I'm trying to remove wallpaper and I've got wallpaper stripper which is not working. The wallpaper is coming off in little itty bitty pieces which is driving me nuts. It's taking forever! I know sometimes they say use a putty knife to scrape it off but that messes up the wall underneath badly. Is there any other easy ways to remove wallpaper?? Any suggestions gladly accepted. Thanks!
2007-01-15 05:20:37 · 9 answers · asked by Jennifer W 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Decorating & Remodeling
There is a steamer that you can buy at any home supply stores. It has a roller with small teeth that you roll over the wallpaper, then you steam over that, take a putty knife, and scrape off the wallpaper. I did 3 huge rooms in 3 hours. Home Depot definately has them. I bought mine there. Good luck!!
2007-01-15 05:28:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi
I am a paperhanger and have removed lots and lots of wallpaper.
The best way that I have found is to use a garden sprayer with hot water, you may try this alone or add a wallpaper removing solution such as Dif or a more green solution is made by a company in California- Safe and Simple, I believe their web site is safeandsimple.com. The key to removing wallpaper is patience. Let the hot water and /or stripping solution do the work.
I set the room up with dropclothes and then layer newspaper over them to absorb the water. I perforate the face of the wallpaper, you can use a rough grit sandpaper (60 grit or rougher) or I prefer the paper tiger which you could locate at your local paint supply store. This allows the HW /solution to reach the back of the wallpaper. I spray the whole room at least two times then start with a 6'' broadknife and test the area I first sprayed. If it is coming off well I start scraping, if you find it is still difficult to scrape or you are damaging the wall,try spraying again and so on. As I am scraping the newspaper gives you a great place to put the scraps and when you are done you just roll it all up and dispose of it. As you finish an area or wall , have a clean bucket of warm water to wash the remaining adhesive off the wall, this is a very important step whether you are rehanging new wallpaper or simply painting as the old paste will not allow primer , size or paint to bond to the surface of your clean wall. I find it easier to wash the wall as I go , it sometimes takes two or three rinses to remove all the old adhesive.
Good Luck,
Mark
2007-01-15 21:55:33 · answer #2 · answered by mark w 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like someone said "What's underneath the paper your trying to remove"?
If it's just dry wall, than your in for alott of trouble. When pulling off the wall paper , your going to pull off the dry wall paper too.
If the person who put the wall paper on did it right and put on a Gloss Oil paint on the the dry wall b4 wall papering, than you shouldn't have any problem.
Here's what you do (if there's gloss paint or "Real" paster on the wall)! Get a large sponge, a plant mister, a bucket, some vinagar and a 4"-6" plastic putty knife. Mix about 4-1 water to vinagar in the bucket. Take the sponge and soak it in the bucket, rinse out some of the water/vinagar solution and rub the sponge on the wall paper 2b removed. Make sure the wall paper is WET. Wait about 5 mins. and do it again. Now take the putty knife and scrape off the old paper. The vinagar breaks down the glue holding the wall paper on.
You can use the mister around areas that are too small for the sponge.
One suggestion, put down Vis-queen (plastic sheeting) on the floor as this can be a wet operation. Note: If your walls ar "Real" plaster, a metal putty knife works fine.
If your walls are dry wall, here's something that works too.
If the old paper has tight seams and no overlaps, you can paint it using a GLOSS oil paint. when it's dry, wall paper over the painted surface. Than put on your new paper.
2007-01-15 13:56:40 · answer #3 · answered by roseofsharons2002 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
On the New This Old House show, they removed wallpaper using material that was soaked in some kind of removal solution. They put the wet material that was kind of like felt or interfacing, on the wall and left it for a time, then the wallpaper was easy to come off. Check Sherwin Williams. I don't think HD has it.
2007-01-15 13:26:07 · answer #4 · answered by Michelle G 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once you have used the Paper Tiger. Spray on the wall paper remover. A lot of it, til it's running down. Let it sit for about 15 minutes. Then try again but with a rubber/plastic spatula. Still no luck? Buy another type of wall paper remover and apply it with less dilution than before and repeat as above.
Still no luck? Rent a wall paper steamer. Or just buy a cheap one at HD. That'll get it off.
2007-01-15 13:26:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cheap fabric softener sprayed on with a spray bottle and sponged on let sit but not until dry wallpaper being still moist.
I just saturated my boarder and it helps loosens it up and then you can pull it off in big hunks I just went through this with a boarder two days ago and then just took a small plastic putty knife for just a couple spots I glued to the wall. Hope this helps.Diane
2007-01-15 15:07:37 · answer #6 · answered by dianehaggart 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the chemical wall paper removers are not working, you may have to rent a steamer.
Before renting the steamer, make sure you are applying the chemical remover correctly. Not applying enough will not loosen the glue. If you are trying to remove thicker wall paper, you may need to apply more than the recommended amount. This is also true if you are trying to remove several layers of wall paper.
2007-01-15 13:31:29 · answer #7 · answered by c.s. 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What's under the wallpaper? Drywall? Plaster? Try renting a steamer.
2007-01-15 13:25:54 · answer #8 · answered by x_cupcake_x 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get a proper trade steam stripper, I guarantee used correctly it will be off in no time!
2007-01-15 14:42:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