# Wallpaper over Knockdown



## Guardi Pro (Mar 15, 2006)

Could you apply a backing to knockdown then apply paper, or would a good belt sanding be in order? Would like to stay away from sanding if possible... Have one wall 5x8 and a soffit 2x10 for border. knockdown is a medium texture, not sure about the type of paper it will be in by end of week. I know it's not foil... If any more info needed please advise.

Thanks!!!


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## Danahy (Oct 17, 2006)

Soak it. Roll it with water in your tray... It'll come down... what doesn't just fall down, will easily scoop/scrape off....


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## phinsher (Oct 27, 2005)

They make some products for situations like these, although i believe they're more for old damaged plaster walls etc. They might work in this situation but i've never tried. Prowallguy would know better.

Might make a better project to just skim them, then prime. Not sure where i read it, but one of these message boards just talked about this and how fast skimming walls can be if you roll on the mud and use a big trowel.


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## Richard (May 21, 2006)

*yep*

wet and scrape, like danahy said...it's the best way and will keep any dust down


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

A new, unprimed wall can be wetted and scraped or skim coated, I'd go with the latter. If it's been painted, orbital, 60# and vac system for the rough stuff then drop to 100# for final.

If they used a knockdown, 90% of the time the wall will be bad. That's what they're covering up with the knockdown. Your paper options may be limited to get a decent job. Foils can really show up the convolutions on a wall.


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## Guardi Pro (Mar 15, 2006)

I like the skim coat idea! Prime & hang... Thanks guys:thumbsup:


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## Guardi Pro (Mar 15, 2006)

Teetorbilt said:


> A new, unprimed wall can be wetted and scraped or skim coated, I'd go with the latter. If it's been painted, orbital, 60# and vac system for the rough stuff then drop to 100# for final.
> 
> If they used a knockdown, 90% of the time the wall will be bad. That's what they're covering up with the knockdown. Your paper options may be limited to get a decent job. Foils can really show up the convolutions on a wall.



Teetor: Surface has already been painted, Semi gloss Were Re-painting the kitchen and they want the entrance wall in the kitchen, and the soffit above the cabinets paper. It's not foil... I think the skim coat would be the better option? So much dust when sanding...


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## Danahy (Oct 17, 2006)

Now that I know it's already been painted, that changes my opinion... Personally, I'd have to weigh out the effort between skim coats, sanding, mess vs installing 1/4 drywall over top?...

I don't envy your situation, but am confident you'll find atleast a couple of good options here.


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## axnjoe (Dec 10, 2006)

Agree that the knockdown could be a cosmetic fix over poor walls.
Either way its not hard. Soaking wall with water would be great in softening then scraping the majority down. You most likely would still have to sand. Since it is painted with sg. I would address as follows:
If the knock down is bold I would definitely use the orbital/vac not quite all the way down, leaving what Teeter called convolutions (not to expose possible previous damage) and skim with mid weight or green mud for the higher glue content for better adhesion. 
If the knockdown is light, just a light sand and skim it tight still with the midweight or green mud. The light sand would be to just remove the very small spikey like raised edges on the knockdown if there are any.(Texturing:when knocking down while really wet the edges bead or sag back to leave rounder profile edges and if you do it when it is drier it will pull the edges leaving very small spikes). 
Of course prime/seal/size.
When it come to the papering, small convolutions can be filled simply by adding some clay based paste to the mix. Be advised that it can stain some papers. and quite abit harder to remove in later years.
I would say that all this could be done one day.
You could just liner paper over the knock down then paper over that.
I guess it all depends on what you can do and still make it look nice and last along time.


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## metomeya (Apr 20, 2006)

Skim coat

Use a bonding primer if it is a semi-gloss (Zinsser 1-2-3)


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

By convolutions I meant the wall not being flat or a lousy tape job. A lot of hangers here slack off when they know that the texture will cover their sins.


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## metomeya (Apr 20, 2006)

And if you run into that mesh tape while you sand, you have to skim-coat that area, and it definitely won't look flat.


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