Wallpaper and Wallcoverings - At Wits End With Adhesive

Like all of the other posters I have removed my wall paper and have tried to scrub and sand off my adhesive to no avail. My walls are hundred year old plaster, my wife and I have used DIF and a steamer to remove the wallpaper, worked like a charm. We have gone through three applications and scrubbings with DIF, two sandings and many washings with TSP. The walls are STILL tacky to the touch! Each time we sand, we go through about two swipes with the sanding block and it fills with adhesive. The last post had the moderator suggesting that the person stop sanding and prime with oil and not to worry. I am scared of the paint pealing boogie men if I do not get the walls to stop feeling tacky. I am a patient person, but two week of this every night is enough! Where should I go from here? My wife even suggested putting wallpaper back up, the nerve. Help me please, I am going insane here in So. Dak. As usual, thanks for all of your help.

Matt

Thought I was the only one with this problem. The seams of the old wallpaper in my room must have been glued down with superglue or something. NOthing removes it. A hardware guy said to try acetone but in addition to asphyxiating myself I figure it will absorb into the plaster and the paint will not adhere. Been working on this for a month and was thinking about covering it with drywall and starting over. I've had it!

Well the moderator was right. Using an oil (alkyd) primer, will seal the glue behind the primer, and this oil primer will act as a vapor barier, preventing your latex paint finish coat (I assume you will use late/waterbase paint) to react the left over glue, if any. You cannot use a water base primer. Even Kilz water base, will be a problem, because the water in the primer, will have time to react the glue before it dries, and will create "crackle finish" on your walls.

How do you think that the crackle finish on furniture is done??? put a coat of clear glue, let dry, and then apply a latex/water paint over it. As the paint dries and the water react the glue under the paint, it allows the paint to shrink over the wet glue, and therefore creating the crackle finish.

So if you want to avoid this on your walls. Put an oil base primer, and make your life easier. 2 weeks every night..... you are missing on some good TV programming.... ha ha ha :-)


I have been a painting contractor for 15 yrs

Michel

Thanks Michel,

I had our local handy man come over for a look-see and he determined that the previous owners used an adhesive paint before adding wallpaper adhesive. I did not know of such a thing as adhesive paint, had I have know this before, I would have been doing some good TV watching, or more likely plastering. I have used and oil primer and it did seal the adhesive nicely, now tomorrow, I plaster and sand! Thank you for your advice.

Matt

I have never heard of nor seen any 'adhesive paint' before.
Sounds like bunk to me.