# My New Years gig



## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Started this job Monday, will continue on into the new year.

A corporate headquarters here in StL hired a local painting company to install 17 digitally-imaged graphics. Their hanger botched them. We've been hired to remove/rehang new ones. Here are the old ones:

Bad seams!










Here he tried to touch it up with a magic marker 










Left paste all over the place, sloppy sloppy!


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

We pulled down the bad ones, vacuum-sanded the walls, and primed with Gardz. This one was fairly tough to hang as it has a black background (really easy to show the seams) and the graphics didn't give me much to match. Most of it is just different subtle shades of green.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Busting a seam:


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Its cool salvaging someone elses mess, unless that someone works for you.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

The finished mural:


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Know how to fill a 5 gallon bucket from a shallow sink? Beth will show you how:


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

The second one was much easier to match.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Questions:

What does it mean to "bust" a seam? 

How much do one of those panels cost? Like how much financial damage did the previous bad install cause and did the client have to swallow?


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Second one done.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

2 down, 15 to go. Now just a couple gratuitous shots for the guys.


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

ProWallGuy said:


> 2 down, 15 to go. Now just a couple gratuitous shots for the guys.


Thank you very much.:yes:


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Looks like shes got the acoustical tile all sized up.


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## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

ProWallGuy said:


> Busting a seam:


Lovely work PWG :thumbsup:

Is that a straight-edge you've knocked up yourself, looks quite handy.
Shall have to see about making myself one up like that, tho' we have got similar over here.

Gonna have to try using only a blade like you. I normally use a snap off blade/knife. You obviously find your way better. Have you always used just a blade?

:notworthy:


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

vermontpainter said:


> Its cool salvaging someone elses mess, unless that someone works for you.


No 5hit! :laughing:



vermontpainter said:


> Questions:
> 
> What does it mean to "bust" a seam?


Busting a seam means to create the seam. We overlap each panel matching the pattern. Then you cut down through both layers, removing the underlap, and the selvedge on top, creating a "perfect" seam.
Like this:




 


vermontpainter said:


> How much do one of those panels cost? Like how much financial damage did the previous bad install cause and did the client have to swallow?


I have no idea how much the panels cost. Besides the cost for printing/materials, there is usually an artist designing these graphics so I'm sure they get a decent piece of the pie. 

I have been hired by the printing firm. My cost to remove/replace is right under 12k. I don't know how much the previous company charged, but I do know they have been paid in full for the job, and have stopped correspondence with the printer, and will most likely be sued in the near future. I might end up being paid to be an expert witness on the previous install job. I have been taking a lot of pictures of the flaws and issues with the murals before I remove them.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

timhag said:


> Thank you very much.:yes:


I know how to hook a brother up.


vermontpainter said:


> Looks like shes got the acoustical tile all sized up.


I figured if I was paying her, she might as well do something instead of just standing around enhancing the scenery.


mistcoat said:


> Lovely work PWG :thumbsup:
> 
> Is that a straight-edge you've knocked up yourself, looks quite handy.
> Shall have to see about making myself one up like that, tho' we have got similar over here.
> ...


The trim guide was made by a NGPP hanger I know from Edmonton. She is known as the Tool Girl, and has come up with all kinds of nifty tools.

I used to use a snap-off knife, but found the single edge blades actually have a thinner cutting edge, so the seams go together a bit easier than with a snap-off. I was pretty nervous busitng the black seam because it would show any tiny gap I might have, but it came out sweet:


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## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

ProWallGuy said:


> 2 down, 15 to go. Now just a couple gratuitous shots for the guys.


Does "OUR" Beth know you take these piccies of her in a *Mmmwwhhhaaaarrrr* pose?
I hope she don't, it makes it all the more... whey hey!!! :laughing:

Them trousers look very ill fitting PWG, she def needs tighter ones. I can't quite read the wash instructions on her knicker label:thumbup:

Come to think of it... is she or isn't she????


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Was it a company you had ever heard of? 

Have you ever done expert witness before?


