Black Walls!

[LeMarchand]

Just removed the wood chip paper in our living room, to find the walls beneath painted black. The missus hates wallpaper, and we would rather just paint over it. Unfortunately, the colours we like are all very light. Will one or two coats of white emulsion and the top coat of our choice suffice, is there another way to paint over the black, or are we going to have to paper over the black (and then paint the paper)? Hoping that papering isn't involved, as I've never done it before and don't fancy trying!

[coggles]

If you do decide to wallpaper, it really isn't anything to be afraid of, honest! Lining paper, being plain, means you haven't got to line a drop to the next horizontally (as with patterned wallpaper) just vertically. Still use a plum line, a large screw tied to a piece of string will do, use the corrct water to paste ratio, mix it well so no bubbles, paste right up to the edge of the paper, smoothing brush up to the edges when it is on the wall, lightly score top & bottom of excess paper with your fingernail and trim (scissors are better than a knife). Oh and don't forget to size the walls first with watered down paste mix. It sounds difficult but it will probably be quicker and easier than 15 coats of undercoat!

[coggles]

P.S. you can buy plain (as in no pattern) paper that is coloured so you dont need to paint over it, but if you decide to do this, you may have to put one coat of white over the walls first to completely hide the black before papering. Hope this helps. If you do go for just paint, a roller will give you a quicker, better finish, but use a brush for around doors etc.

[TEAK36]

There is a commercial on at the moment advertising a base coat that is ideal for covering any blemishes left by stripped wallpaper,but I cant remember the make.It should only require one coat,and then you can paint over it with your top coat.If you do decide to use wallpaper instead,dont fear,it is really quite simple and covers a multitude of sins.

[sft42]

Polycell...Base Coat for walls....just the job for this...it's a lot dearer than white emulsion but it should! be able to solve your problem as it goes on very opaque and also covers up little blemishes in the surface also.

[LeMarchand]

The Polycell stuff sounds great, as the boss has an almost pathalogical hatred of wallpaper. I would have been quite happy to paint over what was already up, rather than strip it and then find that the walls needed sorting out before painting!

[archhippy]

The poly cell stuf works only if you dont scrape or chip it it comes off like rubber but it is exelent dont forget preperation is most of the work so will in any odd lumps or bumps but it is expensive �25 for a tub it goes a long way though our hall and up the stairs. Good luck and i hope it works as well as it did for us.