Part II of a series on updating middle-aged homes
Our homeowner was very excited by the prospect of a paint treatment in her hallway. A wallpaper contractor took down the dated colonial-design wallpaper, leaving behind bright white walls begging for something more up-to-the-minute. The paste used to put up the paper originally was so heavy-duty that it took some of the wallboard and skim coat plaster off when the paper was removed. The contractor recommended two options for repair: re-wallpaper with a heavy, high-grade paper, or repair the damaged walls and re-paint them.
The homeowner is now faced with a decision. If she chooses wallpaper, some minimal repair work still needs to be done. To help the homeowner decide, I wanted to show her what is possible with wallpaper. Because the hallway is narrow, I wanted to find an updated design with a hint of metallic to it. Yes, the ’70s are back! But don’t let the word metallic scare you. There are some very chic papers out there that are very well done. The metallic finish can reflect light and open up the space without making you feel like disco dancing. I found a free-style stripe by Schumacher that will really open up the space, as well as enhance the eclectic flavor of the home.
My homeowner is still hoping that she can do a paint treatment, however. She has two choices to repair her wall: a plasterer can be hired to do a skim coat to repair the damaged wallboard, or she can choose to do it herself. The cost of a plasterer can range from several hundred to several thousands of dollars depending on the space you are hoping to finish, but it will look brand-new and can be finished as you choose with no restrictions other than properly preparing the wall. I suggest calling individual plastering contractors for their bids on your job.
For those of you who are do-it-yourselfers, you can attempt to repair the wall with joint compound. Little divots in the wall can simply be filled in with joint compound and a patching knife. For larger imperfections, I suggest using a plasterer’s trowel. Apply some joint compound to the trowel and do a nice wide sweep over the damaged area. Remember, the more you work the joint compound, the rougher the texture. I don’t recommend more than two or three sweeps. Even that can be too much. Experiment and find your comfort zone with the technique. You can try to smooth out the joint compound with a wet—but not dripping—sponge. If you like the way it looks, let it dry and sand it smooth. You can buy a sanding machine for about $50 at one of the local home improvement stores. The machine can be hooked up to a commercial vacuum, too, eliminating most of the dust that fills the air with regular sanding of a plaster or joint compound finish.
If you have an older home that has plaster rather than wall board, remove the very loose areas of the wall. Use plaster buttons to secure the remaining plaster. Fill in the gaps with joint compound. It is a good idea to wet the area you are working with to remove excess debris and give it a moist base that will help the new material adhere to the wall.
If you have cracks in your ceiling, the same techniques can be used that were used on the walls. The key is sanding. The smoother it is when it is wet, the happier you will be trying to smooth it when dry. Sanding plaster is tough. Sanding joint compound is easier, but if you have large areas to do, you will regret not making the wet compound as smooth as possible. Remember, less is always more!
Do you have a decorating dilemma? Ask the Decorating Diva for help. Send a short description of the problem to features@harvardpress.com. Design difficulties will be chosen at the discretion of the Diva, Anne Hentz, an interior decorator who lives in Harvard.