Renovation 4th Edition

by Michael Litchfield

  tant, allows you to remove coverings later with-

  S a f e T y a l e R T

  LookiNg

  out destroying the underlying drywall or plaster.

  sharp

  In the old days, a wall was sized, or brushed

  shock hazards near electrical

  This clever magnetic bracelet keeps a single-

  with a glutinous mixture to improve adhesion.

  outlets include steam, wet paste,

  edge razor blade handy. A sharp blade is essen-

  and metal tools.

  But sizing is rarely done today because it’s chem-

  so before

  repairing, stripping, or covering

  tial, especially if you’re working with prepasted

  ically incompatible with many pastes, causing

  walls and ceilings, shut off elec-

  wallcoverings soaked in water. wetted paper will

  them to crystallize, lump, and bubble, creating

  tricity to circuits powering the

  snag a dull blade and rip easily. Blades are far

  voids where the covering is unattached. Instead,

  areas you’ll be working on.

  cheaper than wasted wallcovering.

  professionals use one of the primer-sealers

  Double-check that you’ve shut

  described in “Primer-Sealers for Wallcoverings”

  off those circuits by using a volt-

  above left.

  age tester on each fixture, switch,

  Before you start prep work, remove furniture

  and outlet (see “Testing Using a

  from the room or move it to the center of the

  voltage Tester” on p. 268 ).

  room and cover it with a tarp. That will allow you

  to work faster and be safer. And remove cover

  plates from electrical outlets and switches, which

  you’ll replace after you’ve papered. Speaking of

  safety, always use a voltage tester to be sure elec-

  trical power is off when you trim wallpaper

  around an electrical outlet or switch. A single-

  edge razor blade is recommended here, and you

  wouldn’t want the blade to touch a live conduc-

  tor. Also, set up ladders and scaffolds so they

  don’t wobble. Wear a respirator when applying

  chemicals, and clean up waste as you go.

  542 chapter 19

  PrePPing PainTeD sUrFaces

  scarifying

  Before you wallpaper painted surfaces, figure out

  tooL

  what kind of paint you’ve got and what shape it’s

  Some pros recommend using a scari-

  in. In general, oil-based paints are stable surfaces

  fying tool, such as PaperTiger®, to

  for wallcovering because they aren’t water-

  soluble. Yet some primer-sealers can stabilize

  perforate wallpaper so steam can

  even latex paint. You could scrape off a small

  penetrate. But these tools also can

  patch of paint and have a paint store analyze it,

  perforate drywall and scar the sur-

  but two simple tests should suffice.

  face. damage also can occur if you

  use metal-edged scrapers. So use

  hot towel test. Soak a hand towel in hot water,

  tools like these only as a last resort

  wring it well, and rub the paint vigorously for

  20 to 30 seconds. If paint comes off on the towel,

  when the paste is especially tena-

  you’ve probably got latex. Alternatively, you can

  cious, and use them with great care.

  use duct tape to hold a moist sponge next to a

  Instead, try steaming the wallpaper

  painted surface for 15 minutes before removing

  before scarifying or scraping it.

  the sponge. If you see paint on the sponge,

  it’s latex.

  X-tape test. If paint didn’t come off on your

  towel or sponge, it’s probably oil based. To see

  Check edges and seams first: If they’re peeling

  how well it’s bonded, use a razor blade to score a

  or poorly adhered, strip the wallcovering. But if

  1-in. X lightly in the surface (don’t cut into the

  there are only a few isolated loose spots, use

  drywall or plaster). Press masking tape over the

  seam adhesive to reattach them. Or use a razor

  X, and pull it off quickly: If there’s no paint on

  blade to cut out the loose seams. Then fill voids

  the tape, the paint is well adhered. If paint does

  with spackling compound, allow it to dry, and

  come off, scrape and sand it thoroughly before

  sand lightly with 150-grit sandpaper.

  proceeding.

  Another potential problem is bleed-through

  If the existing paint is a well-adhered glossy

  from metallic wallpaper inks. To test, dampen a

  or semigloss oil-based one, sand it lightly with

  cloth with diluted ammonia (1 part ammonia to

  fine sandpaper (150 grit to 180 grit), using a

  4 parts water) and gently rub the old wallpaper. If

  sanding block or an orbital sander. Then use a

  inks change color (usually, they turn blue-green),

  sponge mop, dampened with water, to remove

  they’ll bleed. To prevent this, seal the old wallpa-

  the sanding dust. Alternately, spray or wipe on

  per with pigmented shellac or a similar stain

  paint deglosser to dull glossy and semigloss

  killer. Allow the sealer to dry thoroughly before

  paint surfaces.

  painting surfaces with a universal primer-sealer.

