How do I remove distemper from plaster work?
by
Billi Jane
+2
I live in a Victorian house with some original plaster features, unfortunaty they have several coats of distemper under the more modern paint which are covering and obscuring the pattern. I would like to remove the distemper to reveal the plaster work in all its glorious detail. Any ideas?
I've attached a photo, it looks out of focus, but that's just the distemper! Also attached a photo of how it should look.
Scrubbing with hot water or a wallpaper steamer should soften the distemper, then use a series of fine brass wire brushes and dental picks to scrape of the excess from the details.
You might try misting it well with a spray bottle and using a stiff paint brush to see if you can gently scrub it away. It might need to sit for a while and be misted several times first. Don't use a wire brush but maybe a stencil brush would work. Even a tooth brush might be OK. Just be very careful you don't scrub into the plaster.
We used a small wire round brush on a drill to do the same with old original wood that had been painted so much that you couldn't even see the ornate detail in the wood anymore. It worked with out damaging the wood, but hubby had to really watch so that he used a light touch to prevent damaging the wood. It turned out so good around the front door, the owner of the house wanted the rest of the woodwork done in the apartment we were in. Gave us a break on the rent and also gave us the supplies to do the rest, including the stain and top coats. He planned to do the rest of the house as the other tenants moved out.
What is distemper?
Yikes! I found this, hope it helps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CP_GAUudnc