Re: [gardeners] Friday in the garden

Allen and Judy Merten (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 18 Jun 1999 09:17:00 -0500 

Hi All,
    As you can see, I'm still trying to catch up on my email. Re: mixing "spackle
into the paint". This is a good method to use if you keep in mind that it is really a
method to texture and prime at the same time. It is not intended to be a one step
only method. Especially in a high humid climate like southern Fla., you will still
need to apply a finish coat of paint to keep the texture from absorbing moisture and
mildewing. The "mix" usually winds up being a flat "open" coat that readily absorbs
moisture and dirt. It is very difficult to clean. I recommend using a semi-gloss or
gloss latex interior finish paint.
    Allen
    Bastrop Co.
    SE Central Tx.

George Shirley wrote:

> AMGarden@aol.com wrote:
>
> > Our house also has 20 year old wallpaper and wall tile.  In the kitchen the
> > walls were tiled with orange flowers that were about 4 inches across.  One on
> > each tile.  Each tile pulled down a big chunk of wall board.  We ended up
> > taking down the drywall and putting up new, this was much easier than it
> > sounds.  Since there was unseen rot behind the sink, that was repaired too.
> >
> > In the family room that shrunk, when the kitchen expanded, there was tan
> > wallpaper with dark brown flowers.  Instead of pulling it all down and
> > redoing the wall board in there I (over a week my husband was traveling for
> > work) pulled only the loose parts down, sanded the rest lightly, spackled a
> > little and painted over the wall paper with 2 coats of Kilz (tm) and 6 more
> > coats of white latex paint.  It took that much before you could no longer see
> > the brown flowers through the paint.  It has been that way for 5 years now
> > and there has been no further peeling of the old paper.  You wouldn't know it
> > was painted paper if I didn't tell you.
>
> The hall bath in our house was remodeled two years ago. Pulled the old brown shag
> carpet up and there was pristine vinyl tile under it so saved that. The wall
> paper was a heavy vinyl type that had a "jungle green" (really loud green to me)
> with bright chrome yellow flowers about six inches across on it. Really ugly
> wallpaper there. Surprisingly enough it pulled right off once you got a corner
> started. Same thing with the foyer wallpaper taken off two days ago. Both had the
> cloth backing and then the paper so came off easily. Unfortunately it appears
> they glued the paper directly to the wallboard in the master bath. It's coming
> off a little easier now, I'm using a 50:50 mix of 5% vinegar and hot water, use
> the paper scratcher to open up some holes and then spray several times and start
> stripping, spray and strip, etc. Gonna take a while but will preserve the
> wallboard which is in good shape when I get down to it. Instead of sizing the
> wall and then painting I'm using a deep knap roller and mixing dry spackle with
> the latex paint, an old painter I know told me how to do it and it works pretty
> good.
>
> > Now I am ready to put up some more wallpaper in there.  There has been no
> > decision on color or pattern yet, but I already have the sizing that goes on
> > first to prevent the same problems we had before.  This time the paper will
> > be strippable.  It will be something to help bring the garden inside.
> > Anne in FL
> > zone 9b
>
> We have two patio doors, one set in the family room, looking directly out to the
> patio and the gardens, and the other in the master bedroom just looking out on
> the plant benches on the patio. Those two doors and floor to ceiling windows
> bring the outdoors in on those days that are cool enough to open the drapes.
> Reckon living in southern FL you know whereof I speak. ;-)
>
> Old houses are a lot of work but often provide more house for the money than a
> new one.
>
> George