I've just had my kitchen ripped out and behind the wall cupboards we have found that the walls are covered with a thick brown, rock hard glue. Apparently it was used to stick up wood panels in the 1960's. We're hoping to leave the walls bare but can't find anything to get the yukky glue off! We've tried sugar soap, white spirit etc and even tried steaming. Any helpful ideas please? Thanks :-)
you may just have to knock it out and replaster !! I had a similr problem in a previous house withcco plaster on the walls !!! Builder is the man you need to ask !!
Replastering isn't the hassle it once was as you can use sheets of plasterboard which are kind of stuck onto the brickwork with cementy-stuff. In fact come to think of it, if the existing wall and plaster is stable, it might be easier and less mess to apply plasterboard onto the existing surface, covering up the glue.
There isn't anything that will take it off without the surface of the plaster coming off also.
Knock it off and have the surface refinished. If it isn't a big area, a handyman-type person can easily do this using quickplaster (it doesn't need a plasterer)
Definitely have a go at re-plastering Lise.
Just wanted to add ........ after you've knocked it off, seal the wall with a coat of PVA adhesive (ordinary PVA such as "Unibond" - not carpentry glue).
Dilute it to 5:1 water:PVA. Let it dry, then give it another coat just before you plaster. Let it go a bit tacky then skim over it.
Do small sections at a time if necessary.