To skim or not to skim?

Hiya . You have 2 options; 1/ Rub down(lightly) to key the paint that you've applied, skim with interior filler to get all of the imperfections, rub down the filler and then cross line the walls with lining paper. Pro.. you could do all of this yourself with no external labour cost (although there would be significant material costs) Con..time consuming, labour intensive and dusty. 2/ Source a plasterer to prep and skim for you. Pro...quick and conclusive solution. Con... could be pricey( this could be balanced against the cost in time and materials in option 1) I hope this has given you some clarity.

This is actually a very common issue after removing wallpaper. The bare plaster absorbs paint differently compared to the areas with old paint, which is why you're getting bubbling and visible lines. I don’t think you need to skim the whole wall, especially if the problem is only in certain areas. A better approach would be to fill the damaged spots with filler, then lightly sand them to get a smooth surface. The most important step is to apply a primer or a mist coat (slightly watered-down paint) before repainting. This will seal the surface and help the paint go on evenly. If you follow these steps, you should get a good finish without the cost of a full skim

I would generally agree with the advice already given. From what you have described, the situation sounds more like a localised repair job rather than a wall that needs fully skimming. The main thing is to remove any loose paint and make sure all wallpaper paste residue has been cleaned off properly. Thereafter, the damaged areas can usually be filled, sanded smooth, and then primed before repainting. If there are any small cracks, scrim tape may also help before filling. In many cases, the bubbling and visible lines happen because bare plaster and old painted areas absorb paint differently. With good preparation, the problem can often be resolved without the cost of skimming the whole wall.

If the wall is in direct sunlight or a very bright room, I would recommend skimming it. Natural light will highlight any imperfections, joins or uneven areas, especially where the old paint meets the bare plaster. If it’s not a bright area, you could get away with proper preparation — sealing the bare plaster first, then filling and sanding the uneven areas before repainting. In your case, the bubbling is likely because the bare plaster wasn’t sealed properly before painting. A mist coat or primer would normally be needed first. So it really depends on the finish you’re after — for a perfect smooth result in bright light, skimming is the best option. For a decent finish, good prep and sealing can work

Remove bubbling flaking paint with scraper. then seal loose paint with zinser peel stop . Skim with a filler and sand . Paint again and check if filler needs 2nd skim and paint .. 1 or 2 even 3 skims filler to get desired finish

Greetings to you. First is this a plasterboard wall or a bricks wall, is good to know before doing anything on the wall. Capture a picture of this and display here, since your doing DY your explanation might not have some clarity. And from your explanation you have done some work already. Make it easier with a picture display.

It sounds like the bubbling is happening because the bare plaster and the old painted areas are absorbing the new paint differently, and there may also still be some wallpaper paste or unstable old paint left on the wall. The best option before skimming the whole room would usually be to stop painting for now, scrape off anything loose or bubbled, sand the edges smooth, then clean the walls properly to remove any paste residue. After that, seal the damaged and bare areas with a suitable primer/sealer, fill and level the uneven patches with a fine surface filler, sand again, and then repaint once everything is sealed and smooth. Bare plaster should not usually be painted straight over with normal paint, as it often causes flashing, bubbling, or visible joins. So no, full skimming is not always the only answer, but the wall will likely need sealing and patch filling first rather than more coats of paint. If a large amount of the old surface is unstable, then a skim may end up being the better long-term fix.