protecting wallpaper prior to a ceiling skim General decorating topics, questions and answers. find help, tips and advice on completing your decorating projects

[grasmith]

Hi folks

I am having the landing ceiling skimmed to hide cracked artex.
The wallpaper that meets the ceiling has a slightly raised pattern which could be damaged if masking tape is applied and then removed.
I am at a loss as to how to protect the wallpaper without damaging it.
Any suggestions would be most welcome.

[theshedman]

Hi grasmith, the chances of not getting any plaster on the wallpaper is pretty slim. My best suggestion would be to put some sheets up to the walls, leaving inch or 2 at the top as the plasterer has to get his trowel right to the edge. Then once the job is finished to put up some coving to cover the stuff that will get on the edge of the wallpaper. Or you could try using some low tack or very cheap masking tape around the edge which may not damage the wallpaper. The cheap stuff doesn't usually have the sticking power of the good stuff so comes off easier I have found. However good a plasterer you get I cannot see that they will not get some splashes on the walls unless they are covered.

[chris_on_tour2002]

speaking as a plasterer myself i'd say that shedman's option of coving is really the only sensible one.

can't see low tack masking tape working very well up at the ceiling - plaster is wet and and any masking tape will immediately lose its adhesion when moistened.

with all the care in the world no plasterer can guarantee that the paper will not get damaged.