How to Repair Walls After Removing Wallpaper
It is almost inevitable that you will have to make repairs to drywall after removing wallpaper. On rare occasions, wallpaper comes off smoothly because the drywall was primed first, but usually you'll discover that the walls were not primed, and the wallpaper is stuck tightly to the drywall. Pulling and scraping stubborn wallpaper results in damage to the drywall that must be repaired before painting the walls. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Utility knife
- Paintbrush
- Primer
- Drywall compound
- Drywall compound tray
- 4-inch putty knife
- 10-inch drywall knife
- 100-grit drywall sandpaper
- 220-grit drywall sandpaper
Please enter your 10 digit phone number only.
A link to this article has been sent to the phone number provided.
Instructions
-
-
1
Cut off all loose and torn drywall paper with a utility knife. Loose drywall paper will bubble when it is primed, and drywall compound will not cover up bubbles in drywall paper.
-
2
Apply primer with the paintbrush to all of the damaged areas and allow the primer to dry before using the drywall compound. Drying times will vary based on the brand and the manufacturer.
-
-
3
Scoop drywall compound into the drywall tray with the 4-inch putty knife. A drywall tray has a sharp edge that you use to scrape drywall compound off of the drywall knife while you are repairing the walls.
-
4
Spread a light coat of drywall compound over the primed areas with the 10-inch drywall knife. Use smaller drywall knives, or putty knives for smaller repairs. Allow the compound to dry completely before applying a second coat. Wait for the second coat of drywall compound to dry before sanding the repairs.
-
5
Sand all repairs with the 100-grit drywall sandpaper until they are smooth and even with the surrounding walls. Follow with a light sanding by using the 220-grit sandpaper. The 220-grit sandpaper will remove fine scratches created from the 100-grit sandpaper that will show through the paint when not sanded out.
-
6
Prime all of the patches and allow them to dry before painting the walls.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit drywall worker image by Sherri Camp from Fotolia.com
