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    Any hands-on tips for removing old wallpapers?

    It's one of my projects this Summer, removing it all in the kitchen and painting inside of the house.
    Thanks in advance!

    +2  Views: 816 Answers: 9 Posted: 13 years ago

    9 Answers

    I have tried scoring and steming as well as the gel remover... both worked about the same but the gel was less messy. Iwill never remove wall paper again... In the kitchen I am going to put up piantable textured wallpaper.
    schubee

    LOL..you are scaring me "I will never remove wall paper again..." ;-)
    Jenn

    I am not kidding it was the most difficult thing to do. The only thing harder is to remove vinyll florring.... You need power tools for that.
    schubee

    Ok, you are talking about labor, physically hard, right?
    Jenn

    yes... after removing the wall paper over my head I wassore for weeks... you are standing there with your arms over your head for hours.... (well depending on the area you are clearing) I help friends remold and deconstruct houses all the time.
    Water, if you can get it wet it should let loose.
    They do make a wallpaper remover also.
    Headless Man

    If you do this it might be a good idea to pick a small wall and test it and see what you have, if not sure, then you can change your mind if a problem, some paper will come off easy and like some here has said some brings the wall with it.
    What I did was to scrape any loose paper off and spray knock down over the paper that was secured, it worked great.
    If the wallpaper is vinyl you can peel the vinyl coating off then use warm water to soak backing paper to remove.
    If the paper is plain, no coating, warm soapy water.
    If the paper is sealed surface forget it, paint over by applying a coat of sealer undercoat then 2 top coats.
    If you elect to paint over paper check there are no lifting edges or corners. If there are glue to wall using PVC glue.
    schubee

    What do you mean by sealed surface?
    PEOPLELOVER

    Sealed surface is a thin coating of vinyl that is coated to the actual paper surface where as vinyl coated has the pattern on it and that is adhered to the backing.
    If it is sealed it is vitualy water proof and not even steam penetrates without scouring and that marks the wall surface.
    I had hours of work doing my home and I ended up painting over in several rooms after checking for lifting. Pain in the back side trying to get it off.
    If you paint over be sure to use "low sheen" or "flat" finish paint as tis does not show imperfections on wall surface including joins in paper.
    Better you than me, good luck.
    Don't do it!!!

    Have someone mud it, oil it, orangepeel it, then paint it.

    Pulling wallpaper can pull the Sheetrock away too and it leaves big gouges in the wall so it never looks smooth.

    Jenn's idea was good too - paintable wallpaper.
    schubee

    I'm leaning towards hiring someone to do it after reading a few advices...but I think I will be accused of being lazy if I do by my wife.
    Try laundry detergent in hot water applied with a painting roller.
    Works for me.Let it soak for a few minutes before you try to scrape it.
    I found soapy water, put over old wall paper with sponge, left for couple of minuits, then its easy to scrape off/ good luck.
    schubee

    Yes, I need it.;-)
    Dollybird

    Warm soapy water is best.
    you can find some special liquide to remove wall papers in super market, it's very help full. unless
    you can make few cut on the wallpaper with a knif then press hot water or hot vaper on it, after few minutes it comes out easily.
    I ripped the underlaying sheet rock out on wall and a corner at a time. Cleaned up and installed sheet rock, insulation and electrical. Then finish the one wall neatly and painted it with a base coat only. Then after considering what I learned on the first wall section, I knew better about what I needed to do in the next wall section. This process lets you learn all the steps and problems as you go rather than doing it all at once to produce a disaster that you need lots of help to complete.
    schubee

    Make sense, thanks!


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