Talk to me about stripping...

[NickNacks]

Paint and wallpaper mainly.

Our house is in desperate need of a major overhaul. Previous owners have papered and painted layer upon layer and it all needs to be stripped back and started over.

Do you have any tips on how to get started, save money and most importantly- achieve the best look?

you can use a steam stripper, but if you hold it in one place for long the plaster will overheat and burst off the wall, or at least crack and come loose.

If you don't mind the mess, I find a garden sprayer, using warm water and a drop of WUL, will mist the walls. Go round the room again and again so it soaks in and the paper never has time to dry. If it is painted you will need to scratch or score it. Strip from the top so that you can mist the wall and the water will run down behind the plaster.

Get some broad metal scrapers. Scrape the old paste off the wall as well or it will prevent paint adhering in future.

Be aware that excess water will run onto, or through, the floor.

You might consider hiring a stripper just for a day, she can entertain your DH while you get on with the decorating.

Aww! I was going to give you some top tips about swinging round a pole upside down but then I saw what topic we were in...

I'll do it! I bloody love stripping wallpaper, find it theraputic. Good music, full blast, the water, stripper and me (dungarees optional)

We've recently moved and I was sulking as the previous owners only had ONE layer of wallpaper. How inconsiderate is that?

Nice one Piglet .

For hefty glued on paint, I've found only my hot gun works. Otherwise yes to above posters.

Mostly what PigletJohn said.

It's worth investing in proper wallpaper stripping tools so that you can score the paper with them and then use them to get under the paper. A steam stripper is also worth the money to hire, if you have layers of paper - but as PJ said, be careful not to hold it in one place for too long, you don't want the plaster underneath to get warm and wet.

Paint stripping is achievable with either a hot air gun (or a really good hairdryer with a flat nozzle will achieve much the same!) or chemical strippers - although I must admit I don't think chemical strippers get back as cleanly as the hot air gun does, and the same stripping tools as for wallpaper, only narrower.

If you have curved painted areas to strip, then this tool does pretty well, it's also used for removing old varnish, if you have any of that.

I've found my steam stripper fabulous. Yes, you do have to be careful not to hold it in one place too long but it does the job and gives you a steam facial at the same time

Paint - either a hot air gun (be careful not to scorch the wood by holding it in place too long) or a peel-off paint stripper (slather on and then it peels off taking the paint with it.). For small areas paint on/scrape off paint stripper is fine. Be aware that old paint is likely to be lead based so take precautions to avoid fumes/dust.

Wallpaper stripping is the work of the devil. Can you run to getting the professionals in? If so I would recommend, especially if you have a family. It has taken me nearly 3 months of evenings to do our place. Aaaaaaaaaarrrrgh

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I've got next week off so I plan to get started then so a trip to homebase is needed!

Hot hairdryer? Really who would have thought!
The chemical paint stripper sounds good but I'm starting with the stairway and landing so I'm guessing it would be an expensive way to do it.

Unfortunately I'll have to save the professionals for the stuff I really can't do like carpet laying even though we have young children.

I don't even have a ladder at this stage do I really am starting from stratch!

Thanks again!

chemical paint stripper is for gloss painted woodwork, not emulsion, though there are some "poultice" removers that will take paint off complex plaster mouldings, if you live in Hampton Court.

This is gloss painted woodwork but it's so very thick that scrapping looks pretty easy if I get a starting point in it.

Hampton court :)

Be careful though nicknacks - it's easy with a scraper to get carried away on the wood and end up accidentally gouging it or taking edges off, hence better to use the hot air/ chemical stripper to soften it first. :)

I find a hot air gun very effective on old gloss paint. If it is thick, uneven and blobby, it's very hard to just sand it to a proper standard. You will have a bit of sanding to do afterwards. Wear gardening gloves with the hot air gun, and long sleeves. You'll find out why.

Use a dust mask (preferably one with a valve on the snout) and goggles while sanding.

Good luck Nick! It's taken me 3 months to strip my lounge. Four layers of wallpaper and god knows how many coats of paint and now looks like the walls will need plastering! Probably the reason that the previous owners papered in the first place.

Excellent advice from everybody but I found that no matter how much water I applied to the scored walls the paper still wasn't coming off. A steam stripper is definitely a must. As is lots of patience!

Oh now I'm scared!

Truth is though the house is at crisis point and if we don't start to do these tough and possible expensive jobs then I think we'll get some real problems.

Wish me luck!!

Well I've been known to paint in only my knickers in hot weather (upstairs when the DDs are at school.) DD1s room faces south and gets really warm.

the only other thing I'd add is old-fashioned gloss paint stripper is horrible stuff.
Both DH and I are allergic to its active ingredient.

Total coincidence, we have both used it in science labs at different universities for completely different reasons. Unfortunately it goes through latex gloves and after a bit it makes your hands itch if yo go near it.