Thimble Hall Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I dismantled my UK mystery house which was only screwed together so I could strip the wallpapers and old glued on carpets out of it. I have uncovered the wood. It is English so I am not sure what it is called here. It has a thin melamine finish on one side only, the other side which had wallpaper stuck on it seems very absorbent so I dare not wet it. I have pulled peeling wallpaper off but only the top surface came off in most places so it has left a layer of white paper underneath which is tightly stuck.. I can't paper over it and I am nervous to strip it. In the UK I would say that this is hardboard, but I have never seen that so porous before, it is almost crumbly, Does anyone have any ideas how I could get the wallpaper off without swelling the wood please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyckedWood Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Could you paper over the top of what's stuck down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NellBell Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 This is what I'm thinking prime / paint over the left behind wallpaper then repaper with a heavy textured paper called anaglypta Sable talked about this in a another post. It's heavy and covers really good in a real home. or use a sparkle compond and texture right over it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 Hi, no not really , it had about 5 layers of paper on which has come off leaving quite high patches here and there of varying thicknesses. I persevered tonight and managed to strip one wall off. The last layer is very shiny, it is paper but made to look like the bits that have the plastic coating. on.. I love anaglypta. most of my UK home was done in several different patterns and it paints beautifully. I even brought a few boxes of rolls with me after a visit to the UK it came along with our furniture when we came back after a 9 year stay there. I did 2 Canadian houses in it and still have some left but far too big for a dollhouse. It is one of my favourite home decorating things. The real one is very heavy there are some knock offs which are lighter. I used to have to paste it , then wait a couple of minutes then paste it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 The material you describe is a very cheap particle board. Back when the state of Florida operated many campuses of Sunland Training Centers one of the programs was "cabinetry" in which patients/ clients made simple furniture items from strip wood, dowels nd that kind of particle board. One of my sociology classes involved doing clinicals on site at the Gainesville facility, and at the end of my tour I bought a small occasional table to use in my dorm room. The table lasted about two years before the particle board succumbed to damp and crumbled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormwoodz Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Hi Jeannine, I'm afraid the only way to prevent the wood particles from swelling and damaging the boards would be to use a non polar solvent, in art restoration we use hydrocarbon solvents such as toluene or xylene. Solvents like "white spirit" won't cause any wood swelling at all, but I have to warn you that they are VERY toxic (use respiratory protection if you must use these) and they dissolve both wax and resins... so I'd first check what kind of binders may be inside that particle board before picking a solvent and test it. Some resins dissolve in saturated hydrocarbons while others don't. Do you know what kind of adesive was used on the papper? If it's something like methyl-celulose or some other synthetic thermoplastic I would first try to remove it with heat. Hot water vapor usually works well on methyl-celulose and other papper glues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SewMini Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Could you spackle over it to smooth the surface and then paper it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickyfingers Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I would use templates. Apply wallpaper to a backing of some sort (posterboard, heavy paper, card stock, mat board, etc) cut to fit the walls, then attach that to your crumbly surface with double sided tape or glue. The reason my Yellow House project stalled was a similar issue. The structure is built of paper-covered Styrofoam. Old wallpaper could be partially removed, but not completely, and I don't dare just paint over it. as some areas are already wrinkled and warped. So the ENTIRE interior surfaces will be done with templates. *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stickyfingers Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Oh, and if the product is that unstable that it's crumbly just from removing paper, I wouldn't try and spackle it, as most all spackle and patching compounds are water-based. I would scrape off what you can, then spray it with some sort of sealer- shellac, clear spray laquer, etc. to preserve the foundation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 2 hours ago, stickyfingers said: Oh, and if the product is that unstable that it's crumbly just from removing paper, I wouldn't try and spackle it, as most all spackle and patching compounds are water-based. I would scrape off what you can, then spray it with some sort of sealer- shellac, clear spray laquer, etc. to preserve the foundation. I agree with an oil based shellac to help bind the particle board. Then apply templates of thin wood veneer. I’m the queen of Xylene and I don’t recommend that as a solution, it would probably dissolve any remaining resin holding it together. Edit: particle board is just pressed wood bits. I’m not sure if resins are used to bid it, just pressure. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Celeste Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I think the easiest thing would be to just cover over it with textured paper or paneling! