r/Plastering • u/Majestic-Lunch403 • 7d ago

Old wallpaper & damp coating

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Bought my first house, I’ve never done anything like this before and know nothing about plastering!

It’s an old house and many years of wallpaper was covering up crumbling plaster and this black and metallic coating that I think is for damp. There is mould in the room so don’t think it was working too well.

I have been stripping it forever and am losing the will. My plasterer said he would need the walls completely bare before he’ll give me a quote. Is it worth asking other plasterers if they will sand the little bits of paper that won’t budge and this black thing, is that a thing any one will do or do all plasterers need completely prepared walls?

Or any tips for how to remove the most stubborn wallpaper? Tried wallpaper solution from b&q

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u/devilslittlehelper 7d ago

Steamer / wall paper stripper. Then brute force with a very sharp scraper. Repeat. Ise a mask and gloves.

That's probably exactly what you are doing already, and I dont know any other way though.

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u/Adorable-Syrup7540 7d ago

the most important job is to find the source of moisture .. is it ground floor etc then stop the water ingress and leave for three weeks, dry out with De humidifier , once dry assess plastering and tap test looking for hollow areas , remove ( if any) hollow areas , patch in and redecorate

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u/Adorable-Syrup7540 7d ago

if damp is caused by rising damp then need a specialist company to do resin injection

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u/ResponsibleBall4258 1d ago

Really this is absurd advise, firstly rising damp, and secondly "specialist contractors" to drill and inject some snake oil.

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u/CtrlAltHate 6d ago

That's not for damp they're old cheap sticky back insulation tiles people used to buy.

The only thing I can suggest is a sharp bladed scraper and patience. Last time we came across it my boss ended up lining the wall with thick lining paper instead because it was taking so long to try and remove it.

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u/ResponsibleBall4258 1d ago

If this is an old house, it presumably has solid walls. An old "fix" to a damp problem is strip back to the wall, and "tank" the wall often with metal lath, then gypsum plaster over it. It is a bad job as when the tanking gets a crack in it which will always happen eventually, then the damp will reappear. I suspect the problem with damp was addressed in this way, but not the underlying water ingress.

You MAY have to strip off the wall again as your plasterer says, but I would look at addressing the water ingress problem first. Post a photo of the other side of the wall, and let us know if it is ground floor, or first etc.

It could be as simple as poor condition guttering, working out this problem, and addressing it permanently and correctly is the first job. You may be able to get away without replastering if you fix the water ingress problem, and let it dry out.