Prepping painted cement block walls

[temuhl]

Project is to apply grasscloth over cement block walls, in our daughter's first house. I have wallpapered several of our homes, including grasscloth, but not over cement block. Am planning on first applying wall liner paper. Do I need to otherwaise prep the painted cement ? Confused as to advantages of applying liner vertically or horizontally? Also, home is in humid, steamy Charleston SC (although air conditioned). Thanks for any help !

[Chris Murphy]

No one has replied, probably because of the conditions you name that would give pause to us pros: (painted) cement block and humidity.

A liner may or may not be sufficient to bridge and hide the mortar gaps. Which direction it is hung is not as important as not having a liner seam line up with the finish paper seam.

Do an adhesion test on the painted block: cut an X into the surface, press on some masking tape, and pull. If the paint comes of easily, don't paper the surface. If it adheres OK, prep it with a wallpaper primer, not a paint primer. The liner will have to be primed, too. See Maestro liner:http://wallliner.com (http://wallliner.com/)

[temuhl]

:) Thanks for replying - now I'm really scared, but the project has started so I'm going to see it thru. Have installed wall liner paper & it looks like it is adhering pretty well, except for 2 small bubbles that appeared when we put on a thin coat of paint this morning (should probably have used sealer). Hopefully they will shrink when paint is completely dried. I am going over tomorrow, hoping to start the grasscloth.


I'll let you know how it turns out - crossing my fingers!!

[temuhl]

Well, the job is finished and looks pretty good - more or less as expected, with some of the cement block outlines showing slightly.

But bad news !! The 2nd (Double) roll of grasscloth, although the same "batch" number, was a slightly different color, and it is blatantly noticeable ! When I pu the firs strip up, I noticed it, but thought maybe it was because it was wet, etc. & would dry to the same tint. I am going to have to rip it all off & start over. The mgr of the wallpaper store is out of town until Monday, when I a m going to take it up with her. Hoping to get at least a refund on the material, although I would like to also get labor charge reimbursed. :cry:

[Chris Nelson]

labor charge reimbursed.


Good luck with that:roflmao: