Wallpaper was once the height of fashion in home design. Today it is often considered unsightly and tacky. Fortunately the plaster behind wallpaper can often be salvaged and painted to meet current standards of fashion at very little expense. Here is how you go about removing that old wallpaper.
Required Tools
Steamer or chemical removal solution
Drop cloths or plastic sheathing
Broad drywall knifes and scrapers.
Bucket or trash can
Step1: Prepare the room. Spend some time preparing the room for the project. There isn’t a lot of setup for removing drywall, but patience and care are the most important factors in salvaging the wall. A rushed setup will get you in the habit of hurrying. Slowly and methodically spread drop cloths or plastic along the floor. Place trash cans in convenient locations to discard the old wallpaper and remove all clutter from your workspace. This will help you remain relaxed and patient.
Step 2: Test an area. There are several different techniques to removing wall paper. If you have never done it before, you won’t know which works best for you. No one knows what is behind your wall paper until it is removed. Pick a small section of wall that is as concealed as possible to begin experimenting with techniques and investigating what lies behind that paper.
Some paper can be removed by peeling off the paper by hand and scraping away the residue. Often you will need to break the adhesive before the paper will come free. Attempt to remove the small section dry. If it doesn’t come loose you will need a steamer or a chemical solution.
Steamers are effective, but many contractors choose chemical solutions because they are faster and don’t present scalding risks. You will need to decide which technique is right for you. Experiment until you are satisfied with the results.
(Note: There are power scoring tools that help remove troublesome wallpaper, but these tools can easily damage the wall and should only be used as a last resort.)
(Note: It will be impossible to remove wallpaper without damaging the wall if it was applied without primer, and wallpaper is often applied to cover up much larger problems. You won’t know this until you attempt to remove a section, so don’t attempt to remove a highly visible section until you are satisfied with the results.)
Step 3: Once you have found a method that works for you, remove outlet and switch covers. Use a utility knife to score the wallpaper and caulking around trim and moldings. This will prevent the paint from peeling off wood trim.
Step 4: Remove the wall paper. If you are using a steamer, you will need to score small vertical sections of the paper, steam one section at a time just before removing. Chemical solutions should be applied with a sprayer to the entire room and given time to penetrate the adhesive before you begin scoring and removing vertical strips.
Take your time peeling back the paper with one hand and working a scraper under the paper with the other. Remember patience is the most important aspect in removing wallpaper. Discard each piece of paper in the trash can and remove full cans from the room. A clean work space will help you remain patient.
Step 5: No matter how careful you are, there will still be some residue left on the wall. Try to scrape off the residue carefully. If it is difficult to remove, apply more solution or steam until it comes off the wall without damaging the plaster.
Step 6: Use drywall joint compound and joint tape to repair any small holes in the wall that you discover or accidentally create. Larger holes may require a drywall patch. When all holes are patches and the residue is removed, you are now ready to paint.