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## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

ProWallGuy said:


> The trim guide was made by a NGPP hanger I know from Edmonton. She is known as the Tool Girl, and has come up with all kinds of nifty tools.
> *Nice, I shall have to do that sort of thing in Blighty then  make some extra dough for myself *
> 
> I used to use a snap-off knife, but found the single edge blades actually have a thinner cutting edge, so the seams go together a bit easier than with a snap-off. I was pretty nervous busitng the black seam because it would show any tiny gap I might have, but it came out sweet:
> *I hear you on that one. That seam looks tighter than a ducks a55, and that is water tight dude!!! :thumbsup:*


Thanks for sharing your work and info.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

mistcoat said:


> Does "OUR" Beth know you take these piccies of her in a *Mmmwwhhhaaaarrrr* pose?
> I hope she don't, it makes it all the more... whey hey!!! :laughing:
> 
> Them trousers look very ill fitting PWG, she def needs tighter ones. I can't quite read the wash instructions on her knicker label:thumbup:
> ...


She knows I take alot of pictures. I'm not sure if she's aware or not. Probably is because she took the majority of pics on this job, and was fiddling with the camera enough, and reviewing the photos to have seen them. 

She usually spends the night at my pad when she is in town from college and working with me. Maybe I'll grab her whites and wash them multiple times in HOT HOT water. :thumbsup:



vermontpainter said:


> Was it a company you had ever heard of?
> 
> Have you ever done expert witness before?


Yeah, I know the company. A "quantity over quality" type. They have low-balled me out of several jobs in the past, and I have been paid to come in and fix 3 of them. This will be the fourth. Hardly any of their employees speak a lick of English, eastern European of some sort. I need to send them a Christmas card.

Yes, twice. Once was in court giving testimony that i had to repaint/paper a condo that a teneat destroyed and the owner (my customer) wasn't going to give back their deposit. Unlucky for the tenant, I take pictures of my jobs, and this place was trashed. My client won, and I got paid a weeks worth of pay for a couple hours.

The other time wasn't in court, but I was hired by a major paste/primer manufacturer to evaluate a massive wallcovering failure in in a casino in Gulfport MS post-Katrina.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Here is an extreme closeup of that black seam:


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## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

ProWallGuy said:


> She knows I take alot of pictures. I'm not sure if she's aware or not. Probably is because she took the majority of pics on this job, and was fiddling with the camera enough, and reviewing the photos to have seen them.
> 
> She usually spends the night at my pad when she is in town from college and working with me. Maybe I'll grab her whites and wash them multiple times in HOT HOT water. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


I'm waiting for the washing to go on youtube PWG :yes:


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

I love seeing your work, thanks for all the great pix and video. You are truly a craftsman!


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## JNLP (Dec 13, 2007)

Looks great! :thumbup:


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

PWG said:


> I used to use a snap-off knife, but found the single edge blades actually have a thinner cutting edge, so the seams go together a bit easier than with a snap-off.


I was told a long time ago the best blades were German (and had a greenish tint to them? IIRC??) Is that true?


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Bender said:


> I was told a long time ago the best blades were German (and had a greenish tint to them? IIRC??) Is that true?


Not sure. The sharpest ones I've come across are blue.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

Maybe thats what I'm thinking. That goes back to '91ish when a paperhanger was headhunting me because of my long ass arms.


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

ProWallGuy said:


> She usually spends the night at my pad when she is in town from college and working with me. Maybe I'll grab her whites and wash them multiple times in HOT HOT water. :thumbsup:
> .


Might be better if she put them on wet after washing in cold water.:whistling2::whistling2:


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## [email protected] (Mar 1, 2008)

Originally Posted by *ProWallGuy*  
_The trim guide was made by a NGPP hanger I know from Edmonton. She is known as the Tool Girl, and has come up with all kinds of nifty tools.
*Nice, I shall have to do that sort of thing in Blighty then  make some extra dough for myself *
How about a link or what ever to Tool Girl_
_thanks _


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## TooledUp (May 17, 2008)

ProWallGuy said:


> Busting a seam means to create the seam. We overlap each panel matching the pattern. Then you cut down through both layers, removing the underlap, and the selvedge on top, creating a "perfect" seam.


