Choosing whether to skim or use lining paper is an important decision. It can save or cost you money depending on the state of your walls. I decided to use lining paper, as the quality of my walls was good after removing my wallpaper, and I needed to save every penny that I could.
Should you skim or go for lining paper? If the walls are intact, with small patches of plaster, lining paper is a good, cost-effective option. If the plaster is peeling off the walls excessively and in large patches, skimming is advisable.
Generally, I prefer using lining paper if I can, first because I don’t need to hire a plasterer; But also because lining paper is easier to paint and requires fewer coats. Freshly skimmed walls require sanding and more coats of paint. But let’s get into it in a bit more detail.
Deciding whether to Skim or use Lining Paper
Skimming the walls seemed like the obvious choice over wallpapering, when I was renovating my home.
Given that I was fully gutting my home, and having to replace my kitchen, bathroom, and basically buy everything else I decided to re-visit this decision.
Skimming or replastering is sometimes necessary if huge chunks of plaster are falling out of your wall, or you have massive areas of skim that have come off when removing wallpaper for example.
Let’s look at both instances, when to get Lining paper and when to re-skim/re-plaster.
Why use Lining Paper?
I like using lining paper as an alternative to skimming. I decided to paint over my paper, using a thicker grade (link to Amazon) rather than papering over it.
Reasons why you would use lining paper
- Covers up imperfections in the wall
- Makes rooms warmer
- It’s an extra barrier for stains, damp and mold
- It’s cost-efficient
- Avoid hairline cracks
Covers up imperfections in the wall
If your walls are uneven or have any wall plug holes, lining paper is great. Once you apply some filler, lining paper is really effective in covering up imperfections like this before you re-paint or plaster.
If you have patches of filler, large patches, lining paper is a great way to give you an even finish, without re-skimming or re-plastering.
Makes Rooms Warmer
Having an extra layer of lining paper, whether you decide to wallpaper over it or paint directly onto it, will may your home warmer, and save you money on your energy bills.
It’s an extra barrier for stains, damp and mold
If you have any stains on your walls, that tend to come through even when you paint or wallpaper over them, lining paper is a brilliant barrier and usually does the job of covering them up completely.
It’s also an additional barrier for stains damp and mold. Older buildings in the UK do suffer from damp in the winter which dries out in the summer. Whilst a lot of the time this is nothing to worry about, having that extra barrier can stop it from being visible.
It’s cost efficient
Hanging lining paper is a skill that’s easily learned and is a DIY job. For more information, my post on wallpapering over old wallpaper covers the main steps.
Plastering and skimming can be learned as well, but in my opinion, requires more skill and isn’t worth it unless you intend to do it regularly. In most cases, you may need to call a professional to do the job for you will of course cost money.
The raw material cost of lining paper, adhesive, and tools you will need (link to Amazon) is significantly lower. The cost of labor in comparison if you do it yourself is free!
Avoid Hairline cracks
Newly skimmed walls tend to reveal hairline cracks after 2-3 months. This is usually nothing to worry about and is caused by material shrinkage. Nevertheless, they can be very visible and are something that you want to avoid completely.
Lining paper on the other hand does not reveal hairline cracks, and if done correctly, can reveal a smoother finish than a skimmed wall.
Why Skim your walls?
Skimming your walls is a way to finish walls after they are plastered to give a smooth finish. Don’t get skimming confused with replastering your walls. Replastering your walls is a much bigger, more expensive job.
Reasons why you should Skim your walls:
- You’re looking for that ‘new feel’ finish
- You have Artex walls and ceilings
- You have very uneven walls
- You’re having your electrics or plumbing re-done
- If you’re getting rid of a wall
1. You’re looking for that ‘new feel’ finish
If you are looking for a ‘new feel’ finish and you can afford it, skimming your walls may be a great option for you.
Just bear in mind that after skimming, you will need to lightly sand all of your walls to get an even finish.
The walls will also require additional layers of paint, as freshly skimmed walls tend to be more porous than wallpapered walls or walls that have already been painted.
