We're about to paint the interior walls but first have to strip back the existing paintwork. The walls are plaster and in the past some rising damp has caused the paint near the floor to flake off, which makesw it easy to strip back.

The original paint seems to be have been applied over what I've been told is probably kalsomine which seems to have been applied with a roller because it has a rippled look. This is making it really hard to strip back because although paint stripper removes the top coats the scraper can't get into the ripple valleys to remove the paint there.

This is the worst job in the world, even worse than crawling on your belly under bearers. Does anyone have any ideas that may make this a little more bearable?

Hi,

What you are describing there is definitely not Kalsomine, which has a very powdery film, easily removed with water, see:

http://www.apmf.asn.au/html/document_pages_37.html

The other factor against it being Kalsomine is that it was applied with a roller, Kalsomine was popular in the 50s and roller were not used that much then, Kalsomine was usually applied with a broad brush.

Have you tried a heat gun?

Thanks Big Shed,

Once I strip the paint a light beige finish is left behind. I can relatively easily scraspe it away to reveal plaster behind. I tried sanding with an open mesh screen dipped in soapy water and the material turns milky and can be wiped away. The stripper (solvent based) had no affect on it, neither does a heat gun. I'm not certain the ripple affect wasn't caused by the paint. The only room with this finish is the lounge, the remainder of the house has the same paint job although it looks as though its applied directly to plaster. If not kalsomine then any idea what it could be?

After cleaning the next stage will be undercoating the plaster. When the rising damp source was fixed the rising damp guy advised me to use a water based (acrylic?) paint/undercoat as it would allow the plaster to breathe rather than accumulate any water behind an oil coating which will eventually cause the plaster to flake. Any suggestions on what to use that will also neutralise any possible kalsomine?

Thanks again

Well that sounds a little more like kalsomine, but is not what you described before.

If you read this link:

http://www.solverpaints.com.au/html/SS131.pdf

you will see that what you describe, and what I have experienced as kalsomine, is the same as in this bulletin.

The Solver Surface Conditioner is excellent as a prep coat after you have cleaned all the kalsomine off and before you repaint the walls. It binds any loose material remaining behind prior to painting.

My late father was a painter and Kalsomine was one of his pet hates - he recconed that it was almost impossible to remove and paint over sucessfully.

Them's comforting words!

Thanks again BigShed

Kalsomine man that is a blast from the past. Haven't heard that word for a long time but I have been guilty of applying quite a few coats of that to the walls of a house I lived in at the age of 15.

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"Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards."
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The views expressed by the poster are general in nature and any advice should be taken in this vein. The poster accepts no responsibility if this advice is used. When undertaking any work personal professional advice should be sought from suitably qualified persons in the field of work being undertaken.