American homes have been using wallpaper since colonial times. Over time, people have become less attracted to it. Some will even argue it can decrease the value of your home.
How can you do wallpaper removal in your home? Maybe you buy a new beautiful house with uglly wallpaper, or just want to sell grandma’s house that’s had the same wallpaper since you were a baby. Some companies are experts on wallpaper removal and will be able to determine if the wallpaper can be easily removed. The ease of removal, along with how many walls you need to remove it from, will greatly affect price.
Maybe you can do it yourself. Removing wallpaper doesn’t look that hard, but it can be difficult. You don’t want to damage your wall, or in the end have to pay to fix your mistakes. But if you do it right you can save some money and give your home a better look. Like any other home improvement project, you will need to get some tools and materials so you can successfully complete the wallpaper removal process.
Wallpaper removal is a job that can be time consuming. First, you need to protect everything in the room. It tends to be easier if you remove the furniture from the room before you start. You need to remove everything from walls including vents and outlet covers. Tape plastic to the baseboards, and use a drop cloth to protect the floor from the water and soap that is going to be used during the wallpaper removal process.
Start with the putty knife or a scraper on the edge of the wallpaper and see if you can lift and start peeling the paper from the wall. If it comes right off, it’s strippable wallpaper. If the paper peels away but leaves a paper backing, it may be peelable wallpaper. If it doesn’t budge, it is most likely older, traditional wallpaper. You should be able to peel the paper off the walls with your hands if it is stripable wallpaper.
If you’re dealing with traditional wallpaper, you will need to use a wallpaper remover solution. When it comes to wallpaper removal, many have had success with homemade wallpaper remover using water mixed with either vinegar or liquid fabric softener. You can also purchase premixed wallpaper remover solutions at your local hardware store. First spray the solution on the walls and let it sit until it becomes possible to peel the paper off the wall. It’s best to use a wallpaper scoring tool to aid in the wallpaper removal. This tool scores the paper and allows the solution to work its way behind the wallpaper. The solution then starts deactivating the glue.
Next, it’s wallpaper removal time! Using a tool designed to scrape, attempt to get under and lift and scrape the paper and glue from the wall. When all the paper is off, clean the walls with soap and hot water to remove any residue. This process needs to be done gently so it doesn’t damage the drywall. Sometimes using a gel stripper can make clean up easier because it helps the residue form into a scrapable paste. With wallpaper removal, it is critical to thoroughly clean the wall to remove all residue. If any residue is left behind, it can create problems when you paint the wall or add new wallpaper.
Finally, let the walls dry completely. It may be best to wait until the next day to do any painting. If you are going to hire a professional painting company or put up new wallpaper you may need to use a primer designed for this purpose. Sometimes a skim coat or new texture is needed from the damage caused by removing the wallpaper.
We hope this has helped you learn about what is involved in wallpaper removal.