If you’re thinking of skimming your walls, because it’s less work – think again!
2. You have Artex walls and ceilings
Artex (Link to Amazon) is a textured surface coating used in interior design, allowing for a textured design in homes. I am not a fan of it personally, but some people love it.
If you have Artex on your ceilings as well your walls, like below and you want to get rid of it; Then skimming directly over it is a great way to hide it without completely removing it. In this instance, skimming is cheaper.
3. You have very uneven walls
If your walls are extremely worn through wear and tear and are beyond repair, skimming your walls will be necessary to get the wall to have a smooth finish.
Most likely in this instance, you may need to have the room re-plastered. It is an expensive job, but it’s worth it if you are renovating your home as it’s a job that you do not want to re-visit when all of your furniture is in place.
4. You’re having your electrics or plumbing re-done
Electrics and plumbing jobs are messy. , electricians and plumbers can tear into walls to run necessary cabling.
Because of that, this should be one of the first jobs you get done if you are fully renovating your home, as mentioned in the order to do your jobs in my First time Home Renovation article.
Plumbers and electricians, usually patch their work up once they have run their cabling. You can wallpaper over it (as I did as my budget was very tight), and cleverly sand the area down so you cannot see the poor finish underneath.
Alternatively for a guaranteed more consistent finish, you may choose to skim over it which I probably would have done had my budget allowed for it.
5. If you’re getting rid of a wall
If you are removing a wall reskimming the walls may be the best option to avoid any evidence of the pre-existing wall in the first place.
I removed my hallway wall and used lining paper to cover the area where it was.
Whilst it looks ok, you can see where the adjoining wall was removed through the lining paper. The right option here was probably to re-skim the ceiling. Ah well!
If you’re looking at removing an adjoining wall or your hallway, here’s a post detailing the process of removing the wall as well as the potential impact of doing so.
How to remove wallpaper without damaging the wall?
So I mentioned I used lining paper on my walls. One of the reasons I chose to do that is because my walls underneath were in great shape underneath. How you remove your wallpaper can have a big impact on whether you choose to use lining paper or re-skim over your walls.
When you remove wallpaper, it’s unpredictable in most cases how your wallpaper is going to come off. there are some things you can do to improve your chances of a clean wallpaper removal; As well as preparing the wall for a clean wallpaper removal next time you do it. Anyway, let’s get into it.
To remove wallpaper without damaging the wall you’ll need a few things:
- A Stanley knife or a wallpaper scorer
- Laundry Softener
- Hot water
- Wallpaper Steamer
- A Roller & Tray
If you can remove your wallpaper with minimal plaster falling off, re-wallpapering with lining paper is the most cost efficient option that have here.
Here’s how to remove your wallpaper without damaging your wall, work on 3 ft of wallpaper area at a time:
- Score the old wallpaper with a Stanley knife or wallpaper scorer. You want to create holes so that when you apply hot water, the moisture can break down the existing adhesive. Don’t apply too much pressure as you don’t want to damage the wall underneath.
- Create a Wallpaper Solvent. Mix Washing up Detergent and Water in 25:75 mix. You can also use vinegar and water if you like in a 50:50 mix. You could also buy a chemical stripper such as this Zinsser Wallpaper stripper concentrate (link to Amazon), which will be more effective.
- Apply the solvent in 3 ft squared areas at a time. Using Roller and Tray, Apply the mix to the area of the wall and allow it to soak in. Give it ten minutes to soak through.
- Whilst you are waiting, start preparing the next 3ft area of the wall for stripping using the same steps as above.
- Start peeling off the old wallpaper from the first section, starting with the corners of the wall and use the scraper. Only when its difficult to start using the wallpaper steamer.
- Once you have peeled off the wallpaper, repeat the same process across the whole room.
- Once you have removed all of the wallpaper, with a damp sponge wipe down the rest of the walls.
Stripping wallpaper is a messy job, but it’s satisfying. I find it weirdly therapeutic, but also frustrating when you get those areas of wallpaper that are difficult to get through.
