[overcoil]

Any experience removing wallpaper ? Wallpaper stripper or steamer ?

Were you able to wash off all the remaining adhesive ?


How hard was it to get the surface ready to paint ? did you need to putty imperfection or sand ? or worse did you need to skim coat the walls ?

[dreamingat30fps]

Unfortunately I do and I hope to never do it again.

I read online to use fabric softener with warm water, that smell made me sick after a while (removing from small bathroom). I found the softener added nothing and just used warm water after a while. For me the key was making sure it was very wet and the water was penetrating, then use a scrapper.

As for the condition of the wall I would imagine that depends on your tolerance for imperfections and the condition of the wall underneath. In my case I just used putty and sanding and got it good enough. One thing I learned when I bought my FL house like 12 years ago is flat paint hides a LOT of imperfections and the glossier the paint the more fucked the wall looks.

All that being said I've only done it once so no idea if that is the best/ideal way to do it.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

Unfortunately I do and I hope to never do it again.

I read online to use fabric softener with warm water, that smell made me sick after a while (removing from small bathroom). I found the softener added nothing and just used warm water after a while. For me the key was making sure it was very wet and the water was penetrating, then use a scrapper.

As for the condition of the wall I would imagine that depends on your tolerance for imperfections and the condition of the wall underneath. In my case I just used putty and sanding and got it good enough. One thing I learned when I bought my FL house like 12 years ago is flat paint hides a LOT of imperfections and the glossier the paint the more fucked the wall looks.

All that being said I've only done it once so no idea if that is the best/ideal way to do it.

excellent info. appreciate the tip about the fabric softener, very helpful.

[Murf the Surf]

A terrible job.

[aktif8]

I've made the mistake of buying 2 houses that were covered in the stuff. Hundreds, if not thousands, of square feet. It may as well be made of brimstone - it's god-damned hellish to remove.

A few tips:

#1 use a scorer. It makes a big difference, but takes finesse so you don't score the underlying rock.

#2 buy a steamer. Also makes a massive difference.

#3 citrus powered wallpaper stripper solution also works.

#4 when you get a stubborn section, don't kill yourself. You'll end up taking the paper facing off the rock, and it's a pain. Just leave it and mud over it later (use joint compound.)

[DETRoadster]

My first house had 4 layers of wallpaper dating back to the 1940s. I got so fed up with it I ended up just busting out the drywall and putting up new sheetrock.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

My first house had 4 layers of wallpaper dating back to the 1940s. I got so fed up with it I ended up just busting out the drywall and putting up new sheetrock.

Ran across a similar issue in a house in Germany. Several layers of wallpaper/paint on the walls and carpet/vinyl on the floors. What a mess cleaning that up. No sheetrock either. The walls had to be busted out and re-plastered.

[Maynard]

We had good luck with a 'paper tiger' tool that puts down a lot of little scores, then water with some dish soap.

[3.0L]

I've removed old wallpaper and it ain't fun. I used one of these tools to perforate the wallpaper, then sponged on warm water let soak, scrap off. This worked, but labor intensive.

[TheWatchGuy]

ive used a steamer. works pretty well.

for removing any left over adhesive, water and soap.

[overcoil]

Thanks for the info. Have a steamer also. Want to be very gentle to the drywall. Not in any hurry to complete once I start.

[OM3RTA]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

I've removed old wallpaper and it ain't fun. I used one of these tools to perforate the wallpaper, then sponged on warm water let soak, scrap off. This worked, but labor intensive.

Absolutely this and a steamer is the way to go.

I've had to do it 10's of times and having tried a few methods the above is undoubtedly the best.

*edit* I have a ceiling wallpaper job coming up and i must admit my back is not looking forward to that one

[nyalpine90]

FIRE

[2000cs]

Like others here, I’ve done this more than I should have. I won’t do it again. If I moved into a house with wall paper I would either learn to love it or hire someone to remove it.

[Wolf 335]

I have done this last year and thankfully it was only a 4x9ft wall.

Removing the printed part of the wallpaper is easy. You spray it with warm water, let it soak in a bit and peel off. It comes off very easy.

The bad part it removing the glue that stays on the drywall.

You need to spray it again with warm water and let that soak in a bit.
Then I used a 6” putty knife to scrape off the glue.

This is where you run into problems. As the drywall has also absorbed some of the water it is very easy to damage it with a putty knife. I created a “few” gouges in the drywall during this process.

Another issues is that you can expect to damage the tape used in the corner joint to the adjacent wall and ceiling. This too is the result of it being wet from water and scraping of the glue.

After all that was done I fixed the drywall and damaged tape. Sanded everything. Dust was a nightmare.

Certain areas had an issue with paint adhering. So I had to rough it up a bit more and do two additional primer coats.

If I had to do it again, I would just replace the whole drywall and be done with it. Not worth the hassle. Steamer was taking waaay to long. I ditched that idea within 5 mins of trying it.
I can’t even imagine having to do all of this on a full size room. No way.

[50shadesofhockenheim]

It was hell. The old owner of the house put it all over the bathroom and even on the ceiling. The removal ruined the dry wall in a lot of places and almost a year into living here, I still have not re painted the walls since there is so much unevenness. If I were to do it again I wouldve just painted over the wallpaper no joke

[Pauldunlop13]

experience - Yes
it is HORRIBLE

what was even worse, was when we spent 2 days stripping it from a room, and then my parents put up new wallpaper to replace it (this was a job when I was a kid)

horrible shit - should be outlawed

[Steeler]

Waaaay back in the 60''s n 70's my parents would use warm water with vinegar in it.
Wet the walls thoroughly, wait until you could see the paper lifting and go to town.

Wallpaper back then was applied with a paste mixture that you had to mix, so water soluble.

If the paper is more current it might be dry strippable, no?

[zgood4u]

Second house I bought back in the 70's the crazy woman who owned it had black wallpaper on one wall and the darkest red paint ever on the other 3 walls. I paneled over the wallpaper and 4 coats of paint to cover up that god awful red. NEVER AGAIN!

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by Steeler

Waaaay back in the 60''s n 70's my parents would use warm water with vinegar in it.
Wet the walls thoroughly, wait until you could see the paper lifting and go to town.

Wallpaper back then was applied with a paste mixture that you had to mix, so water soluble.

If the paper is more current it might be dry strippable, no?

this wallpaper is from the mid 80's. pretty sure not strippable. not too much paper so everything should work out fine.

[Burnt C6]

My dad hung wall paper for a living back in the 70's and 80's. I've taken more of it off walls that I care to remember. Worst was the foil type it was flimsy and just didn't want to come off very well. Easiest was the vinyl type. We would use steamers to soften the glue and help things loosen up and it would just peal off.