Jump to content

Menu

Help! Best way to remove wallpaper?


MamaBearTeacher
 Share

Recommended Posts

I am removing wallpaper from one large room and I want to remove it during the next day and a half.  

 

There is only one layer of wallpaper except in places where there is a border over the wallpaper.  It is about 20 years old, made from paper and not embossed or thick.  It has been put on perfectly and might even be put under the baseboards at the bottom.,  I tried pulling it off and only got off a triangle smaller than the size of my face before it started to rip and would not come off anymore.  In some places I could get nothing at all off or a piece smaller than a stamp.  What did come off came off fully.  The glue did not stay on.  The paint under had a matte finish.

 

What is the easiest way to take this off? 

1) Using a scoring tool with hot water and a sponge

2) Buying a steamer.  The Wagner Power Steamer at Home Depot has good reviews

3) Renting a steamer.

 

How long might it take?  The room is about 9x12.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A steamer.  Some wallpaper comes off very quickly with a steamer.  It could possibly fall off the wall.  And other wallpaper may take some more work to get it to come down -- taking off the top layer first and then having to scrape.  It will all depend on the type of wallpaper, the type of the glue, and the finish of the wall.  The age of the wallpaper can affect things also.    

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A steamer. Some wallpaper comes off very quickly with a steamer. It could possibly fall off the wall. And other wallpaper may take some more work to get it to come down -- taking off the top layer first and then having to scrape. It will all depend on the type of wallpaper, the type of the glue, and the finish of the wall. The age of the wallpaper can affect things also.

This is so true. There were 3 patterns of wallpaper in the room. I thought that they would all be the same because they seemed to be from the same series and made from the same material. The border and top part came of really easily, all in one piece. The bottom part came off in tiny strips and then there were another two layers of paper backing that I got off after with water and a scraper. I'm glad it's done but the room smells like paste now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, you're probably already done with it, so I'm late to the party; but, I once did an entire house that had NINE layers of wallpaper on everything including the ceilings!! Also, the house was in the middle of a cornfield and had no electricity.  Yeah, that was fun.  I've also done wallpaper in lots of old houses, so here's my two cents.

 

Different papers come off in different ways.  Whatever it is they are stuck to makes a big difference as well.  My go-to is warm water with vinegar. Use a paint pan and a paint roller to roll it on and just keep saturating it until it loosens.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...