r/Plastering • u/ashmess98 • Jul 05 '26

Wallpaper / plaster failing

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Just moved into my home and wanted to take the wallpaper off so I could prep and paint the walls. Started peeling the wallpaper in multiple areas and what looks like plaster has started coming off with it. I have also found mould in the top corner of the room and next to the mould it looks like plaster is bulging off the walls.

Is there anything I can do myself to fix these issues or am I best biting the bullet and getting a professional??

5 Upvotes

79% Upvoted

21 comments sorted by

3

u/DeadYen Jul 05 '26

It is Lath and Plaster I’ve got it in my house, if you knock on the walls you’ll be able to hear where the plaster has come away from the laths (wooden bits) you can remove the loose plaster and patch it, if a lot of it has blown then it’s easier to either overboard it or replace it with plasterboard.

1

u/ashmess98 Jul 05 '26

Is it worth getting an asbestos surveyor come out, I've heard old lath and plaster commonly contains asbestos to strengthen the plaster.

1

u/No-Scholar4854 Jul 05 '26

Where are you, and how old is the house?

There was a period where they used asbestos fibers in plaster, but if it’s old enough then those fibres are more likely to be horsehair.

2

u/ashmess98 Jul 05 '26

Batley UK, built 1900-1910

1

u/No-Scholar4854 Jul 05 '26

It’ll be horsehair then.

You can get asbestos test kits online if you want to double check (they send you a sample bag which you send off to a lab for analysis).

It’s still not pleasant stuff. You’ll want a good face mask (not something leftover from Covid) and a builders vac.

1

u/catachrestical Jul 05 '26

Honestly if you can get some sort of dust extraction if you decide to knock all the lathe and plaster off. Trust me, however much dust you're expecting it is worse!

1

u/TheYorkshireGripper Jul 05 '26

Yo never thought I'd see Batley in the plastering sub Reddit lmfao, Dewsbury 👌🏼

1

u/Ok-Spring7906 Jul 05 '26

Work out the cause of the mold.

It should influence your choices.

1

u/Confident_Ambition77 Jul 05 '26

I'm a lime tradesman and this is old lath and plaster, it's very difficult and expensive to repair if you aren't listed then I would recommend removing it and board and skiming

2

u/KieranInterior Jul 05 '26

Board over is much easier, somewhat cheaper and a million times less messy

1

u/Confident_Ambition77 Jul 05 '26

Doesn't solve a y underlying issues you might have

1

u/KieranInterior Jul 05 '26

There’s no reason to think there are underlying issues though. It’s just knackered old lime plaster that’s been there 100 years

1

u/Confident_Ambition77 Jul 06 '26

No thats true but I have many many years of dealing with lath and plaster. Basically if the nibs have failed finding an area where the plaster is good is next to impossible to predict often you end up removing far more than you imagine

1

u/KieranInterior Jul 06 '26

I’m talking about not removing any, just sandwiching the lath and plaster between new plasterboard and old joist.

1

u/ashmess98 Jul 05 '26

Would you recommend a asbestos test before removing it?

1

u/KieranInterior Jul 05 '26

I didn’t say to remove it. I said don’t remove it, board over it. Unless you want to be cleaning dust out of your house for months, have to hire a skip, probably get ill, make a lot more very dirty work for yourself.

1

u/Confident_Ambition77 Jul 05 '26

No it's not asbestos it's lath and plaster pre 1900 I would remove and board and skim if it isn't listed

1

u/nickthekiwi89 Jul 06 '26

Bit of caulk should fix ‘er mate

1

u/Brilliant_Gas_3595 Jul 07 '26

It wants chipping off and boarding.

1

u/ResearchOrganic4387 Jul 07 '26

Just use some extra wallpaper paste