What can I use to clean and prep for painting, walls that we just finshed stripping wallpaper off of?

Question

We have just finished stripping old wallpaper off of the walls in a bathroom. The walls are not completely smooth. What should we use to prep them and smooth out the surface before priming (with a good primer) and painting? Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer 1

The first step is to wash the walls completely with liquid TSP. You can buy this at any home hardware store. I highly suggest the liquid TSP as opposed to the powder version, as the powder is toxic, is harder to mix and needs to be rinsed, unlike the liquid form.

Once you've done that, get a flat sanding platform block that can be attached to a broom handle. Use very fine grain sandpaper and lightly sand the walls until they are smooth. If you don't use a hard flat surface and just use your hands, the walls will sand unevenly. Make certain you wear a mask when sanding as the glue from the wallpaper may be old and if it is, it's likely toxic. Keep your mask on and rinse all the dust off with a soft damp cloth.

Once you've done that, prime your walls with one coat of primer. I highly suggest using an oil-based primer if you aren't certain what kind of paint is on the walls underneath that paper. If it's oil paint and you use latex on top, even if it's just a primer, it'll bubble, peel and scrape off easily. Play it safe and use oil-based primer. Nowadays, oil-based primer can be found that is quick-drying and low odor. I always use Bull's Eye 1-2-3 or Kilz. Once you've done that, you don't have to worry. You can paint on top of an oil-based primer with latex paint and it will come out perfect. This is how we do it all the time for clients. Use two coats of paint. As you are painting a bathroom, which is often humid, I also suggest you use kitchen & bathroom paint, which is mold and mildew resistant, has the perfect paint sheen for a bathroom and is very easy to wash.

Enjoy your new bathroom!

Answer 2

Paint stores that sell wallpaper should have a product called wallpaper paste remover. Wash the walls with this product until all of the paste is removed. Let dry for one or two days. Scrape the walls down with a wide putty knife, to knock off any bumps and lumps. Two coats of primer, with a little scraping and sanding between coats should give you a smooth surface to paint.