Look out for lining papers that contain PVC (polyvinylchloride) as this will make the material far less breathable. Why is it important for your walls to be able to breathe? Well, having air flowing in and out through your walls means that the quality of your air is constantly being replenished. This reduces the build-up of stagnant air within your home, lowering the level of any indoor pollutants. If you are wallpapering new plaster you will need a light grade lining paper as the wall will be completely smooth. This adds a little extra insulation and provides a great blank canvas for painting. Ideally try to introduce some gentle ambient heat into the area where the lining paper is to help it dry properly. This will also help the paint dry faster so you can use the room sooner. How many drops does a roll of lining paper do?

Most professional decorators use lining paper before wallpapering a room but as a novice DIY-er, it can be difficult to know whether the added expense of buying and the time involved to hang lining paper is worth it in terms of the finished result. In a nutshell, the professionals wouldn’t use it unless they had to and in reality the condition of most walls, especially in older properties mean heavy duty lining paper is required. So as someone new to the world of lining paper, how do you choose which grade to use on walls that are certainly far from perfect? This article will guide you through when to choose 1700 grade lining paper and its uses. What is Lining Paper and What is the Grading System?

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Lining paper is a great way to turn plasterboard into a paint- or wallpaper-ready surface. You’ll need to fill the joints and screw holes before doing so. Make sure they’re nicely sanded down and seal the plasterboard with a primer or PVA solution. WHAT IS THE BEST LINING PAPER FOR PAINTING? Once you have done the first part of the strip, fold over a 50 cm pasted section onto paper that has already been pasted and repeat until the whole strip is done. This creates a concertina effect that looks a bit like the top of a Viennetta ice cream. Before you start hanging lining paper you will need to prep the area you are working in. We are assuming that you have already prepped the walls. If not, see our section below on 'what's the best way to prepare a wall for lining paper?'. If possible empty the room you will be working in so you have full access to the walls and room for your pasting table. Alternatively, move your furniture to one side and cover the furniture and floor with dust sheets. Lining paper eliminates any guesswork. While it may absorb more paint without the use of a primer, you won’t suffer in terms of adhesion or durability. In other words, it’s up to you whether you want to prime your lining paper beforehand or paint straight on and use a little more paint in the process. HOW TO HANG LINING PAPER Skimming is the act of using a finishing plaster to ‘touch up’ your walls, creating a smooth surface for paint or paper. It sounds similar to lining paper, but if you’re torn between the two, there are number of key differences you should consider: PROS OF SKIMMING

Conventional lining paper has been used by decorators for years, in many cases with great results. That said, the clear advantages of paste-the-wall lining paper can’t be denied. Now repeat on the next strip of lining paper so you have two ready to go. Once you have put up the first strip, paste the third strip, then put up the second and then paste the fourth etc. This helps the paste soak into the paper and gives it time to expand and lessens the chances of the edges overlapping. The thinner the paper the shorter the soak time for wallpaper paste. In the case of 800-1000 grades, leave for eight to 10 minutes before applying the lining paper. 2. 1200-1400 grade lining paper

You should leave newly hung lining paper for at least 24 hours before you think about painting it. If the room is cold you want to think about leaving the lining paper for at least 48 hours. As with lining paper, the result is hopefully a perfectly smooth wall that’s ready to be decorated. However, don’t make the mistake of thinking that plastering is an alternative to lining paper or vice versa. I have used the 2000 grade on a few rooms in the house and painted over it and I do think it is good quality lining paper. The problem I am facing is that in the final room I am trying to decorate – I discovered when I was attempting to strip it, that it had one layer of bamboo like textured paper which came off quite easily with a steamer but this was papered on top of another shell patterned textured paper and this shell paper was pasted directly onto drywall with no sealer coat. Trying to remove wallpaper from paper(the drywall paper lining) is proving almost impossible and I don’t want to damage the drywall itself in the process by either over wetting it or gouging it when trying to scrape the shell paper off.