It’s important to leave the walls as clean as possible though as it will have the biggest impact on the finish when it comes to actually wallpapering.
Here’s a video, that provides a pretty good illustration for stripping wallpaper with the tools mentioned above
Related Questions
What is the best grade of lining paper to use?
As mentioned in my post on wallpapering over old wallpaper, I would recommend using lining paper between 1400-2000 grade should be sufficient to cover any minor imperfections on your wall.
Can you skim over lining paper?
Skimming over lining paper is not recommended. Most likely the plaster will crack and fall off. Skim together with its adhesive tends to stick better rougher surfaces, and lining paper does not really fit the bill.
What surfaces can you plaster over?
As a rule of thumb, you can plaster over surfaces that have grip. If the surface for instance has a vinyl coating, it makes it less porous, which also means the plaster is less likely to stick. This is common with wallpaper.
Surfaces you can plaster over:
- Painted Walls – As long as the walls are clean and free of dust it should be fine. If the walls are in a kitchen or near, make sure they are free of cooking oils etc.
- Artex Walls – Artex walls, can a round surface, and are fine to plaster over. Just make sure the area is clean.
- Concrete Walls – No issues plastering over concrete
Surfaces you shouldn’t plaster over:
- Wooden surfaces – Wooden surfaces expand and contract with moisture and heat and as a result, the plaster will crack and fall off.
- Metal Surfaces -Metal surfaces alone will not hold the plaster adhesive well, because of the smooth surface the plaster will not hold.
- Plastic surfaces – The plaster will stick but it is prone to crack. If you wish to plaster over it, apply some mesh first.
Can I put lining paper straight onto the plasterboard?
Putting lining paper straight onto the plasterboard is fine. Just be sure to apply scrim tape, which is basically a self-adhesive tape with a gauze-type structure. Apply between joints to ensure that you get a good clean seamless finish. Also, be aware that you may experience issues if you choose to remove the wallpaper in the future with a steamer.
For instance, the plasterboard will become softer significantly quicker than a plastered wall when removing wallpaper. It may be better to apply a chemical stripper, a wet sponge. Let the wall fully dry out before you apply more wallpaper.
How do you fix bubbles in lining paper?
Bubbles in lining paper are easily fixed. If you experience the bubbles whilst you are actually laying the wallpaper, then try the following things
- Apply extra glue in the affected area, lift the wallpaper up and brush out the bubble with a wallpaper brush.
- Apply a slit at the bottom of the wallpaper and brush the brush the airbubble out
If your wallpaper has already dried with bubbles, and you are looking to paint over it, the best thing to do smooth out with a wallpaper roller and apply some extra adhesive under it. Then apply wallpaper primer over the whole wall and joints which should hold it down. Allow to dry and then paint over it.
Is it really that hard to skim a wall?
Applying the topcoat of plaster, known as skim is really hard. Actually applying it isn’t that difficult, but when it comes to getting a really smooth finish, it’s a skill that needs to be mastered. If you have a large area to cover, I would recommend getting a skilled professional involved.
What’s the difference between plastering and skimming?
Plastering in homes on internal walls usually applies to Gypsum plaster, which is made with water and calcium sulphate. This is the material that is applied to walls in a thick coat before the final thin smooth coat known as skim.
Plaster surfaces are generally rough, whereas skimmed surfaces are smooth.
Summary…
Choosing between lining paper and skimming depends on your budget and the state of the current walls. It is also dependent on the state of your wall after you have removed the wallpaper already on the walls.
If you follow the steps to remove wallpaper as outlined above, hopefully, you won’t have any problems with peeled away plaster; Or at least if you do have any plaster peeling away it will be minimal.
Skimming your wall can be avoided in most cases, but maybe the correct course of action if your walls are very uneven, plaster is falling off or you’re having electrical work done and your wall needs re-skimming in areas anyway.
If the walls are in good shape and your budget is tight, lining paper is the best option to take as it can all be done by you!
If you have a question, why not check out some more of my content. If I’ve experienced a DIY issue, the chances are that I have blogged about it. Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes so that you don;t have to make them yourself.
