Best way to strip modern wallpaper from a lime plastered wall without damaging the plaster?

[Spoilt Victorian Child]

Anyone have any advice on the best way to strip a lime plastered wall of modern wallpaper?

I've heard a steamer is a no-go as the excessive moisture can cause the lime plaster to fall off?

I'm expecting some plaster to drop off during the stripping as I can hear it sounding hollow in some areas when I tap it, but a couple of walls and the ceiling don't seem too bad. I'm hoping to keep as much original as I can to hopefully reduce the cost of replastering.

I have 3 walls to do, all brick based, and a ceiling which is lath & plaster.

 

[plasticpigeon]

I would use a steamer. I think there is no magic solution.

 

[Flyfisher]

I suppose it depends on the condition of the lime plaster but I'm not convinced it is overly fragile. I say this because we had a slight flooding incident in an upstairs room that resulted in water flooding the lime plastered ceiling of the room below. The ceiling was so saturated that the paper peeled and completely fell off yet the lime plaster gradually dried out (completely unheated room at that time) without any apparent damage and remains solid today after about five years. We had a far more minor incident in a previous house with plasterboard ceilings and once sodden the plasterboard turned to mush and completely collapsed. Take from that what you will.

 

[livias]

Spot on. Lime plaster in good condition can cope wih being steamed. If it can't cope then it wasn't in good condition and was about to fail anyway.

 

[Spoilt Victorian Child]

Well, I went ahead with a cheap B&Q steamer, but used it as sparingly as I could just to be on the safe side, and all plaster remained intact.

Luckily the paper came off really easily anyway. The bottom third of the walls was anaglypta and I just pulled it off with my hands. With the steamer I got the rest of the room stripped in about 2 hours.

I can now officially say I'm a male stripper.

 

[livias]

Sorry Spoilt Victorian Child but you have missed your opportunity. I was advertising for strippers on Gumtree only a couple of weeks ago. Got seven responses in 24 hours before the site keeled over with the rush ...

And now the weather is good and warm so I really do have strippers on site. She said contentedly

 

[Pennyviz]

I have quite old walls so many layers of paint and woodchip wallpaper. Most came off with just tugging and scraper. Last remaining layer came off by sponging over then scraping. Would avoid steamers if possible as can be quite fierce. If very old wall be aware there may be painted wall decoration on bottom layer worth conserving.

Lime plaster can sound hollow but still be ok as held together by horse hair etc.

Good luck,

Penny

 

[ireneadler101]

My new Victorian house is covered in painted woodchip - I'm planning on using this stuff to get it off - it has good reviews online:

http://www.simplestrip.co.uk

 

[xanthe]

I used warm water, sponge and a scraper to remove woodchip from our lime plaster/daub walls. All came off fairly easily.

Some bits of old plaster were sagging badly away from the wall - used loads of water on and behind the plaster, got everything pretty damp and it seems to have all stuck back on again (it's a year on and no movement as yet) so you can be pretty liberal with the steam I would think.

 

[mims&pip]

My new Victorian house is covered in painted woodchip - I'm planning on using this stuff to get it off - it has good reviews online:

http://www.simplestrip.co.uk

That certainly looks interesting! Sadly a bit late for this house as I'm reaching the end of my tether :roll: Here though we had lime plaster, paint, ancient lining paper, paint, woodchip (of varying types and thicknesses - who would've guessed there were so many different types?) topped with copious layers of emulsion, silk and matt......

However many soakings of water - laced with fabric conditioner and otherwise - scrapers, steamers et al I've thrown at it (and I've been sorely tempted, I can tell you) it just won't shift. Twelve bloomin' rooms plus two staircases over three floors......oh and inside the ruddy cupboards, including the undersides of shelves therein!!! Grrrrrrrr!!!

Mims x