Reno advice wanted

[tjbaxter]

My parents are fixing up grandma's old house, but some rooms have about 3 layers of wallpaper. Removing it has proved to damage the gyprock and is an incredibly slow and difficult task, even with a steamer. Painting over it is not an option as it is cracked and sometimes peeling at the edges.
In the main room they had the wall removed and new gyprock, very expensive.
I was wondering whether there is something we could just whack on top of the wall, paper and all, maybe really thin MDF (thinnest I can find is 3mm), and then paint.
Any ideas about what we could use? Is this a viable option, any better ideas.
Appreciate your help
Tim

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I think that in the long run, what you're proposing is really just procrastination. Worse, it could easily lower house value.

A cover up is rarely a durable solution, sooner or later someone is going to have to roll up the sleeves, open the wallet and do more or less as it sounds your parents are already doing: fix the basic surface.

You could always go the "Changing Rooms" route... patch the existing paper to bring it flush, hang some lining paper (run it horizontally, not vertically) and either paint or wallpaper over it. IMHO, this is the simplest, easiest and cheapest option with the least likelihood of taking serious $$$ off the house value. Still only a patch, though.

[Markw]

My house had wallpaper removed by the previous owner where it also took the gyprock paper as well. The gyprock paper was then replaced. What a mess. He must have had topcoat pumped in with an agitator truck.

If the previous owner had though how much of a mess it would have made, he should have replced the gyprock and cornice instead. At least the walls would have been smooth and hopefully a lot "flatter" than they are today.

[magnet 12]

I know exactly how you feel but I would not advise any veneer type covering. That also takes time to measure up , apply etc. Are your parents remembering to score the wallpaper surface with rough sandpaper or similar to allow the steam to penetrate ? Good luck it is a long tedious job.

[bitingmidge]

Magnet's on the money!

You are probably facing a few layers of vinyl coated paper, which was designed for durability. Slash it with a sharp knife every six inches or so till you get a feel for a decent spacing.

Steam from the seams inwards and work slowly, don't try to remove more than one layer at a time, but you can be rough as bags on that first one.

If you are looking for a paint finish once the wallpaper is gone, there is a fibreglass product available in a variety of textures which goes on like wall paper and is designed to be painted over. Makes quick work of covering up crook wall surfaces.

Cheers,

P

[Termite]

Renovating Grandma's old house eh, how did you manage to evict the wolf?

[tjbaxter]

THanks guys, I'll give it a go. Never heard of fibreglass paint before, sounds like it could be the goods. Expensive?

[Eddie Jones]

Bitingmidge, I'm interested in the "fibreglass product" of which you speak. I am also having the problems in this thread, removed old paper, thus damaging wall surface etc etc.

Any further info on this?

[Shedhand]

You can buy a wheeled perforator for removing vinyl wallpaper. Once you've run it over the paper you will find the steamer will do its job perfectly. When we did our place we had the same problem. The previous owner had put cheap and nasty paper wall-paper over vinyl. It was really easy until we got to the vinyl. A painter mate lent us the wheeled perforator which was brilliant.
It doesn't perforate the gyprock.
Cheers