How to Strip Plaster Walls

While some people may be interested in stripping paint off a plaster wall, it is usually more efficient to prime and paint over the old coats. Therefore, this article will focus on how to strip a plaster wall of wallpaper. It is a fairly easy process but one that requires patience.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket of hot water
• Newspaper or plastic tarp
• Sponge
• Ladder
• Putty Knife

Instructions

1. Fill your bucket with hot water. The hotter the better, but make sure that it's not so hot that you will burn yourself.

2. Lay down newspaper or a plastic tarp underneath the area of the wall that you are going to be working on. If you do not want to take the time to cover the whole floor, you can just focus on one area of the wall since you are going to be working on small pieces of the wall one at a time.

3. Focus on a small patch of wall and set up your ladder next to it if you can't reach. It's usually best to start toward the top of the wall and work your way down.

4. Soak your sponge with hot water and apply the water to an area of the wall. Don't let too much water run down the wall, but be generous with the water you use.

5. Wait about 10 to 15 minutes, and then begin to use your putty knife to work on peeling off the wallpaper. It should come off easily, but the knife will help you get through the tough parts.

6. Repeat these steps until you have successfully stripped the plaster wall of wallpaper.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient when peeling the wallpaper and using the putty knife. It may take a while, but if you rush you may damage the plaster underneath.

• Never apply chemicals to the plaster wall. It can damage the wall and force you to replace it.