Wait a minute, there is no easy way to remove wallpaper! Right? Well that is the case many times, but sometimes it’s not. Believe it or not, often wallpaper removal is quite easy. We just removed wallpaper from two separate bathrooms in the same home; in one bathroom the paper came off very easily, and in the other bathroom it was very difficult to remove.
You may or may not have the most needed tools in removing wallpaper – they are patience and consistency. If you’re in a hurry to get that wallpaper off, you probably shouldn’t get started. More often than not, you’re going to need time and patience to get the wallpaper off the walls.
The amount of difficulty in getting the paper off the walls usually depends on what’s underneath. If the walls were sized, or primed with a wallpaper primer before the paper was hung, it will remove much easier. Many times you will discover that this step was skipped when hanging the wallpaper initially.
Besides your time and patience, you’ll need a few other tools to help you remove the wallpaper from the walls. You’ll need a couple of scraper blades, some wallpaper remover concentrate, a pump sprayer or spray bottle, and possibly a scoring tool. Be sure to cover the area with some tarps and plastic, this will help with cleanup.
Wallpaper usually comes off in two layers – the outer decorative layer, and then the under layer of paper and glue. Before doing anything, see if you can pull the paper off. Sometimes the top layer will come of, and possibly both layers will come off. If the outer layer doesn’t come off, it will probably be best to use the scoring tool to lightly score the paper. This punches tiny holes in the paper allowing the liquid to penetrate better. If the outer layer comes off, you won’t need to score the wallpaper. Mix your wallpaper removing solution with hot water and spray it on. Keep it wet for 10-15 minutes, and then start scraping the paper off.
Be patient, keep scraping, keep it wet, keep going – and the wallpaper will come off. Make sure you get all the paper and glue off. Then let the walls dry good, patch them if necessary, sand them well, and they’ll be ready for a new finish.
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DFW Finishers of Holly Springs, NC are: Experienced house painters including exterior painting, interior painting, furniture painting, and wallpaper removal; Experts in deck staining and deck cleaning; and a Professional painting and deck restoration company providing how-to and DIY information in the Raleigh, NC area.
We service the areas of Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, Raleigh, Morrisville, Durham, and Garner, NC.