How to Remove Wallpaper

Removers and patience make it easier to remove old wallpaper.

Hold tight to the memory of the magical moment when you looked around the room at the new wallpaper -- because 20 years later taking it down will anything but magical. Removing wallpaper, and leaving the walls undamaged, takes the right products, tools and plenty of patience. Removing, or stripping wallpaper, is messy business, but modern glues and removers have taken a lot of the muscle work out of the job.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Wallpaper remover
• Wallpaper scoring tool
• Garden sprayer
• Scraper, 5 inch
• Sponge and bucket
• Trash bags

1. Research and experiment before beginning. Determine if walls were sized prior to installation. Sizing is a primer product made to prepare walls for wallpaper that makes it both easier to install and to remove the wallpaper. If so, your paper should come off without much difficulty. Look for a loose corner on your paper and pull it slowly. If the paper pulls off easily and the paper is thick, your job will probably be easier than if it is very thin and stuck firmly to the wall.

2. Consider leaving the paper in place and installing new wallpaper over top, if the wallpaper looks like it doesn't want to budge and the seams, corners and edges are all firmly in place. If you are planning to paint the walls, the seams can be lightly puttied and a primer coat applied prior to painting. A homeowner can tackle this project, but your results may be better if you hire a professional.

3. Mix the commercial wallpaper remover with warm water according to the instructions in the pump sprayer. Perforate the wallpaper with the scoring tool to improve absorption of the remover. Spray a section of the wall starting at the top, including a seam. The remover will work into these areas loosening the wallpaper. Let the remover sit for 10 minutes. Working with your scraper, begin at a corner or a loose seam and remove the paper by scraping or pulling, being careful not to work too fast or dig too deep and damage the sheet rock.

4. Spray ahead of where you are working so the remover loosens a section while you are working on the one that has already been sprayed. If it is not coming off easily, spray a second time and let it sit another 10 to 15 minutes. You may find once the paper is soaked thoroughly it comes off in sheets. Scrape off excess glue as you go. If necessary, spray the walls lightly with remover.

5. Prepare the newly exposed walls for painting. The walls need to be cleaned of any glue residue. If glue remains on the wall when the paint is applied it will dry and crack and leaving spidery cracks in the paint. After washing down the walls sand lightly and repair damaged areas. Apply a primer prior to painting for best results.

Tips & Warnings

• Evaluate Your Wallpaper

• Spray with DIF

• BE PATIENT

• Scrape

• Wash Walls

• Don't be overly concerned if the walls are damaged during removal. They can be repaired.

References

• This Old House; New Way to Strip it Away; Merle Henkenius