What can I do with my walls.

Son0vagun

I just got a new bathroom fitted and tiled. Two walls are plasterboard and the other two are natural stone that has been plastered some years ago and is in a rough state.
The plaster is old and dented. It had been wall papered over to hide any problems, but I've removed the wall paper and don't know what to do with it. Could I sand it down smooth? Or wall paper over it and paint the wallpaper? Is there a polly-type filler that I could smooth the walls with? Or would I just be best getting them replastered?

sky6

You need to be sure that there is no moisture coming through the Stone Wall
if there is then this problem will need to be dealt with first.
Assuming you don't have any problems then your probably best to get it re plastered. If your going to Tile it again then maybe a sanding might do just to level out any bumps. But sanding is very messy so be prepared for the Dust to get everywhere.

mewe

You could give this a try http://www.polycell.co.uk/products/polycell_smoothover_your_damaged_walls.jsp

Good luck!

landcrzr

You have few options but as has been said, make sure the wall doesn't have any damp issues.

1. Plasterboard over the rough plaster and either tape and joint or skim coat the plasterboard, you'll get a near perfect surface. You can attach the plasterboard in a few ways.

1a. Dabbing. This is where you use a plasterboard adhesive and stick it to the wall. The wall must be suitable for this though, no damp and sufficent grip. If grip is an issue, you can paint on a product called thistlebond, if the wall is in anyway crumbly a pvc type bond coat may be needed but if the plaster is in anyway dusty or crumbly I would opt for a mechanical fixing.

1b. Mushroom fixings. This is where you fix the boards directly to the wall with large mushroom fixings, they look like big nails.

1c. Timber lathe or metal fixed to the wall and boards screwed to the lathe or metal.

1d. Stand off metal channels and U fixings, Gypsum call this gypliner. Similar to 1c above but this system allows the plasterboard to be installed plumb and straight if your wall is very uneven.

2. Plaster your wall directly. Again assuming the wall surface will take plaster reasonably. Similar to the dabbing option, you may need to paint a bond coat or thistle bond to ensure adhesion. Skim plaster is the cheapest option but is messy and you need someone that knows how to plaster.

If you want to do this yourself and your wall is even enough, I advise mushroom fixing to the wall directly and then tape and joint with a bucket of trowel ready jointing compound.

TopTec

Good post above from landcrzr. He has it spot on.

I had an old stone walled bathroom in a dreadfull state. I gutted it back to the original stone and went down the plasterboard with mushroom fitting route. The walls were bone dry fortunately but fixing the mushrooms were a real swine. Scores of mi****s and bent mushrooms but I got the job done in the end.

I was considering the timber lathe route but didnt want to decrease the amount of room available.

As ever there is no easy fix unless your walls are only slightly uneven.

TT

paddy147

Febond is fantastic for when you are reskimming over old/existing plasterwork.

TopTec

TopTec wrote: »

Good post above from landcrzr. He has it spot on.

Scores of mi****s and bent mushrooms but I got the job done in the end.

TT

Whats wrong with the word 'miss-hits'? Jeez!

TT

landcrzr

It is a bathroom, there's bound to have been a few mi****s over the years.

hovda

I would read the reviews before using the polycell smoothover products. They are not as easy to use as the company claim.