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Hello everyone, we have an issue of years of water damage to this wall due to a leaky roof. The roof has been fixed. Would like to fix this wall, but not sure what to do exactly. Scrape off all the damage? Plaster on top? Advice is appreciated.
One more thing: Check the plaster after removing the wallpaper. Depending on the type, it can be damaged from the water and should be removed.
Thank you, the wood rot hasn't crossed my mind, will check
No problem. I live in Canada, and we build primarily stick frame (wood) residential here. Rot is something I see on a regular basis.
Unfortunately that wall has to be opened up, removing all the damage/saturated areas. Once opened up and all the affected materials is removed carefully. Hitting the breaker/fuse for that receptacle would probably be advised as well. You'll have to assess what is used for insulation and structure, and not knowing the age of the construction/house, suggest finishing YouTube videos for plaster and lath wall repairs, assuming that is what is involved. Watch more than one til you have a handle on how to do it.
The other option is replacing the wall with drywall, which would be the best option, imo---as alot of those old homes may have been painted with lead paint Wearing some eye and breathing protection is also highly recommended.
Squirting vinegar isn't going to do the trick here, it's about getting the saturated area dried out first and remediation of whatever has taken a footing behind that wall [mold, bugs, smells]
I have done similar water damage repairs and isolated the room off and just ran the dehumidifier and medium sized industrial fan for 3 or 4 days [this was standard drywall and insulation, not plaster]. Run it round the clock, keeping the dehumidifier collection tank emptied as needed.
If the mold has really taken a foothold, and you feel it's out of your league, call a professional.
It's not that it is difficult, it just requires the knowhow.
The electrical end of things will need an electrician to inspect.
Once you get it dried and removal of the damaged area, that's more than half the battle and once you get some plaster repair tutoring, I'm pretty sure you're on your way to a DIY fix.
Thank you, we will try to get the fluffy bits off and see if it's moldy and call the electrician to check
First rule of water damage repair: it’s always very problematic. Always.
Old wallpaper always makes water damage look worse. I would spray down the paper with hot water and peel/scrape it away. If you are worried about mold, spray the area with cleaning vinegar. Let everything dry and then repair the plaster as needed. This type of tool helps with old wallpaper removal.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Piranha-Wallpaper-Scraping-Tool/3027793
Can you save a step and spray down the paper with hot vinegar?
water to remove the old wallpaper, vinegar to kill any mold on the old plaster.
Thank you, will get the tool and try getting the damage off to see what is underneath
original plaster is surprisingly resilient in the face of water damage so long as it gets dry again. Avoid too much scraping pressure or you may break the keys.
It looks like a solid masonry wall with plaster over top. If there's no wood in the assembly, I'd just clean off the wallpaper and apply new plaster. My only concern would be rot in the wood rough framing around the window. If rot has occurred in the window frame itself, it may mean a new window, depending on the construction technique and extent of any rot.