canvassing a wall

[pqtex]

I am trying to find alternatives to installing drywall on my shiplap walls. Original treatment was wallpaper pasted over muslin, which was tacked to the wood. Shiplap will not be left exposed. Too many rough spots, patches, holes, millions of tacks that can't be removed, etc. I have seen suggestions of painted canvas as a wall covering. I found an old post on garden web's old house forum (Full thread located here: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/ol ... 22291.html) by Casey (Sombreuil Mongrel) where he says (in part):

Canvassing was done to provide an exquisitely textured surface for painting.
Canvas as an original underlayment usually indicates first-class workmanship throughout the house.

My wall:

shiplap wall 2.jpg (22.6 KiB) Viewed 12521 times

Despite hours on the internet, I cannot find information about how to do this on shiplap walls. This place http://www.rosebrand.com sells canvas and muslin; plus I'm sure I could buy sail cloth from a sailmaker, but I don't know which weight or fabric to choose, plus I need info on how to prepare it (preshrink? prime?) and how to install it. I have 11 ft ceilings and I don't want seams like wallpaper, so I need to buy extra-wide canvas. My rooms are approximately 15' square, with lots of windows and doors. I have to make sure it won't wrinkle or stretch with seasonal moisture changes in the shiplap. That's why the cheesecloth/muslin/wallpaper canvas was always applied to the shiplap walls before pasting the wallpaper to the muslin. I'm thinking I can tack it directly to the wall where it meets the ceiling and in the corners to the floor. Those tacks would be covered by trim or molding, but what about around the windows and doors? The canvas would be painted on the wall after installation. Not a mural, just a painted wall.

Feedback? Resources? Terrible idea? Workable? Input?

Thanks...Jill

[McCall]

personally I think it would cost you a lot of time and money and be less than a great result.
I would think your best bet would be wallpaper liner and or a textured wallpaper. OR you could do Padded fabric walls much easier and very nice look but maybe not the look you want.

[Daniel Meyer]

I have the same dilemma.

Wallpaper liner? What's that? How's it work?

[pqtex]

Thanks for the reply, but I'm not interested in padded fabric. I can imagine that would be a magnet for dust and cat hair. It seems it might also increase the depth of the treatment, which is part of why I'm trying to avoid drywall. I have original old trim and molding, which is simple but nice and in good condition. I don't want to lose my reveal by butting the drywall next to it. Even 1/4" sheetrock has a major impact on appearance. A couple of my rooms were done that way during a 50's remodel, and while "acceptable" it is not the quality I want. If do it the "right" way and go with removing trim and doing jamb extensions, I'm worried about the risk of damage to the trim. The baseboard and floor moldings would also have to be removed and would need to be trimmed or extended. Same risk of damage during removal. I have no replacements for damaged pieces.

I considered wallpaper, but I'm just not that big on wallpaper. Also, because of the shiplap walls, I'd have to install the wallpaper the way it has been done historically, with the muslin tacked on first. Bridging material and wall liners don't work on shiplap walls because of seasonal moisture changes, which causes the wrinkling and/or tearing. That's why wallpaper isn't applied directly to the shiplap like it would be if the walls were plaster.

Still looking for painted canvas wall covering information. I'd not dead set on it, I just don't know enough to make an informed decision.

[pqtex]

I have the same dilemma.

Wallpaper liner? What's that? How's it work?

Unfortunately for us, bridging material (for covering cracks and uneven walls) and wall liners are not designed for shiplap walls. You'd still get wrinkles and/or tears in the wallpaper as time goes by.

[cadrad]

there is a method where you use firring strips to bring out muslin past the hightest pint on the wall and then you stretch it and tack it around the edges. then you spray water on it to have it shink taut. then wallpaper. there was an article in old house journal years ago. i will see if i can find it.

[cadrad]

found it. It is the september october 1991 issue of old house journal. there is an article about netting wooden walls. here is a link to the back issues of old house journal that was posted a while back by Diane.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Pg10Si ... e&q&f=true

fust type september 1991 old house joural in the search and scroll down till you see the cover with the wallpaper on the front. thats it!

[McCall]

I have the same dilemma.

Wallpaper liner? What's that? How's it work?

It is a thick either paper or webbed paper like material that you put on like wallpaper but usually in the opposite direction, that is sidewise. It covers imperfections. If you just google Wallpaper liner you should get lots of hits

[Daniel Meyer]

found it. It is the september october 1991 issue of old house journal. there is an article about netting wooden walls. here is a link to the back issues of old house journal that was posted a while back by Diane.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Pg10Si ... e&q&f=true

fust type september 1991 old house joural in the search and scroll down till you see the cover with the wallpaper on the front. thats it!

Thanks for the link!

[pqtex]

found it. It is the september october 1991 issue of old house journal. there is an article about netting wooden walls. here is a link to the back issues of old house journal that was posted a while back by Diane.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Pg10Si ... e&q&f=true

fust type september 1991 old house joural in the search and scroll down till you see the cover with the wallpaper on the front. thats it!

Thanks for the link. There is useful information there if I ever decide on historical wallpaper installation, but what I am looking for is information for a painted canvas wall. The "netting" they are talking about is a muslin or cheesecloth-like fabric that goes UNDER wallpaper. I want a Canvas wall that is painted as the final finish. I have seen references to painted canvas ceilings and walls, but I think they have been on plaster. Shiplap walls involve different techniques.