Billy Gafford manages Handyman Connection, a company dedicated to bringing Birmingham area homeowners the best in handyman and home repair services. In this article, he outlines a few ways to strip stubborn wallpaper from your home walls.
As owner of a general handyman and contracting company, I paint frequently. I always paint my own construction work and also take on straight paint jobs because I enjoy the painting itself. Painting relaxes me, but one aspect of a lot of paint jobs that just drives me nuts — wallpaper removal. Removing wallpaper is one of the frustrating experiences for the home painter. Since it’s such a tiresome chore, many painters will charge significantly more if wallpaper removal is included in a paint job. As such, a lot of homeowners opt to strip wallpaper themselves. However, stripping that old wallpaper can prove more challenging than it looks. So many people become frustrated with the chore and simply give up midway through the job. Even worse, many home wallpaper removal jobs end with damaged walls. I’ve had years of experience stripping wallpaper and have come across a few techniques to ease the process and keep your walls safe, which I will now share with you:
- Use a Solution –Though some wallpaper is easily stripped dry, most warrants a solution to dissolve glues and adhesives. You can buy a concentrated wallpaper stripping solution from the store and then dilute it with water. You can also use a solution of water and vinegar to soften the paper. It’s important that you use a drop cloth on your floors when using liquid wallpaper removers, as they can stain floors and damage carpets. To apply the liquid paper remover, first score the walls using a razor blade or utility knife. You can actually buy special knives made specifically for this purpose, but I find a regular razor blade works fine. Make slits 8 to 10 inches apart all along the wall. Next, apply the liquid paper remover to the slits using a sponge or spray bottle. If you’re spraying chemical solvents, wear a mask to avoid breathing in the fumes. Spray each slit and then wait, allowing the solution to soak in and permeate the walls. Repeat the process a few times, wetting the slits again form top to bottom. Use a wide scraper with a flexible blade and start scraping from the horizontal edge of the slits. Hold the scraper from the bottom and push upward. If you’re doing it right, the paper above will crinkle and tear away easily from one slit to the next. Remember though, if your walls are made of drywall, you should not use this soaking method, as it will damage the walls. Just make the slits and peel away the paper.
- Strippable Paper – Some wallpaper is actually manufactured with later stripping in mind. This kind of wallpaper is generally smooth in texture with an almost vinyl-like appearance. The best way to figure out if your wallpaper is strippable is to try stripping it. Take a utility knife and peel a top corner away where it won’t be too noticeable. Then pull downward as close to the wall as you can. Always attempt to keep the paper as near to the wall as you can. Pulling away from the wall will result in tearing the paper. You’ll know almost immediately if you’re dealing with strippable wallpaper, as it should come off fairly easily. If you think you have strippable wallpaper, it’s certainly worth the check before you go wasting time with solutions and steamers.
- Steamers – This is one way a lot of professional painters opt to strip wallpaper. You can rent a steamer from many hardware stores and rental centers, so there’s no need to commit to buying an expensive piece of equipment. A steamer is comprised of a water tank that is heated electronically, a hose and a wide plate that heats up. To use the steamer, press the heated plate against the wall and wait until the spot begins to soak up the moisture. Start from the top of a wall and work your way down. Typically, you will need to steam the same areas several times before they tear away easily. Once the steaming has been done, you should be able to strip the wallpaper with your hands or a scraper, no problem.
Not everyone opts to remove old wallpaper, and the truth is you can simply paper over your old wallpaper. But papering over older wallpaper comes with its share of risks. Sometimes the old wallpaper will begin to peel taking the new paper with it. For my money, I’d rather just get the stripping over with and ensure that doesn’t happen. With these techniques and a little elbow grease, your wallpaper should come off in no time. So get to scraping and good luck with your new wallpapering project.
