Hot country wallpapering problems!?

N

NormanW

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Croatia
It's high summer in the Mediterranean with outside shade temperatures hovering around +35C, and the inside temperature around+30C with 40% humidity. I am trying to wallpaper and am running into problems.

The rooms are an old stone farmhouse, solid 800mm thick walls plastered with local lime plaster that has then had several coats of paint on top.

I have prepared the walls, filling cracks with Policell, rubbing the walls down and then giving them two coats of Bison universal size.

I am using Eufurt Red label 1400 grade lining paper and Solvite professional extra Strong paste, mixed at 7 liters of water to a 185gm packet. I had tried 5.5 liters, but that made the problem worse, so I suspect it is to do with absorption/evaporation rate. But there is something else at work as well...

The problems happen 36 to 48 hours after pasting, when the edges peel away from the wall, generally taking several layers of paint (green), still stuck to the paper, with it, but leaving more layers of paint (cream) still on the wall. (Photos uploaded)For 24 hours or more, the joints are perfect.
[GALLERY=media, 100006]IMG_0006 by NormanW posted 8 Jul 2017 at 9:03 AM[/GALLERY][GALLERY=media, 100005]IMG_0005 by NormanW posted 8 Jul 2017 at 9:03 AM[/GALLERY]

I have now coated the walls with dilute PVA as well as size. The paint on its own is very well stuck, it only lifts after the paper and Solvite has been applied.

Can I repair and get the but-edges flat again using decorators caulk as suggested on other forums, or use Solvite Edge adhesive, or perhaps something else? Is this heat related, because of the hot ambient temperatures?? Stripping the paint is not a realistic option.

Any suggestions about what I am doing wrong AND how I can fix the lifted edges without taking all the lining paper off would be appreciated. Thanks for reading

NW
 
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Thank you. I have uploaded the photos rather thank linking them.

NW
 
Is wall paper compatible with the Mediterranean climate ? I cannot recall wallpaper in any of the houses I have visited around the Med including those owned by ex pat British. Tiles or paint seem to be the most reliable coverings.
 
I don't think I can answer that question! There is some wallpaper available, for kids room, spiderman, Disney etc. but not like in the UK. Generally it is US made.

Wallpaper paste is in the DIY store (Buffalo brand) but no wallpaper!? You are right that walls are all invariably painted. But what could/would make paper not compatible?

I am using the lining paper at the suggestion of a local builder friend, to stabilise 150+ year walls. He is aware of the procedure but has never done it himself. A lack of availability of wallpaper in the Balkan communist era is perhaps a more likely reason in this part of the Med. For example, doors and windows are painted brown or green, because that was the only colour of paint they could get when Tito was in charge. Only now can you get any RAL colour you wish.

It is hot at the moment, over 35C every day, so perhaps paper hanging is a winter occupation when there is less ambient heat. But I still cannot understand why for 36 or more hours everything sticks, then it starts to peel at the edges, but only (some of) the edges, taking layers of paint with it.

I still come back to a reaction of some kind. I have now coated a wall in dilute PVA and will try hanging some more once it has had a few days to dry completely.....
 
You may have some kind of limewash on the walls (eg distemper) under the top coats of paint.

If so,the water in the glue might be penetrating through the paint that lifts off with the paper.

Off the top of my head, I would try something like Zinsser BIN to prevent the glue's moisture penetrating down.
 
BIN is pretty expensive, I use it because it dries very quickly and being alcohol based, the smell disappears quickly.

You could try an oil based undercoat instead (as a test), it will take a day or two to dry but will be significantly cheaper.

I would strongly advise you to avoid using PVA (for now). If the problem is the result of moisture (from the paste) seeping down to lower layers, PVA will NOT help.

Please let us know how you get on. It may be of use to others in the future.

Regards.
 
Thanks opps for your good advice. I have already got one wall treated with PVA, so will try a test hanging and see what happens, accepting the point that if it is a reaction, I will still have the problem.

Most certainly i will post the results. I support the idea of learning lessons which can then be shared.

NW
 
You need to give it a coat of Zinsser Gardz, this will seal the wall prior to papering. Ideally use a " Paste the wall " wallpaper that doesn't require soaking and can be put straight on the wall.
 
Interesting discovery this morning. I was preparing to "test hang" a single sheet of lining paper onto the wall I have treated with PVA. When I picked up my stiring stick to give the paste bucket a mix, I found that several layers of paint had lifted and peeled on the stick.

I use this as an all-purpose stirrer for paints, the last was a gloss top coat, then used it to mix the Solvite, it was then left to dry. It makes me wonder just what it is that is in Solvite wallpaper paste, which is reacting with dry oil and emulsion based paints?

The test hang went well, but I will leave it for 48 hours to see if it peels anywhere before pronouncing a success, as the room temperature is +31ºC with 50% humidity and outside it is +34ºC.....
 
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