Toby Newell
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can often help and often not, yes you should try everything, sometimes it pops off plaster. Often a sharp scraper works best if the paint is thick enough as it's usually brittle.
- Thread starter Quiddy
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Stevers
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In my basement I've used a heat gun to remove gloss paint from lime plaster, and not had any plaster pop off as a result. Under the modern gloss there's a layer of a brown eggshell paint that is more resistant to the hot air gun, but as that's very well attached I just take off as much of that as comes off fairly easily. What's left I'll smooth over with Polyfilla (not much more than a paint film thick max) to take out the worst surface irregularities, and with a couple of coats of contract matt emulsion, any lesser imperfections just add a bit of character. It's a semi basement, and all the walls that retain lime plaster and original finishes are above ground and free of rising or penetrating damp.
There's no single magic answer to any of these queries, it's what works for the person doing the job, and the pecularities of the job that needs doing. As has been said before, for us DIYers, the experience we needed to do a really good job will be there in spades, just after we finish it!
There's no single magic answer to any of these queries, it's what works for the person doing the job, and the pecularities of the job that needs doing. As has been said before, for us DIYers, the experience we needed to do a really good job will be there in spades, just after we finish it!
Toby Newell
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- Surrey
you can replace us DIYers with 'everyone'.As has been said before, for us DIYers, the experience we needed to do a really good job will be there in spades, just after we finish it!
'Professionals' are just paid DIYers with a little more experience.
Toby Newell
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It should be noted that stripping and preperation is both a skill and an art that is arguably harder to learn than finishing.
I studied for an entire year on finishing preparation.
If your preperation is not 70 to 80% of your job, you are probably not doing enough.
The main tools are imagination and patience.
I have an entire box of scrapers and blades, cabinet, carbide, spatula, dental tools another box of brushes, nylon, natural, bronze, brassed steel, steel, boxes of scotchbrite, wire wool.
Just have a cup of tea and a think, then go out and buy some bits, then experiment.
Every job is different, maybe every wall is different, often different parts of the same wall are different.
I have been stripping for 40 years and still the first part of any strip job is doing 'tests' trying different things to work out your 'system'.
I studied for an entire year on finishing preparation.
If your preperation is not 70 to 80% of your job, you are probably not doing enough.
The main tools are imagination and patience.
I have an entire box of scrapers and blades, cabinet, carbide, spatula, dental tools another box of brushes, nylon, natural, bronze, brassed steel, steel, boxes of scotchbrite, wire wool.
Just have a cup of tea and a think, then go out and buy some bits, then experiment.
Every job is different, maybe every wall is different, often different parts of the same wall are different.
I have been stripping for 40 years and still the first part of any strip job is doing 'tests' trying different things to work out your 'system'.
malcolm
& Clementine the cat
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Should I assume I'm reading that wrongly too?
If other members, especially new members, feel they are being insulted they are less likely to stay around on the forum. If you could be mindful not to word your posts in a way that others might see as insulting them it would be most appreciated.
housewinnie
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Recently found my old swiss pen knife to be the best tool for removing paint on plaster..
CottagePete
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- Surrey
Stevers
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- Mendip Hills
Green mould or old paint? It's a colour that previous occupants here have used, and one that I'm about to use again.
housegolem
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- England
I'd bet a fiar amount its old paint.
Having removed similar colours recently, if your lucky its water based and will come off easily once wetted and aggravated with scotch bright / brillo etc
I couldn't be bothered to read all the prelim on the thread but steam is most definitely your friend on lime, if the paints are more stubborn and modern . Also get a cheap hand scraper and loads of the throw away blades from TS or SF.
As for lime top skims they are not a cake walk, but you will learn from your many mistakes! Old lime isn't soft either, so a good key will test your patience too - enjoy
Having removed similar colours recently, if your lucky its water based and will come off easily once wetted and aggravated with scotch bright / brillo etc
I couldn't be bothered to read all the prelim on the thread but steam is most definitely your friend on lime, if the paints are more stubborn and modern . Also get a cheap hand scraper and loads of the throw away blades from TS or SF.
As for lime top skims they are not a cake walk, but you will learn from your many mistakes! Old lime isn't soft either, so a good key will test your patience too - enjoy
Lacan07
Member
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- 943
skimming old lime is the most difficult form of lime plastering imho, its too easy to underestimate how dry the wall is and then to apply the plaster too thin. I usually start wetting the walls 1 or 2 days prior to the skim, you want the plaster to sit on the wall happily minding its own business with minimum of moisture suction.