DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Two things.
We just began stripping our wall paper using a steamer and I began to worrie that the steam was affecting the plaster. It started to become soft. Is that a problem and if so is there another way of doing things.
Also I was wondering if it is possible to simply apply lining paper over your exhisting wall paper before painting. It seems alot easier then stripping and skimming to me. How possible is this??

Stripping with a steamer can affect the plaster and you are right to stop if you think this is happening. Its ok to apply lining paper over paper but you must remember you are taking a risk. The wallpaper adhesive which is holding up the existing paper is water soluable. This is how it comes off with a steamer or ordinary warm water because the water simply dissolves the existing paste through the paper.....So if you apply paste to the surface of this paper by sticking new paper on it you run the risk of dissovling the existing paste. Most of the time its ok because the new paste dries too quickly to lifty the old paste but beware it is a risk.