How to Properly Remove Wallpaper and Border

Old wallpaper might not come off the wall easily.

There's no way around it, wallpaper removal is a tedious and frustrating job -- especially if you have an older home with layers of paper or lathe and plaster walls. Sometimes the paper will come off easily; other times it's a battle of wills between you and the wall. There are several courses of action you can take, depending on how tightly the paper is glued to the wall. Hope for the best and begin with the easiest before moving on to the more complex solutions.

Things You'll Need

• Utility knife
• Spray bottle
• Wallpaper stripping tool
• Scoring tool
• Wallpaper steamer
• Rag

Instructions

1. Peel the edge of a piece of paper from the wall with your fingernail or a utility knife. Try pulling the front layer of paper from the backing. If the paper is relatively new, the front layer will be made of vinyl and may peel off completely and with minimal effort. Leave the backing in place if you plan to replace the old paper with new paper; it will provide an optimum environment for the new glue. Spray a layer of water onto the backing if you want to completely remove it, then scrape the paper and glue off the wall with a wallpaper-stripping tool.

2. Score the paper with a scoring tool if it does not peel off the backing easily. Run the tool over the surface of the paper to puncture the paper. The holes break up the sheets and allow moisture to reach the interior of the paper. The moisture softens the paper so you can scrape it off easier.

3. Fill a wallpaper steamer's reservoir with water, attach it to the steamer and hold the wand 12 to 18 inches from the wall. Apply steam to the surface for a few minutes, until you see the edges begin to curl or feel the paper softening. Scrape the softened paper from the walls.

4. Spray wallpaper remover onto scored paper and allow the product to be absorbed for several minutes, according to package directions. Scrape the paper from the walls once it has become pliable.

5. Wash the walls with a damp rag after removal.

References

• "Wallpapering"; Steven Corey; 1998