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 Hi, I managed to scrape one wall clean last night, it took forever but I managed to get it off, the tiny bits that were left I sanded off. I guess I will just persevere then if I am successful I will prime it all. It isn't particle board Holly this is much much denser and I am familiar with that. This is UK hardboard my Grandson told me last night on the phone that hardboard is called Masonite in the US The shiny surface turned out to be a heavy shiny wallpaper not a laminated surface as I first thought.. It is rough on one side and smooth on the other which is exactly what hardboard is . Artists use it to paint on. It isn't actually crumbling it looks like it might, like hardboard used to look if old and unpainted. It is annoying and on closer inspection it is only the movable inner walls that are made of this. so if I don't succeed I could replace them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Well I'm delighted that it's not that yucky particle board. My childhood dollhouse was made of Masonite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 How long did it last Holly? I have been at it non stop since I got up and I am delighted to say I have done it. Some of the wallpapers were glued on as were the carpets, it was very hard to do. There are a couple of little places where the screws were that will need a little fill but overall it has come off pretty well. I will have a break and a cuppa and then go over every piece and do what it needs so tomorrow the wrecking and recovery will be completely done Now I have to decide what I am going to do with it. Oh and I will do the picture thing. As it is a mystery house I guess I will have to give it a name. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 3 minutes ago, Jeannine said: Oh and I will do the picture thing. As it is a mystery house I guess I will have to give it a name. I know you posted an picture of the house in another thread, but start an album. I want to see this mystery Masonite. I was wondering if it was originally covered in a vinyl sticker, like they did with older play houses like Fischer Price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 No, not quite like that, I do know what you mean but some of the woods are different inside and out.The moveable ones had a thick plastic type wallpaper that was glued on in the kitchen and hall but not in the other rooms . The inside of where the bay windows are has never been wallpapered and there it is an original finish which looks like it was on the wood, and I believe, if my memory serves me right, was called faced hardboard in the UK . After doing a lot of finger walking I have learned that although there is a fairly well known thickness for hardboard it did come in other thicknesses and this is one of them. I think this was made for sale as a quick kit and came already painted etc so all the new owner had to do was screw it together. Underneath the screws and hasty build there is the makings of quite a nice house. I have sort of got into it now, poor house after ignoring it for so long. The previous owner had put a couple of lights in but no channels, just stuck on with the wires dangling. I am going to put it back together dry fitted and see what it needs and where, expecially to make provision for the lights. It may make a Christmas house, hoping it will talk to me as I dry build it, unless it is sulking now LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 1 hour ago, Jeannine said: How long did it last Holly?... It would probably still be in my possession, had my mother not decided I had "outgrown" it and "put it away" in our very leaky garage for the damp, mold and critters to finish off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 Oh I am sorry..but luckily you never did really outgrow it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 1 hour ago, Jeannine said: Oh I am sorry..but luckily you never did really outgrow it No, and I still play with them. I'm seriously considering building the Garfield for my Lettie Lane paperdoll family, since they are the right size for 1:12 scale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimble Hall Posted January 6, 2018 Author Share Posted January 6, 2018 Well that would be just great Holly, I shall watch that build with interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 It will be a while; you wouldn't believe the stack of unbuilt kits and rehab houses in my workshop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
third_hand Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 (edited) On 1/5/2018, 5:10:42, havanaholly said: The material you describe is a very cheap particle board. Back when the state of Florida operated many campuses of Sunland Training Centers one of the programs was "cabinetry" in which patients/ clients made simple furniture items from strip wood, dowels nd that kind of particle board. One of my sociology classes involved doing clinicals on site at the Gainesville facility, and at the end of my tour I bought a small occasional table to use in my dorm room. The table lasted about two years before the particle board succumbed to damp and crumbled. Holly, it sounds like you had very rich and fulfilling educational experience. I loved sociology when I was doing my undergraduate degree (in Florida also). It's fascinating that this is how you came to identify this kind of board! Always nice to hear how folks come to accumulate their knowledge of materials and such Oops, looks like later on in the thread folks confirmed it wasn't particle board! In any case, it's a good story. Edited January 6, 2018 by third_hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Eli, when I was at the university I was working towards career in social work right after it ceased to be baccalaureate level career and had begun to require a MA degree, so I only had two jobs that used any of that coursework. When I was 50 I went to Nursing School and worked as a RN until I retired a dozen years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniaddicted Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Sounds like you've got it to where you want it. I probably would have gotten out my power sander and gone to town with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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