We call it splicing. Nice job on the black  I had a standard sized matte, non-vinyl black wallpaper to hang in a small bathroom a couple of months ago. No overlap/splice on it and the paper was one of those where the slightest crease would damage the front of the paper and leave a white crease mark. Every single edge showed up white. I told the H/O to take it back as it was definitley faulty. The supplier accepted it back and we got a replacement 4 rolls - The replacements had all of the edges dyed black this time. I guess they must've had a lot returned! 

It turned out not too bad in the end but not one of those jobs where you would really like to put your name to it. The design of the paper was not really suitable for the actual paper (like thick card) - But who are we to question the designers...?


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

Nice work PWG .....


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## TooledUp (May 17, 2008)

Hey PWG did you and Beth pose for the 2nd poster in pic #2 here?


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## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

TooledUp said:


> Hey PWG did you and Beth pose for the 2nd poster in pic #2 here?


:laughing::w00t::clap::ban::ban::ban:

You gotta get up pretty early to beat our TooledUp, he don't miss a bloody thing does he :thumbsup:


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## TooledUp (May 17, 2008)

I wanna know what she needs the magnifying glass for...


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

TooledUp said:


> I wanna know what she needs the magnifying glass for...


:laughing:
Good one.


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## stansoph (Dec 16, 2007)

Probably not apropos; Beth can hold my water tube anytime to fill her bucket.

Oh, nice work PWG; your moniker is well deserved.

For the guessing game about the pics in post #10, yes.


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## FoilEffects (Dec 19, 2007)

Very nice work, I wish you were in my area as I can always use a pro to hang embossed papers for me to do my finishes on. Man where can I get a Beth?


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

FoilEffects said:


> Very nice work, I wish you were in my area as I can always use a pro to hang embossed papers for me to do my finishes on. Man where can I get a Beth?


You could. Chicago isn't far, and I travel there often to work. It can be done. :thumbsup:


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## jdmccann (Feb 23, 2009)

Busting a seam is splicing overlapping lengths of paper to create a seamless... erm... seam.

In the top photo of prowallguy working, the length of paper on the left is overlapping the length on the right. Then prowallguy uses a blade and straight edge to slice right down the center of that overlap. He's cutting through both lengths of paper at this point. Then its a case of removing the cuts. On the left hand length this will be on top on the right. Just peel that away. Then underneath that left hand length is the strip of paper thats been cut from the length of paper on the right. Simply remove that from underneath and the two lengths will flatten down and meet perfectly.


That's the theory explained as best I can. It's not as easy as prowallguy makes it look. Remember to use a fresh fine blade for each and every cut. Also do not hold the blade at an angle. When brushing the paper down and using a seam roller you can't use excessive force as when drying this can cause the paper to actually overlap.


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## Private_Estate (Feb 13, 2009)

Very nice work PWG!


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## jdmccann (Feb 23, 2009)

What do you find the best way to hide seams on dark papers? Chalk/crayon/marker down seams once hung? Coloring the ends of the rolls?


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

jdmccann said:


> What do you find the best way to hide seams on dark papers? Chalk/crayon/marker down seams once hung? Coloring the ends of the rolls?


I would usually mix up a very thin mix of gouache and lightly brush it on the roll ends.


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## jdmccann (Feb 23, 2009)

ProWallGuy said:


> I would usually mix up a very thin mix of gouache and lightly brush it on the roll ends.


gouache?!?! can't say I've heard of that over here in the UK. Will have to look into it. I'm in the states quite often so may jus bring a load back if it's unavailable here.

I've always used chalk but find its not always brilliant. Heard too many horror stories of marker pens staining the paper to try them although I guess that could possibly down to the type of marker pen used.

thanks for the help tho pwg. always impressed with your work:thumbsup:

NOTE: Found the gouache... thanks again. Is it just me or does gouache sound like mexican food?


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