Concrete Blocks

[Ric]

I have a job with concrete blocks (2x2) Very smooth finish and painted. The paint is sound witth no calsifing or cracking at all. I'm thinking R-35 primer with a bridging liner and then install the grasscloth. Maybe a Zinser primer suited for mold prevention would be better. Any thoughts? Thanks Ric

[Bill Archibald]

Ric,

Is there a mold problem now that makes you lean toward using a mold and mildew preventing primer?

Generally, mold and mildew will not be an issue unless you have a situation that will promote its growth. Both a bridging (non-woven) liner and grass should remain breathable enough not to enhance mold and mildew growth under normal conditions.

Speaking of bridging liner, it the concrete block has the normal joints, make sure the customer understands that there is basically NOTHING on the market (short of overlayment) that will completely hide the lines. However, the grass being grass will contribute to hiding the lines. Just don't guarantee 100% the hiding of those joints.

Next, R-35 and other tacky preps have been known to exhibit the "Peeling Sunburn Skin Syndrome (PSSS) at stripping time. If you can acquire Swing Wallpaper Prep Coat, I would suggest using it.

-Bill

[Ric]

Bill,

I saw no future problem for mold or mildew. The grout line is less than any panneling I've ever seen. The building is very old and is a high security federal structure that is well maintained. (100 + years ) I'll try to locate some Swing Prep coat or equivalant. Thanks, Ric

[Boston Hangman]

In the past, I have used the bridging liner myself. The stuff I used was a non woven. It worked great for bridging , but it does suck up a lot of paste. In my experience, I found priming the liner was helpful. I have used Shieldz pigmented acrylic, which would be a fine choice for priming the blocks as well.

Mark

[Bill Archibald]

Bill,

The grout line is less than any paneling I've ever seen. Thanks, Ric

That's good. With the grass, the lines should just about disappear. I did my own kitchen paneling about 14 years ago. Prepped with a tacky prep (Calif acrylic Prep n Size ) installed Brewster's (I think) bridging, prepped that with the same, and installed a thin pre-pasted. The paneling shows, but doesn't jump out and grab you. My only fear now is removal and what the Prep n Size will do. No mold or mildew problems and we got some bouts of serious humidity during the summer.

[Chris Nelson]

http://www.swingpaints.com/3107.htm

[Lee Epstein]

There are 2 products out there that I think are the best for that situation they are "Plaster in a Roll" and "Faster Plaster". What they are is woven jute impregnated with plaster. They have a special glue sold by the manufacturer. This goes right over the cinder block. It gives a flat surface (no block line appear). Then hang over it. Voila! I've used it over cinder block, paneling and in my own bathroom where the previous owners had that ugly pre-finished sheetrock and a badly rotted out ceiling from water damage. It gives a new and hard surface without all the mess of ripping out bad sheetrock and reinstalling new rock and a fraction of the time to complete the job.

[Chris Murphy]

Knock wood, but we should have some of this material to hang on the practice demonstration walls(144'!!) at the Asheville Convention and Trade Show, Sept. 17-20. We will have informal demos using that and muslin, plus blankstock and other liners. For those who haven't had experience hanging these or hanging on these, this is a great benefit of the Show.

[Ric]

I feel the bridging liner is going to be fine for the brick wall I talked about earlier. I just looked at a job with a really bad cynderblock job at a hotel and the plaster on a roll or faster plaster looked great. Thanks Lee. Belinda Comboy knows about this product and gave me some samples and Tech. info. The walls are not even so I might have to do some skimming. They are usin a commercial wallcovering. Lee, how bad wher the walls you coverd? I'm going to call the supplier and get some figures. Thanks for the info Lee.
Ric

[Cliff Hayes]

WE just did a job at Kean College, NJ, installing Faster plaster over not-so=smooth block, followed by commercial vinyl. The Faster Plaster did an outstanding job. We used Gardz to prep the block, followed by Faster Plaster using their proprietary adhesive. Gardz was applied over teh faster Plaster the next day just prior to hanging the vinyl. The results were very good.

