteMatt
Verified Business Rep.
Posts: 742
Joined: Thu. Sep. 29, 2016 1:02 pm
Stoker Coal Boiler: Van Wert
Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning
Coal Size/Type: Rice,Buck, and Nut

Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 8:06 am

Generally when I deal with an issue of wall paper I just cover the walls in 1/4 inch sheetrock and start from scratch

 
Qtown1835
Member
Posts: 705
Joined: Sat. Nov. 08, 2014 11:47 am
Location: Quakertown, PA
Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker '81 KA4 (online 1/16/17)
Coal Size/Type: WAS Lehigh Rice (TBD)
Other Heating: EFM SPK600

Post by Qtown1835 » Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 12:21 pm

LehighanthraciteMatt wrote:
Fri. Dec. 15, 2017 8:06 am
Generally when I deal with an issue of wall paper I just cover the walls in 1/4 inch sheetrock and start from scratch
Same here. I dont mess with wallpaper anymore. Wallboard is cheap and quick to hang.

Post Reply

Return to “House, Gardening & DIY Projects”