  If the paint is a well-adhered flat oil-based

  Otherwise, if existing wallpaper is well

  paint, you can begin hanging wallcovering.

  adhered, wipe it with a damp sponge, let it dry,

  Simply rinse the surface with a mild detergent

  and then paint surfaces with pigmented acrylic

  solution to remove grime, rinse with clear water,

  primer-sealer. Tint the primer-sealer to match the

  and allow the surface to dry.

  background color of the new wallcovering.

  Latex paint should be prepared by scraping

  lightly and sanding. You needn’t remove the

  sTriPPing WallPaPer

  entire coat of paint; just sand it enough so the

  Strip existing wallcovering if it is tired or grimy

  primer-sealer can bond. Avoid gouging or rip-

  and can’t be washed, poorly adhered or damaged,

  ping the surface underneath, especially if it’s

  puckered or lumpy because there are too many

  drywall. When you’re done sanding, wipe the

  layers, water stained, moldy, strongly textured, or

  wall clean and apply a coat of pigmented acrylic

  you want to paint the walls. Before you apply new

  primer-sealer.

  wallcovering, repair and prime the finish surfaces.

  Before stripping, reconnoiter. Peel up a corner

  neW WallPaPer over olD

  of the wallpaper in an out-of-the-way place. Then

  You can wallpaper over an existing covering if:

  determine whether the walls are plaster or dry-

   It is not highly textured, as lincrusta,

  wall. Plaster is harder and can survive a lot more

  stringcloth, and bamboo are.

  steaming and scraping than drywall. Next, test

  how easily the wallpaper strips. Peelable and

   There are no promi
nent seams.

  strippable types should be relatively easy to

   There are no more than two layers

  remove if the wall was properly sealed before it

  already on the wall.

  was papered. But if surfaces were not sized or

   The old wallpaper is well bonded.

  Wallpapering

  543

  STRiPPinG WallcoveRinG

  1. Stripping takes patience. Start at one end of a strip,

  2. To remove the paper backing, spray it with a solution 3. applying steam will hasten the

  pulling slowly and steadily so that the strip comes off in a of hot water and a wallpaper stripper such as DiF, which penetration of the stripper solution

  single piece, if possible. This covering was peelable,

  breaks down the paste. allow the solution to soak in three and soften the paste, making removal

  meaning that its facing peeled off, but its paper backing

  to five minutes. Because spraying is messy, place old

  easier. on this wall, heat from a

  remained stuck to the substrate.

  towels or a tarp at the base of the wall.

  nearby heat register had baked the

  paste hard.

  As noted earlier, turn off the electricity to areas

  you’re stripping, and use a voltage tester to be

  strippable Vs. PeeLABLe sure the power is off.

  Strippable wallcovering can be dry stripped (no spraying or steaming needed); both

  Use the least disruptive stripping method.

  the facing and the backing material come off easily, with only a faint paste residue

  Start stripping at the top or bottom of a strip.

  left on the wall. Peelable coverings usually require spraying with a wallpaper-

  Use a putty knife or a plastic scraper to lift an

  edge. Then gently pull off the wallpaper in the

  removing solution or steaming to remove the wallpaper facing. If the paper backing

  largest strips possible. This takes patience.

  is in good shape, it can stay on the wall as a wall liner for the new wallpaper.

  If you can’t pull off the covering or if it begins

  otherwise, remove it, too.

  tearing into small pieces, try spraying a small

  area with a wallpaper-removing solution such as

  Zinsser’s DIF, which is also available as a gel that

  you brush on. A time-tested alternative is 1 cup

  primed first, you’re in for some work. Moreover,

  vinegar per gallon of hot water; sponge on or

  if the unsealed substrate is drywall, stripping the

  apply using a spray bottle. Allow either solution

  wallpaper may destroy the paper face of the dry-

  to soak in for 5 to 10 minutes before trying to

  wall. In theory, you can patch damaged drywall

  pull off the paper. If this method doesn’t work,

  with a coat of joint compound and then seal it

  chances are the paper is vinyl coated and the

  with a PVA primer, but removing the damaged

  solution is not penetrating. In this case, try a

  drywall or covering it with 1⁄4-in. drywall will

  wallpaper steamer. Hold the steamer pan against

  yield far better results.

  the wallcovering long enough for the paste to

  Stripping wallpaper is messy, no matter what

  soften—usually a minute or two—then pull or

  method you use. You’ll need painters’ tarps or old scrape the covering free.

  towels to protect floors from stripping solutions,

  If your wallcovering is peelable, chances are

  water that forms as steam condenses, and sticky

  its facing layer will strip off, leaving the paper

  wallpaper. Canvas tarps, or even old towels, are

  backing stuck to the wall. To remove it, spray or

  better than plastic tarps, which tend to be slip-

  sponge on wallpaper-removing solution, then

  pery. Have trash bags handy for stripped paper.

