What Has to Be Done to Completely Renew Old, Worn Walls?

A worn wall is renewed in six steps: stripping the old covering, scraping off loose paint and plaster, repairing cracks and defects, priming, filling and sanding, and finally paint or wallpaper. The condition of the wall decides how long each step takes.

The six steps

1. Stripping: old wallpaper, tiles or covering are removed.
2. Scraping: blistered paint and hollow plaster are taken back to a sound base.
3. Repair: cracks are opened and filled; broken corners and holes are mended.
4. Primer: the absorbency of the surface is evened out and dusting is bound.
5. Filling and sanding: the wall is levelled; no ripples should show in the light.
6. Final finish: primer and two coats of paint, or wallpaper.

Three options if the wall is very poor

• Full skim coat: the whole wall is levelled again with a thin coat of finishing plaster.
• Glass textile and paint: it bridges cracks and reinforces the wall.
• Plasterboard lining: a new, flat surface is built in front of a crooked, badly damaged wall.

When is the plaster renewed completely?

Plaster that sounds hollow when tapped, crumbles in the hand or has rotted from damp is not repaired; it is removed and redone.

What if the wall is damp?

The source is dealt with first; otherwise everything new fails in the same place. We covered this in our post on walls with damp and mould problems.

Can I do it myself?

Small repairs, yes. Filling and sanding a whole wall takes dust control, equipment and a practised hand. Erdağ Yapı examines the wall in a free survey and states in writing which steps are needed.