Is there anything that will strip wallpaper completely off? By that I mean front and back together.

Kathy P
by Kathy P
  9 answers
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Feb 10, 2012
    Lots of folks use many methods from steaming to sponging with hot water with a dash of fabric softener. The trick is to let the technique do it thing and not try to rush the job...it take time the moisture to soften up the glue...work in small areas and take you time.
  • You can score and steam it off but it's going to take time no matter what you use. Also if the wall wasn't primed before the wallpaper was put up it's going to take more time because the wallpaper is attached directly to the drywall without anything inbetween so be careful not to rip the drywall paper as well. You can try the fabric softener or windex as well with hot water to see if that would help. Good luck!!
  • Are you looking to put up new wallpaper or paint the walls afterwards?
  • Kathy, wall paper depending on its age is either one piece of paper with design painted on it, or the more modern last 50 years two parts. A paper with a vinyl or secondary coating with the pattern on it. The two ply papers are more durable as they can be scrubbed hard and take punishment that the real old single ply could not. So what determines if the top ply comes off with the bottom ply that has the glue on it is dependent upon the process in which one attempts to remove the paper. Some folks peel the top ply off exposing the paper under it, then simply wetting this it becomes soft and easily removed. But this in not always the better way. Other methods employ a paper tiger tool. This tool will put nicks into the top more durable and many times vinyl surface so it will allow moisture to get behind the vinyl and allow it to soften the glue. Still others use a steamer. While these devices work well for some types of really stuck on paper, they are often times the slowest of methods for removal as you must scrap the paper as you steam it. As once the steamed are becomes cool again the paper sticks exactly where it was before you steamed it. As KMS said, there are many methods, but taking your time is the best. If you carefully scrub the wall with paper tiger, then apply your choice of chemicals to help soften the glue, using a hand sprayer from a garden shop works well. And keep the walls wet. Do not expect this to just fall off right away. You need to keep wetting the surface until the paper becomes really wet underneath. You will know that when the paper simply peels off just as easy as it would go on when it was first installed. The trick here is not to rush and pull everything off at once. But do one sheet at a time and clean the newly exposed wall underneath so no glue remains. If you pull it all off at once then go back to remove glue, it will have dried and it becomes much harder to get off the wall. But if it does happen, using cheese cloth soaked in the paper removal water place it on the wall like wall paper, give it some time then remove it and remove the glue under it while its soft again. You can also use wall paper removal sheets. Depending upon how much you need to take off these are supposed to work real well. Shop around as there are many manufactures of this product available. http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Strip-HydroSheets-Wallpaper-Removal/dp/B000UVDTBG
  • Peace Painting Co., Inc. Peace Painting Co., Inc. on Feb 12, 2012
    So much depends on the details of what is existing that you have to work with. If you have problems, take some pictures. Here is a post from a short while ago that may be of some help. http://www.hometalk.com/activity/133617 Best, Charles
  • Diane Read Diane Read on Mar 10, 2015
    We scored the paper with a round cutter found in the wall/paint area of the hardware store and then spray it with a wall paper removal system. It worked extremely well. Good luck.
  • Shawna Shawna on Apr 08, 2015
    Fabric softener sheets in warm water has always worked very well for me! ( dollar store variety)
  • Shamrockcamper Shamrockcamper on Apr 08, 2015
    get a paper tiger from your wallpaper store, it scores the paper, rent a wallpaper steamer and it comes off better than stripper, and you are chemical free!
  • Carol Carol on Sep 24, 2015
    There are professional steamers for rent. They work nicely but one has to be careful as they are hot.