  apply steam. The backing should release easily;

  544 chapter 19

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  zzzzzz starting and Finishing Points

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  4. a plastic wallpaper smoother-scraper will scrape off

  steamed paper backing without damaging drywall

  Because a room’s final strip of wall-

  beneath. When all paper is off, use a soft-bristle nylon

  covering usually needs to be trimmed

  scrub brush to gently remove paste residue.

  narrower to fit, try to end a job where

  the final strip is inconspicuous. Here the

  job begins and ends in a corner.

  otherwise, use a plastic scraper or smoother to

  remove the backing. When the walls are stripped,

  Mold and Mildew

  wash them with a mild cleaning solution. Then

  rinse and let them dry thoroughly before apply-

  Mold is a discoloration caused by fungi growing on organic matter such as wood,

  ing a primer-sealer. If paste lumps remain,

  paper, or paste. Mildew is essentially the same, but it usually refers to fungi on paper

  remove them with a nylon-bristle scrub brush.

  or cloth. Without sufficient moisture and something to eat, mold (and mildew) can’t

  grow. Mold can grow on the paper and adhesives in drywall, but, technically, mold

  PrePPing raW

  can’t grow on plaster because plaster is inorganic. if your plaster walls are moldy, the

  DryWall or PlasTer

  fungi are growing on grease, soap, dirt, or some other organic film on the plaster.

  Newly installed drywall must be sealed before

  if walls or ceilings are moldy, first alleviate the moisture. To determine the source,

  you hang wallcoverings. Otherwise, the drywall’s

  duct-tape a 1-ft.-sq. piece of aluminum foil to the wall. leave this up for a week. Upon

  paper face will absorb paste, making it impossi-

  removal, if there’s moisture on the back of the foil, the source is behind the walls. if

  ble to remove the covering at a future date with-

  the front of the foil is damp, there’s excessive moisture in the living space, which you

  out damaging the drywall. To seal drywall, apply

  might reduce by installing ventilator fans or a dehumidifier for starters.

  a coat of universal primer-sealer, which is an

  if the drywall or plaster is in good condition, clean off the mold by sponging on a

  excellent base coat for papering and painting.

  mild detergent solution. (although widely recommended, diluted bleach isn’t any more

  Allow gypsum plaster to dry two to three

  effective than a household cleaner.) The sponge should be damp, not wet. rinse with

  weeks before applying either wallcovering or

  clean water, and allow the surface to dry thoroughly. Then paint on a universal

  paint. Uncured plaster contains alkali that is still

  primer-sealer. if you’ll be wallpapering the room, use a mildew-resistant, kitchen-and-


  warm, causing the paint and paste to bubble.

  bath adhesive.

  “Hot plaster” has a dull appearance, whereas

  cured plaster has a slight sheen. Curing time var-

  if mold or water stains are widespread and the drywall has deteriorated, there may

  ies, but keeping the house warm will hasten it.

  be mold in the walls. remove a section of drywall to be sure. if the framing is moldy, it

  Cured plaster can also be coated with universal

  may need to be replaced—a big job and one worth discussing with a mold-abatement

  primer-sealer. (By the way, old lime plaster,

  specialist, especially if family members have asthma or chronic respiratory problems

  which was used until the early 1900s, took a

  (for more, see chapter 14).

  year to cure.)

  Wallpapering

  545

  Before hanging wallcovering, check the trim for plumb

  and level. For example, if the crown molding isn’t level,

  you may need to raise or lower the wallpaper strips so

  molding doesn’t chop off the top of a prominent pattern.

  To determine exactly where seams will occur, mark off

  after determining your starting point, draw a plumb line

  intervals the same width as your wallpaper.

  to indicate the leading edge of the first strip of

  wallcovering.

  546 chapter 19

  Laying Out the Work

  Before ordering materials, check that walls are

  plumb and woodwork is plumb and level. Use a

  zzzzzz room Focal Points

  long, straight board or a 4-ft. spirit level to check

  PICTURE WINDOW

  walls for bumps or dips, and mark them with a

  Centerline

  pencil so you can spot them easily later. You can

  hang almost any wallcovering type or pattern,

  but if door or window casings are markedly out

  of plumb, small patterns make this less obvious

  than large, loud patterns.

  sTarTing anD FinisHing PoinTs

  To decide where to hang the first strip, figure out

  where you want to end. The last strip of wall cov-

  ering almost always needs to be cut to fit, dis-

  rupting the strip’s full-width pattern. So, avoid

  hanging the last strip where it will be conspicuous.

  A common place to begin is one side of a

  main doorway. There, you won’t notice a

  Wallcovering

  narrower strip when you enter the room. And

  when you leave the room, you’ll usually be look-

  PAIRED WINDOWS

  Centerline

  ing through the doorway. The last piece is often a