The faster Plaster is $4/yard, and the adhesive was $11 a gallon, I think. Faster Plaster is from Flexi-Wall Systems, of South Carolina. Call John or Jim directly to place your order. They are very helpful. 800 843-5394

Cliff

[Chris Murphy]

Heavy & light Faster Plaster will be demonstrated at the Asheville Convention and Trade Show, Sept. 17-20!! Come and see how it works over panelling!

*I haven't been back to Keene since I saw Bonnie Raitt in '75. Great country in the shadow of Manadonock.

[Boston Hangman]

Chris

wrong Keene, that was Keene State in Keene NH....beautiful area. I was just up that way Labor day weekend.....good fishing on the _________river ;)


Mark

[Chris Murphy]

O, fer cripesake, I read NJ as NH, must've been dust on the screen couldn't be age.

[HangingInThere]

Chris, I've no dust on my screen and I too read it as NH...it's age for sure! :D

[fine paper hang]

I once used bridging liner on blocks and it worked not so perfect
It’s best to strive for perfection if it was me based on my past mistakes
I would plaster prep coat or at least R35 walls then fill all cement gaps with a fast drying mud or even multiple coat of compound sand smooth prime then hang liner which will now be an excellent buffer
I feel in these situations I pays to spend the extra time since it will make a huge no complaints customer difference

[Elsie Kapteina]

And Chris, what did we hang at the convention? was it flex wall by Tasso. That seemed to work great over that panelling. Should be in the same field as what Lee was specifying. It hung like a dream, once we get the bugs out of the installers. e

[Chris Murphy]

That's right, Faster Plaster by FlexiWall http://www.flexiwall.com/

We added grooved panelling to one of the sections of demo wall we had set up for the Asheville Convention and Trade Show. Elsie and (?) Cyndi showed us how to use their proprietary adhesive (came in a plastic jug, looked like a VOV, but thinner). We let it dry overnight, and you could not see a groove. Cyndi has used it a number of times on commercial jobs where the wall damage was extensive. I had seen samples, but seeing it perform sold it for me. Now, gimme an RV that needs a NASCAR photo-mural.....

[Lee Epstein]

Keith,
If you use the Faster Plaster or Plaster In a Roll smoothing out the cinderblock is not needed. The material dries smooth. It is made for this purpose.

[shelw]

What's the cost? And how well would it hold up in an RV on the way to Darlington? Or Atlanta, for instance? ;-)

[Chris Murphy]

Keith,
If you use the Faster Plaster or Plaster In a Roll smoothing out the cinderblock is not needed. The material dries smooth. It is made for this purpose.

True, with a couple of exceptions to the rule: 1) a bad block job can make anything on top look bad and 2) take a cold chisel to knock off any protrusions (like mortar).

I think RV's, trailers, etc. have some issues with flexing, don't they? I'd be a little careful on the corners- look to see if there are marks from the panels there moving- but otherwise, I think it'd be a fine way to pay for an excellent race weekend. Just saw a Daddy Dale graphic on ebay. You'd have to ask FlexiWall about prices, or maybe Cyndi will chime in, as all she's doing this week is laundry and shooting varmints around the yard.

[Ric]

The concrete block job is finally done. The bridging liner (non-woven) that I bought from Cavalier performed great. I primed with R-35 and installed using 880. No grooves could be seen or felt. The Faster-Plaster I saw at the convention looked great and I can't wait to use it. However the grout lines being so slight and the walls so even the liner was the perfect choice, plus I had allready bid the job. With the Grasscloth as the cover it all felt good.

The Grasscloth however was a nightmare! Maybe a new topic to disscuss?

[Bill Archibald]

Alright, I'll bite, in which way was the grasscloth a nightmare ?

[Ric]

Sorry Bill,
I posted my nightmare ,on a grasscloth thread. GREEN GREEN GRASS I didn't know if I should start a new thread or not. With all these hangers doing GC I thought it might be a good place to go.