Lining paper can provide a consistent decorating surface on a suitably prepared wall. Skimming adds a finishing plaster to a suitable background. Choose between them after assessing the existing wall and the appearance you want. Neither option replaces repairs to loose material or treatment of an ongoing damp problem.
Before asking which is cheaper per square metre, ask what work the wall needs before it can be decorated. Two quotations can describe the same room while allowing for very different preparation.
A starting point for the choice
- Sound, reasonably flat wall with minor repaired blemishes: consider a suitable lining system if its finished appearance meets the brief.
- A continuous plaster finish is wanted: discuss a skim over a compatible, prepared background.
- Loose plaster or substantial unevenness: establish the repair or levelling work first. Choosing paper or a thin finish coat does not define that work.
These are starting points for a site assessment, not a diagnosis from photographs. Different walls in one room may need different preparation.
Find out what is underneath
Record whether the wall is painted, papered, patched, textured or bare. Photograph uneven areas, joints and cracking. Where wallpaper hides the background, agree whether a limited investigation or removal is needed before the final method can be chosen. Do not assume concealed plaster is sound.
Recurring cracks, damp patches, mould or loose plaster need assessment before decoration. Avoid dry sanding or scraping unidentified old finishes until any relevant material risks have been assessed. A decorative covering should not make an unresolved defect harder to inspect.
When lining paper is worth discussing
Lining paper is useful when the assessed surface can be prepared into a dependable base and a lined finish suits the room. ErfurtMAV describes lining products intended to improve the decorating surface, while stressing preparation and resolving damp at source.
Paper selection and application are product-specific. Conventional lining paper and paste-the-wall fibre liners do not necessarily use the same adhesive or preparation method. Ask for the product, adhesive and final paint or wallpaper system. A quotation that only says “line walls” does not tell you enough.
Ask to see a sample or agreed trial area if the appearance of joints or existing texture is important. A heavier paper is no substitute for correcting a pronounced ridge, loose background or shape you want changed.
When a skim is worth discussing
A skim may suit a project that needs a continuous plaster finish over a compatible, properly prepared background. British Gypsum’s Thistle MultiFinish data sheet describes a finishing plaster for specified backgrounds; its preparation requirements differ between those backgrounds.
Ask the plasterer to distinguish local repairs, background preparation and the finishing coat. “Skim the room” does not, by itself, explain how loose areas, large unevenness or junctions will be dealt with. Any additional build-up must also be considered beside retained skirting, door surrounds and other fittings.
Compare the complete packages
| Decision | Lining-paper proposal | Skimming proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Existing wall | What must be removed or repaired before paper is applied? | What background repairs and preparation are required before plastering? |
| Finished appearance | Which lining and decorating system is proposed; what will the trial show? | What surface and junction finish is included before decoration? |
| Programme | Allow for preparation and the selected adhesive/lining system to dry. | Allow for preparation, plaster drying and the selected decorating system. |
| Room interfaces | Protection, trims, fixtures and edge finishing. | Protection, retained trims, fittings and any separately agreed alterations. |
| Unknown work | How will defects found during removal be reported? | How will additional background repairs be agreed? |
Plan decoration as part of the decision
Ask whether the price ends at a prepared surface or includes decoration. British Gypsum says Thistle plaster should be thoroughly dry before decoration and directs users to the chosen finish manufacturer’s recommendations. Lining systems also have their own drying instructions. A touch-dry surface or a fixed number of days is not a universal release to paint.
There is no reliable blanket saving to apply to every room. Compare the same removal, repair, protection, materials, visits and finished condition. A cheaper initial covering can be a poor comparison if substantial preparation or painting is excluded.
A useful room-by-room brief
List the rooms, wall and ceiling areas, existing finishes and known defects. State the desired appearance, whether skirting and other fittings remain, and how the home will be occupied during work. Mark any areas where the method cannot be confirmed until the old covering is removed.
For a London refurbishment package, send us the room list and photographs. Ask for the proposed treatment to be explained for each background, with any uncertain repair allowance clearly identified.