Tretex vs. plasterboard, as well as beadboard behind radiator

[erkana]

Hello!

In my hallway, I am going to install beadboard paneling with wallpaper above. Currently, the walls have treetex, and my wallpaperer recommends removing them to instead install drywall, given it might not look good with the wallpaper. However, this would create a lot of extra work, as there are many doors, windows, and a cast iron radiator in the room. I have read other threads about the pros and cons of drywall versus treetex.

Question 1: does anyone have a photo example showing how bad it can look to wallpaper on treetex?

Question 2: does anyone have tips on how to cleverly install paneling behind a cast iron radiator (or should you not do that)? Or should the radiator be removed first? Photos appreciated!

 

[polaris78]

Had a lot of Tretex in the previous house and tried for a period to keep it, but finally realized that it’s crap for several reasons...

Tretex is... Both living and can change in size from things like indoor humidity... It can be smooth one time of the year and during a more humid season have waves on the wall. It really changes quite a bit...

It absorbs enormous amounts of paint or wallpaper paste, etc., to become saturated, especially if you find an unpainted surface... It burns really well, too well to be pleasant... we used it as kindling in the furnace for a long time...

It's too soft behind, so if you touch, for example, a wallpapered area, it's easy to get a hole/dent, much, much softer than, for example, gypsum or wood or Masonite...

Get rid of the crap and plaster, and listen to your wallpaperer because he’s right.

The fact that the Tretex sometimes goes behind things can be solved by removing the Tretex, and depending on how well-nailed it is and how careful you are, you always sacrifice the Tretex, of course, so you can reinstall moldings and frames around things... be sure to choose gypsum in the same thickness as the Tretex panel to save some work. It depends, of course, on whether each list is nailed with a thousand nails or if it can be completely removed...

Of course, you remove the radiator and temporarily plug the pipes, then remove the Tretex and put up gypsum. If you can't drain the system and plug it, someone with plumbing knowledge can fix it quickly.

It ended up that during the next round of renovations, I removed all the Tretex that existed... damn crappy material...

I don't have a good picture, but wavy walls that were dead straight when you finished plastering and painted or wallpapered, then looked wavy when the moisture content in the house increases during certain seasons, as it tends to do in older houses.

 

[Intet]

my upholsterer recommends removing them

listen to your upholsterer

For general information. An upholsterer re-covers furniture. A painter wallpapers.

By the way, I kept the Tretex and plastered over the worst unevenness with sufficiently good results. As usual, tastes differ 😀.

 

[Kardan79]

Had a lot of Tretex in the previous house and tried for a period to keep it but eventually realized it's crap for several reasons...
Tretex is...
Both alive and can change in size, e.g., due to humidity indoors...
It can therefore be flat one time of the year and during a more humid season have waves on the wall. It can make quite a big change...

It absorbs enormous amounts of paint or wallpaper paste etc. to become saturated. Especially if you find an unpainted surface...
It burns really well, too well to be pleasant... we used it as kindling in the stove for a long time...
It's too soft behind, so if you come into contact with, e.g., a wallpapered surface, it's easy to get a hole/dent, much much softer than, say, gypsum or wood or masonite...

Get rid of the crap and use gypsum and listen to your wallpaperer because he is right

The fact that the Tretex partially goes behind things can be solved by removing the Tretex, and depending on how well nailed and how careful you are, you always sacrifice the Tretex, of course, so you can reinstall trimming and moldings around things... make sure to choose gypsum the same thickness as the Tretex board to save some work. Of course, it depends on whether each molding has a thousand nails or if you can remove it completely...

You obviously remove the radiator and plug the pipes temporarily and remove the Tretex and put in gypsum. If you can't drain the system and plug it, someone skilled in plumbing can fix it quickly

It ended up that when it was the next round of renovation, I redid and removed all the Tretex that was there... damn crap material...

I don't have a good picture, but wavy walls that were dead straight when you finished spackling and painting or wallpapering and then show waves when the humidity in the house increases a little certain seasons as it tends to do in older houses

Well said.
There's nothing that brings to mind an old summer cottage like Tretex. I don't understand how anyone can choose to keep that crap. But, to each their own...

I would trust the painter's judgment!

