# Skim Coating wall After removing wallpaper



## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

I would first remove as much old glue as possible and anything that's loose and then prime with an oil base primer before skim coating. I would use oil base to seal the old plaster. Sometimes water base will react with old plaster and not adhere well. The oil base primer will seal the plaster and promote a good base for your skim coat. After skim coating sand and apply a water base primer and then two coats of a quality paint


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## stevenson66 (Sep 28, 2008)

*Skim coating after wallpaper removal*

Anybody ever try skim coating using a paint roller as mentioned in the previous posts. Would it work if all was needed was to smooth out the rough texture left. How about sanding then coating with the roller


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## hoz49 (Nov 6, 2010)

stevenson66 said:


> Anybody ever try skim coating using a paint roller as mentioned in the previous posts. Would it work if all was needed was to smooth out the rough texture left. How about sanding then coating with the roller


I've done it many times. I'm a painter by trade and have stripped tons of W/C. 
Sometimes due to improper prep or the wrong paste the walls get "chewed up". 

Mask off and spread drop cloths, it gets messy. 

First wash off as much paste as you can. I use HOT water and fabric softener (1 gal water, 1 cu softener) in a garden sprayer to wet the paste out, then scrape off with a 6" DW knife. 

Using a drill I mix 5 gallons mud with 1 gallon white latex paint. This gives me a rollable material AND the latex helps defer mud cracking. 

I use a thick roller nap (1 3/4-2") and roll approx 4' sq at a time. Then I smooth it out with a trowel. Using material the trowel picks up to cut in the base, walls and ceiling. Use a hawk or carry your DW pan for clearing extra mud from the trowel. 

Clean your hand tools often. The paint in the mud dries and will stick to your tools.


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## stevenson66 (Sep 28, 2008)

*Skim coating after wallpaper removal*

Do you use standard joint compound. I understand there are different thickness. Which do use. Could you put it on without mixing with paint and go straight from the can.How about using water to mix, thin it.


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## hoz49 (Nov 6, 2010)

I use topping compound. It sands easier. You could use water but you will probably have mud cracking. I like using paint.


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## stevenson66 (Sep 28, 2008)

*Final questions about skim coating*

Thanks for all the response to my skim coat questions after removing wallpaper. After reading as much as i can and viewing videos of it being done can i get a answer to , do you use ,joint compound 2 coats,light weight or regular. Do you use toping compound after one coat of joint compound . Do you use 2 coats of toping compound instead of joint compound. This is over a plaster wall. I have never done it before but with all the information i will take my time and try to do it.As they say if you don't try it once you will never learn.


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