I rarely use lining paper as a professional painter since I spackle the whole surface twice and then sand before painting or hanging wallpaper/lining paper. But skim-coating is a lot of work and everyone doesn’t have the tools, time and skills needed for that.
People usually know how to install wallpaper, so lining paper is a perfect alternative!
Lining paper can be an effective and practical solution if you have textured wallpaper, ceilings/walls with orange peel, stucco, knockdown, or other kinds of texture.
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What is lining paper?
Lining paper is a versatile material that can be used for a variety of purposes. One of its most common uses is to cover up imperfections on your walls prior to applying wallpaper or paint.
It can also be used as an extra layer of insulation, hide damage on your ceiling and cover up old wallpaper.
A nice side-effect is that it increases your energy efficiency. Creating an extra layer beneath your wallpaper helps trap heat, effectively boosting your home’s thermal and sound insulation, meaning that any noise you’re experiencing may be muffled more than between two non-lined walls.
It’s usually white or light yellow in color and it’s wider and thicker than normal wallpaper.
What grade lining paper should I use?
It depends on the texture of the wall or ceiling. With a rough surface, you need lining paper with a higher grade. It comes in various grades and this relates to the thickness of the paper. The bigger the number the thicker the paper.
- 600
- 800
- 1000
- 1200
- 1400
- 1700
- 2000
600-1000 is for surfaces with minor imperfections such as hairline cracks and holes from nails etcetera.
1200-1400 is for surfaces with moderate imperfections. An allrounder, choose this if you’re unsure of which one to choose from.
1700-2000 is for surfaces with major imperfections. Can be used to cover wood panels. Can be hard to go around corners with this thickness.
If the surface isn’t smooth after lining, then spackle the grooves and sand until you are satisfied with the result before painting or installing wallpaper. There is also another solution that will be discussed later in this post.
How do you prepare a wall for lining paper?
Before lining your walls with lining paper, you’ll need to do a little preparation.
If there are large holes in the wall (or ceiling) then spackle them with hot mud which doesn’t shrink that much when it dries.
If the texture is very rough, like a stucco, then sand the walls with sandpaper with a 60/80 grit to remove the worst protruding areas.
What paste should I use for lining paper?
I would recommend using a paste-the-wall lining paper and a Non-Woven paste.
By using this method the lining paper doesn’t shrink or expand and it’s easier to paste the wall and hang it.
Is lining paper necessary for wallpaper?
Wallpaper is an expense, and if you want your room to have a consistent look and feel for years on end it can be worth doing.
It’s not absolutely necessary to use lining paper but it reduces the amount of work needed and if you’re not that skilled at spackling/skim coating it might be a smart idea.
Will lining paper cover peeling paint?
The peeling parts need to be scraped down first since they are loose. Use a 2-4 inch putty knife to remove the loose parts. Then apply joint compound on the rough areas with the putty knife, a wider knife might be needed if it’s a large area.
If you have a lower-grade lining paper you should make the surface relatively smooth. Apply as much joint compound as you need to get a smooth surface, but you shouldn’t need to skimcoat.
Let it dry and then, depending on how rough the surface is, sand the spackled areas before you apply the lining paper.
Can I use two layers of lining paper?
Yes, you can use two layers of lining paper. If your walls have many imperfections, you might want to use two layers. It will help to hide the imperfections and it will also increase your home’s insulation.
But make sure that the butt joints aren’t overlapping either by hanging one layer vertically and one layer horizontally or, the easier way, you can hang both layers vertically but make sure the butt joints from the second layer aren’t over the butt joints from the first layer.
Why is my lining paper lifting?
This can be caused by not having enough paste or by the layer underneath.
If you’re lining your walls over old wallpaper, the old wallpaper can lift up which is caused by the moisture of the paste. This will usually flatten out when it’s dry.
This can be avoided by pre-pasting the walls, then removing the lifting paper that occurs. Paste one wall at a time so it doesn’t dry and the paper flattens back.
If the edges have peeled then there hasn’t been enough adhesive applied, use a brush and apply more paste then use a damp cloth or sponge to press it down and remove excess paste.
Why does lining paper bubble when painted?
If the bubbles appeared after painting it’s because of the layer underneath, as the paint dries they will disappear. If they were there before painting you haven’t either pasted the entire area or you haven’t brushed the paper out correctly.
If the bubbles haven’t disappeared after the first coat of paint has dried, then you will need to cut them open with a razor blade or a sharp knife and use a brush with paste to fix them. Use the blade to fold up the paper so you can easily paste it with the brush. Then use a damp sponge or cloth to press it down and remove the excess paste.
Do you need lining paper on new plaster?
If the surface is smooth and even, then no, you don’t.
But make sure that the plaster is dry and the surface is primed before painting, or pre-pasted/sealed before installing wallpaper/lining paper.
If the walls have been skim-coated with joint compound or plaster it will absorb the paste which could result in peeling wallpaper.
Use a suitable primer before painting or use paint that is useable both as primer and finish. You might need to water down the paint on the first coat if the viscosity is too high, so the plaster or mud/compound can soak it in properly.
When pre-pasting, mix some paste with about 10% water. Roll the walls and let them dry before installing the wallpaper/lining paper.
Conclusion
Lining paper is a great, labor-reducing way to prepare your walls for decoration. The most important thing to get a smooth and durable finish is the prep work, and lining paper is a viable option to achieve that.
There are several benefits of lining paper that I’ve outlined in this blog post and I hope you found it helpful!