Plaster Walls: prepping to be repainted.

1/17/2012 at 1:12:04 PM

Hi Val, it sounds like you either have a lot of layers of paint on your walls or the plaster is failing. You should probably have the layers of paint tested as somewhere in there you might have some lead based product that you shouldn't be messing with. It also sounds like you may have a water over oil situation going on as well.

If the plaster is failing, you may want to take a break and think about repair vs replace - some local contractors might be able to give you an idea of costs if you put it in the "post your project" section.

If it turns out to be safe, you can continue stripping using the same methods and then skim coat the walls with drywall compound to give you a good surface for painting. You may have to patch some of the larger chunks first before skim coating.

If the walls are sound, you may be able to add a layer of 1/4" drywall and just encapsulate the old walls and paint.

Based on the project you have taken on, you sure aren't afraid of hard work!

Good Luck with it !

Jim Kuzma

Kettleby Handyman Services

3/2/2012 at 11:16:01 PM

Hi Val,

If you are having problems with larger chunks of the wall coming off, or the paint not coming off to your satisfaction try applying heat! Using an industrial strength heat gun (purchased at home depot) can be a great way to take the old paint off walls.

Simply move the heat gun up and down in approx a two foot section to really warm up the paint and then follow behind with a scraper as you have already been doing, im sure that you will notice a big difference in the time it takes to remove it!

Good luck.

Jordan Guyer

New Trend Painting

Vancouver, BC