Removing Wallpaper

[TheRic]

What is the best / easiest way to remove wallpaper?? Have never removed wallpaper before. LOML says I peel wallpaper everytime I go to the restroom. Might explain the peeling at the seems.

Details: We want to paint the walls after we remove the wallpaper. Might do some minor electric & plumbing while I'm at it. The wallpaper is in our main bathroom. It is starting to peel at the seems. It was put on by the previous owners, we think about 5-7 years ago 10 at the most.

If you need more info let me know. Thanks for your help.

[maxparot]

That depends on the wallpaper.
some are easy peel and you are left with a surface ready for primer and paint.
Others aren't easy at all. Sometimes steam will work and sometimes chemicals. There is a tool too pierce the surface to allow steam or chemicals to get to the glue.

[TheRic]

That depends on the wallpaper.
some are easy peel and you are left with a surface ready for primer and paint.
Others aren't easy at all. Sometimes steam will work and sometimes chemicals. There is a tool too pierce the surface to allow steam or chemicals to get to the glue.

OK, how can I tell the difference?

[cbrown]

The easiest way? Tear out the drywall and put up new. --especially if you are doing electrical and plumbing!

Seriously, from my experience stripping wallpaper that was apparently pasted on the raw gypsum board when the house was built in 1955, I would be tempted. I used an enzymatic solution, a scorer, putty knives, and lots of elbow grease. Eventually everything came off, but the paper on the wallboard was a fuzzy mess where it wasn't gouged right through--the bond between the walpaper and top layer of paper on the wallboard was stronger than the bond within the wallboard paper! I sealed it, nearly plastered the whole wall with compound, sanded, and sealed it again before priming and painting. With a lot of work, it was a smooth paintable surface and looks pretty good (even worse were the walls with brick facing and plastic tile that I pulled down in the kitchen, but even those came through OK in the end).

I have also found that adhesion varies wildly from spot to spot...even if the paper is falling off one wall, it may have a death grip on the wall around the corner. I am conviced that the wallpaper curls up a corner to lure you in--then sends its tendrils into the wall and digs in in defiance when you've pulled up enough that you have to take it all off.

Some people swear by steamers to get the paper down...someone else can speak to that.

Chris

[blame]

as a contractor the only way i found to get old wallpaper off was to use a steamer with white vinegar and water and a putty knife or paint scraper its the quickest way i found to do the job kinda hard to breathe so wear a mask

blame

[jon_ramp]

I've heard this stuff is supposed to be good.
http://www.wallwik.com/

[RodKirby]

THE simplest, easiest way to do it is to make sure LOYL is NOT present!

This also applies to hanging the stuff - DAHIKT

[cabinetman]

LOML says I peel wallpaper everytime I go to the restroom.

Ric

Sounds like you should change your diet, or get a better exhaust fan. A 12 gauge shotgun works wonders.

I go along with the steam and scraper technique. But, don't get the drywall too damp. You have to scrape as you steam.
.

[bigstick509]

Paper Tiger

I have had great success with the Paper Tiger and any enzyme based stripper. Works great on any type of paper. The Paper Tiger can be found at HD.

[Curly Qsawn]

Just in the finishing stages of the kitchen makeover. Original paper, probably with no sizing or primer had to come off. Used scoring tool and the enzyme. Most of the paper came off, but left a lot of backing paper and glue still on wall. Used a steamer and knife to get the rest off. Sanded and skim coated the whole wall with lightweight compound. Sanded and primed, then painted 2 coats. A lot of work, but good results.

[Hellrazor]

If you need more info let me know. Thanks for your help.

A new layer of drywall & box entenders for the electric... I hate wallpaper.

[backpacker85]

Another vote for the Paper Tiger. I won't attempt wallpaper removal without one.

Chances are, if the paper was applied within the last 10 years, it is a pre-pasted paper (no guarantees, though), and these little gizmos work wonders.

Don't be shy about how many times you run it over the surface; the more perforations the better. It's a whole lot easier to make the wallpaper look like swiss cheese than it is to have to scrape & peel areas you missed.

[L. D. Jeffries]

Ditto on the "Tiger". Just got done taking paper off walls in a bedroom that is 20' x 25'. Paper was prepasted stuff that is called "anaglipta" (sp), anyway it is a heavy embossed paper that is great for hiding wall imperfections. It all had to come off, probably would still have been at it if not for that handy little tool.

[parnelli]

I've heard this stuff is supposed to be good.
http://www.wallwik.com/

I've done about a dozen rooms with this stuff and it works unbelievably well. I will say that I liked the paper tiger scorer better than wallwiks, but the sheets make a big difference.

I'd also suggest :as hot of water as you can (within reason of course)
and 2) a good quality sprayer. You want to make sure to keep those sheets wet while they're up there.

That said, if it's wallpaper applied directly to unprimed drywall, your best bet is to pull the facing off, leave the backing and the fuzz, and just kilz the whole wall before painting. Usually requires a quick light sand before recoating.

[Cheeky]

i recently removed wallpaper at my parent's house. my mom used pre-glued paper and adhesive.....i hope that's not what you're facing.

the only thing i didn't try was a steamer.

i used the paper tiger, Dif fast acting paper remover (red, the blue kind although fume friendly, was worthless), water, and a boat load of elbow grease. Then I had to wash the walls and sand them and fill in some minor indents from the paper tiger. It took me 2, 9 hour days for a lousy 35sq ft powder room.

If there is a next time, the drywall is coming down.