Dumb question about wallpaper removal.

[sailor55330]

I removed 20 year old wallpaper that was put up with no sizing using this method. It does help to "score" the wallpaper first to help the liquid penetrate.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2279480_remove-wallpaper-fabric-softener.html

[JimD]

My late wife rubbed wallpaper that had been scored, wetted with special solution, and steamed off with her finger tips in a couple rooms of our former house. She used scrapers too so then I had to skim coat the walls. We believe based upon input from neighbors that the paper was put up with woodworking glue. No size or paint first.

If it had been me, I would have knocked the drywall off and replaced it. The biggest issue is moving the stuff around. You have to get the stuff you take off out of the house and get the new stuff in. Hanging it is simple and pretty quick. Taping the seams and screw holes isn't my favorite activity but is well ahead of removing stubborn wallpaper. You could probably re-wallboard a bathroom in a hard weekend. I like to use setting compound (sold in bags) in bathrooms because it does not soften readily if it gets wet. It also dries much quicker. I usually use the 90 minute but you can get 30 minute compound. This is working time, time to sand is about twice this.

Make sure your wife is willing to live with the temporary mess of drywall installation, however. It will create quite a mess for a few days. Putting up new drywall over the old is a little less mess and would also help soundproofing.

Jim

[dbhost]

You can just put thin drywall over it, no reason to remove the existing drywall. 3/8 is fine, or even 1/4" if you can find it.

If steam isn't working to remove it though, the problem is likely that there is not enough steam or it is not hot enough. Have you tried a commercial steamer? In my experience, it requires a 1500 W to 2000 W steamer to work effectively. There should be no water at the head, just steam. Try using a short hose and insulating it to limit heat loss. Also may work better on a hot muggy day rather than a cooler day.

I have tried using a Shark steamer, and a Conair 1500w clothing steamer. Same diff...

As far as rocking over the existing, not a good choice, I end up with the same problem as re-rocking the whole thing, I would have to replace / custom fit all the moldings, and there are some VERY tight spaces I do NOT want to get my fat hands into in there... There is a spot where an entry door, the linen closet, and the commode room door all more or less meet with trim all the way around each, with bits of floor molding less than 2" long... Nightmare city if you ask me...

[drillman88]

I just went through this in my mother in laws house. I used a scoring tool the sprayed with a mixture of hot water and fabric softner. I waited for the paper to soften a little then scored and wet again. I used plastic scrapers to remove the paper. I still had some tearing on the sheet rock paper, but it worked pretty well. The hot water worked a lot better than cold. I worked a small area mybe 2'x4' then moved on. It was a real pain but it was cheaper than the other options.

[Mr__Bill]

It being a bathroom it sounds like a water resistant glue was used. Like a vinyl wall paper paste. It also sounds like it was applied to a wall that was not painted first with a good sealing paint. Having tried to remove paper in that kind of situation I have destroyed the surface of the Sheetrock to the point where it had to be replaced. The real problem with putting the texture over the paper is having the paper delaminate and the texture falls off the wall. It sounds like anything that is going to come off with water has come off. I would try using a quick setting joint compound, the type you mix yourself and then have it turn to rock in the pan, and skim coat the wall. Then texture over that.

Just remember to tell LOYL that it probably won't work so if it does you are a hero and if it doesn't , well you tried and told her it might not.

Bill
on the left coast

[toolguy1000]

still voting for removal with a wall paper steamer (WPS). hand held steamers will not work anywhere near as well as a WPS. are the walls sheetrock or plaster & lath? if p&l, WPS will definately do the trick. good luck and remember to post some close up pics of the finished fix.

[jdon]

Yet another opinion, and worth every cent you paid for- if you only have a few patches of stuck paper, rather than renting a wall paper steamer, try a steam iron. Also, even it some of the underlying drywall paper surface is removed/damaged, you can even out with a skim over the damaged area.

Even a light texture over the surface (without wall paper residue) will hide unevenness. I have the HF texture spray gun- cheap, works, has a quick learning curve (much easier than I thought going into it), and is fun to use! You need a compressor, though.

[jking]

I'm not sure how much surface area you have to remove, but, would it be feasible to use coarse grit sandpaper to sand it off? Or, at least rough it up enough that steam or wall paper remover might work better?