Papering walls that are older than they look
Old plaster can be soft, patched or bowed, and stripping a previous paper sometimes takes part of the surface with it. Lining paper evens things out and gives the finish paper a consistent base to dry onto. Where plaster comes away badly, our plasterers can skim it so the job carries on without a second firm.
With 28 listed buildings in the parish and a designated conservation area, some of these homes may have historic finishes worth protecting. We once kept a customer's existing William Morris paper safe while the ceiling above it was plastered, as the William Morris staircase project describes.
Wallpaper hanging in Swavesey's newer houses
More than half of Swavesey's homes were built between 1965 and 1999, and a further 17% since 2000. Walls there are usually flatter and need less work, which suits bold patterns and murals. New plaster or board is sealed first so the paper can be positioned and later stripped cleanly.
Simon, our wallpaper specialist, takes on designer and hand-printed papers, where batch numbers and pattern placement matter most.
Swavesey at a glance
- 14 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 20 minutesOSRM routing
- 14%of properties were built before 1919VOA Council Tax stock
- 5%date from 1919 to 1939VOA Council Tax stock
- 1,167householdsCensus 2021
- 28listed buildingsHistoric England
- 72%of homes are owner-occupiedCensus 2021
How we approach wallpapering
We strip old layers, wash off paste and assess the plaster beneath. On pre-1919 walls we fill, skim where needed and hang lining paper cross-wise before the finish paper. On later walls we size to the manufacturer's instructions. We start the pattern on the wall that faces you as you walk in. The full method, products and FAQs are on our wallpapering page.