 

[Vrana]

Two layers of broad filler on treetex avoid the above problem without needing to re-plaster. I re-plastered some walls where the treetex was damaged with 13 mm gypsum. Minimal joint. Notice zero difference between plastered/unplastered wall.

 

[MagHam]

I have a middle ground.
-If it's a wall where I, for example, closed off a door or similar, then I remove the fiberboard and use gypsum.
-However, if it's a fairly nice wall, I see no reason to change it and keep it as is.
If the fiberboard is exposed by tearing off wallpaper, etc., it is best to roll it with a cheap matte paint like Biltema's ceiling paint before you putty and apply strips. This binds the surface, allows the putty to adhere, and prevents loose fibers.

 

[Avemo]

If you already have wallpapered treetex today, you can see there roughly how it might look. It is said that it can move slightly so that it becomes uneven after a while even if it was smooth from the beginning. But people have different sensitivities to uneven walls.

 

[Jonis.F]

I have also kept both tretex and masonite behind old wallpapers, which I then plastered over and put new wallpaper on. Sure, it's a bit uneven and crooked here and there, but with a matte wallpaper, I don't think it shows too much. Besides, the house is almost 100 years old, so what does it matter if it shows? But of course, the painter would rather work with new smooth and nice drywall instead.

 

[Düsseldorff]

Hello! In my hallway, I plan to install wainscoting with beadboard and wallpaper above it. Currently, the walls have Treetex, and my wallpaper hanger recommends removing it to install drywall instead, as the wallpaper might not look good. However, this would create a lot more work, given the many doors, windows, and a cast iron radiator in the room. I have read other threads about the pros and cons of drywall versus Treetex. Question 1: Does anyone have a photo example showing how bad wallpaper on Treetex can look? Question 2: Any tips on how to smartly install paneling behind a cast iron radiator (or should you not do it)? Or should the radiator be removed first? Photos are appreciated!

Yes, you need to remove the radiator. But is it really cast iron? Not a sectioned metal radiator?

 

[erkana]

Yes, you need to remove the radiator. But is it really cast iron? Not a sectional radiator in sheet metal?

Possible, it's heavy anyway. I guess the answer will be the same?

 

[erkana]

Thank you for all the answers during this festive season!

I live in an older house (from the 1920s), and treetex is said to insulate better. How much insulation capability do I lose by switching to plasterboard (without adding extra insulation)? I understand it might be a bit of a "how long is a piece of string" question, but maybe someone has experience?

The same goes for the sound environment, as I understand it becomes more "cozy" with treetex compared to plasterboard?

 

[Düsseldorff]

Possible, it's heavy anyway. I guess the answer will be the same?

Does it have legs? That is, does it stand on the floor? Cast iron radiators are so heavy that they need floor support.

But regardless, yes, all radiators should be removed if you're going to do it properly. It's immediately noticeable if it's poorly done if there is no panel behind the radiator, that is, if they are sectional radiators that you can "see through."

 

[Avemo]

Thank you for all the answers during the holiday season!

I live in an older house (1920s), and treetex is said to insulate better. How much insulation capacity do I lose by switching to drywall (without additional insulation)? I understand that it might be a bit of a "how long is a piece of string" question, but perhaps someone has experience?

Same thing with the sound environment, which I understand is more "cozy" with treetex compared to drywall?

Treetex has approximately the same insulation value as modern insulation. In an old summer house with thin uninsulated plank walls, a treetex board makes a difference. I have seen some document from that time that stated that 13 mm treetex insulates as well as 45 mm of wood. However, in a house originally intended for permanent residence, it becomes negligible. No one would think of adding 13 mm insulation to a house.

 

[Dalbotant]

In terms of sound, I still want to claim that there is a heck of a difference. Most of the house has tretex, when we remodeled the bathroom the small hall outside was covered with gypsum and the sound there is terrible compared to the rest of the house.

 

[hsd]

Tretex has the advantage of being adaptable and sealing along an uneven wall, such as a plank wall. If you remove the Tretex and drywall, it often results in a cold wall as drywall does not seal the gaps between the planks, which are also usually uneven. If you want drywall for flat walls/surfaces for wallpaper, drywall on the Tretex. In the past, it was common to use tension paper on top of the Tretex before wallpapering; however, such old walls usually have multiple layers of wallpaper with overlapping seams, which do not look very nice, leading to renovation causing the tension paper to come off along with the old wallpapers.