Abundantly grown Virginia creeper on a house facade can be a real feast for the eyes: in summer, when the entire surface is covered with shiny green leaves, and in autumn, when the flaming red colored leaves form a delightful combination with the small, black berries. Although the virgin vine, also known as "wild wine", can be more than 50 years old, the vegetation has to be removed from the house wall from time to time - even if it is because an urgent renovation is pending. At this point, however, it becomes difficult.
Virginia creeper can damage the house wall
As beautiful as it is problematic
The removal of the branches and tendrils is not a problem, because these can be divided relatively easily and removed, for example by tearing them off. It is much more difficult with the adhesive feet, by means of which the wild wine climbed up the house wall - these, often with small twigs attached, simply stick and can hardly be removed. The rougher the surface (e.g. the plaster) is, the more persistent the plant will be.
Remove Virginia creeper from the house wall
Unfortunately, simply covering the adhesive feet with a thick layer of paint is not a satisfactory solution. They still remain visible and therefore have to be laboriously removed. There are different possibilities for this.
remove plaster
The easiest - albeit most time-consuming - is probably to knock off and dispose of the adhering plant remains together with the old plaster. Then the house gets a new plaster and can be freshly painted. Alternatively, in some cases, such as a shed, you can simply provide the facade with a new, opaque cladding.
high pressure cleaner
If you don't want to start plastering again right away, you can use a high-pressure cleaner (€119.90). This method is more effective if you first treat the plant remains thoroughly with acetic acid and a wire brush and only then use the high-pressure cleaner.
sanding down
Instead of the high-pressure cleaner, you can sometimes use a grinder, for example a drill (€97.00) with a wire brush attachment or an angle grinder. Here, too, a previous treatment with acetic acid is recommended.
burn down
In view of the difficulty of the options described, many craftsmen immediately reach for the gas burner and burn off the remains of the Virginia creeper. However, this only works if the house wall is not sealed with combustible materials (such as a combustible exterior facade or insulation or even wood). You should check this thoroughly beforehand, otherwise the project can go horribly wrong.
tips
Even more stubborn than the adhesive pads are the roots of Virginia creeper, from which new shoots keep developing. In most cases, these cannot be completely dug out and must therefore be combated with chemical agents.