re: Kitchen refresh problems

There is a pattern-but wonder if that was residue of the paper.  I'm guessing the builder did some sort of skim coat (we have found a number of "interesting things" over the years as we have done updates - best one was concreting in the fireplace blowers so we had use a jackhammer to remove/replace). Also they dented the wall and put tape over it so I have tried to repair that.  I washed the wall with hot water, did light scrap with a metal scraper (??don't know the right name), and now plan to go over with a sander before moving on the binder/sealer.  We hope to put up the wall paper we have so won't be tiling (definitely don't have the skills for that...I've already suggested to my husband that we should have paid someone to do this 😏).

The journey continues...