what you will find under your wallpaper

When removing wallpaper, you never know what you might find underneath. This is typically true of older houses but can also apply to newer houses.

I’ll use one of my jobs as a case study. The job was a spare bedroom, a simple remove old wallpaper, paint the ceiling and woodwork and then re-paper, but like the title of this post says, you never know ‘what you will find under your wallpaper’.

Removing Wallpaper

I removed the wallpaper top layer and soaked the under layer, all was going well and as expected. Then I removed the paper around the windows. These were not original windows and had been renewed with uPVC windows.

It was here that I found the broken away plasted that had left a deep hole. I have come across this problem many times so wasn’t surprised.

Luckily I always carry a fast setting filler so I could fill the deep hole to just below the surface, and finish of with a fine filler. This was done within half a day so I wasn’t help up, I then waited until the next day to hang the wallpaper and could complete the work on time at no extra cost.

As you never know what you may find under the old wallpaper, it is best to expect the unexpected, sometimes it maybe just lots of holes, other times it may involve blown plaster or loose render and plaster around replaced windows and doors.

You may be lucky and only find the dates of when the room was decorated over the years written on the wall, don’t forget to add yours!

Some recently completed painting and decorating work

I have decided to do a post about some of my recently completed work, these are only a selection of work I have done in the past couple of months. They include water damage repair, a wallpapering job and an emusioning job, coincidentally they are all bedrooms.

Water stain to ceiling and walls

The first job shown here was of a water stain to a ceiling and walls. The stain was treated and then the ceiling was painted with white emulsion, with the walls being painted a pink tone emulsion. The woodwork was painted in white satinwood and finally a feature wall was papered to complete the job.

Wallpaper in a bedroom

This job was a simple remove old wallpaper and border, paint the ceiling white and re-paper the walls with a floral patterned wallpaper. No woodwork was done.
I removed the old wallpaper and border, filled some small holes and cracks before painting the ceiling with white emulsion. Finally I hung the floral wallpaper to complete the job.

Painting in a bedroom

The third job I am showing you was a repaint in a bedroom. I started by filling some small holes, there wasn’t much filling to do as the ceiling and walls had been papered. I then painted the ceiling down to the picture rail with white emulsion, then I painted the picture rail before painting the walls in a green colour. The remaining woodwork was painted with white satinwood. The door and floor was not touched, although I had previously varnished them.

How to Repaint Internal Doors

Do your doors look a little tired and need a new lease of life? In a traditional home, solid wood doors can be stripped and restored to augment their natural beauty. Black or copper door handles are a great way to offset this period look and add a modern twist. Stainless steel and chrome door handles on the other hand look perfect on white doors in a contemporary interior and offer a neutral ambiance throughout your home. Consider the contours and tones in your room to determine the handles that best complement your interior.

If your doors are paint encrusted, you will need to strip the layers of paint back before refinishing. This will not only improve the aesthetic finish on your doors, but will also help to ensure your doors operate smoothly. If lead based paint is being removed, it is best to speak with a reputable specialist for advice before carrying out work as there are additional precautions which need to be taken to ensure the paint is removed safely.

Before you commence work it is important to prepare your work station. Protective gloves, eye and face masks are necessary to ensure that no dust is inhaled and offer you protection from any chemical cleaners that may be used. Ensure that the items you are using are fit for purpose before you start. Once you have done this it is best to unhinge the door to ensure an even finish. Make sure that your work area is well ventilated and dust sheets are laid to catch the debris.

Perhaps the most common method for stripping paint from your door is using a chemical stripper. Typically, this is applied to the surface of the door then after the specified time the paint is removed using a scraper. On stubborn and intricate areas of the door or architrave, a wire brush maybe used to carefully remove paint from the surface. Once you have completed this step, any chemical residue should be removed using the recommended fluid specified on the product you are using. Always follow the step-by-step instructions specified by the manufacturer as they will be most relevant to the product you are using.

Once the paint has been successfully removed, it’s time to sand your door in preparation for painting. When painting, remember to apply the paint smoothly and evenly, do not overload your brush, as this can cause the paint to run which in turn can create drip marks to dry onto the surface of your door. Remember to allow enough time for
the paint to completely dry before applying a further coat of paint. Once you are happy with the finish, you will be ready to hang the doors and fit your door handles.

Should you require new door handles, why not check out the extensive range of door hardware on offer from www.handleking.co.uk making use of discount code ‘DECO5’ at checkout to receive a generous 5% discount off all orders!