Wallpaper Removal
by
Anne Peck
(IC: )
+56
Answered
Help! This wallpaper is going to be the death of me. Ok slight exaggeration. We have tried fabric softener. Vinegar, commercial stripper. The putter layer is a vinyl plastic material and it repelled everything. We scored it too no luck with absorbing. Any suggestions?
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It does not look like there is an easy solution you need to get most of the top layer off first or nothing will penetrative, are you able to use a scraper and where you have scored start peeling some of the top layer off once you have some of the backing exposed you should then be able to spray warm water on the backing and it should start coming off quite easy
score it and spray windex and scape
Usually the wallpaper is in 2 layers. If you can, peel off the top layer and then spray the remaining layer with warm water and fabric softener. The secret is to let the water penetrate for 20 minutes (respray if drying). The backing layer of wallpaper should peel off in sheets. Be patient.
I had the same problem. I tried everything: fabric softener, wallpaper remover (harsh on the lungs, btw), scoring, scraping, etc. Finally, I bought a small, inexpensive steamer. Soooo much easier. I kick myself for not doing it sooner. Just do it.
With the help of a friend we were able to remove six YES six rooms and 3 closets of wallpaper in one day. The SECRET is a garden sprayer, the pump up kind filled with HOT water, Dawn Detergent and Vinegar. Pump it up and really spray the walls (my advantage was the flooring was getting replaced too) but just put down drop cloths. This will really soak the paper wait just a few minutes scrape off the top layer if it won't all come off at once and then dose a second time. The sprayer did an amazing job, even better than when I have tried a steamer in the past. Was given this hint by a professional painter and one of the best I have had!!
I swear by Dif which is a wallpaper removal gel. I had to strip layer upon layer of painted over wallpaper of every sort you can imagine. It was tedious and took forever. I used a Gator scorer and plenty of Dif and elbow grease. The previous owners had also used contact paper, oh yes, super-glued somehow to the walls and Dif even cut through that. Key is: make sure to let the Dif sit as instructed and work in small areas.
A steamer did not work on the vinyl wallpaper on my walls either. I scored and used *hot* water with fabric softener and saturated the paper. Then it peeled right off and I had to saturate the adhesive layer and do the same. Worst case, use joint compound at the seams and sand them out. Then oil based primer on the rest so the adhesive does not reactivate.
I had a painter once tell me that when he comes across paper that doesn't come off easy, to spray with the remover, (so it's not overly wet), and then cover with plastic wrap, if you notice the remover drying before it's loosened the paper. Do sections at a time and do not over wet the wall. Hopefully this will help.
I had wall paper on drywall and tried everything you mentioned- vinegar, fabric softener, hot water, Dawn, etc. Then I borrowed my grandmother's clothes steamer. Lots of water and patience later...it all came off. Good luck!
Because of the vinyl covering on the wallpaper, the solutions you are using will not penetrate to the wallpaper glue/paste beneath. I suggest you use a "Single Head PaperTiger Scoring Tool" sold at Homedepot for around $8. This tool will punch little holes into the vinyl and allow the solution you are using to get underneath. Follow this link: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Zinsser-Single-Head-PaperTiger-Scoring-Tool-2966/202745319?keyword=wallpaper+scorer
Hopefully, you can get the top layer off. I had so much trouble getting the liner off as the glue was like cement. After trying many things, I finally used hot water and TSP. That did the trick. Let it sit on it for a while and then use a wide blade scraper. If any glue remains, scrub with TSP and a scrubbie.
usually the top layer will come off quite easily, the layer that remains has the glue and must be either steamed or wet very well then scrapped off and the wall washed to remove all the glue. I love wall paper but avoid using it just because its such a pain to remove
You'll have to peel off the outer layer, leaving the paper part exposed. Then the solution should soften that so you can scrape it off.
I too have used steam, score and steam, you can rent a wall paper steamer from a tool rental place or hardware store.
Scoring on vinyl is critical, get a scorer of some sort they are cheap and work very well. Additionally a few have mentioned steam.. It is a huge help. Finally DIF and TSP are great, they chemically break down the glue.
There is no "Magic wand" though, the biggest ingredients are going to be Time and Elbow grease.
One other thing I have seen done - this was a long hallway with 9 ft ceilings. After realizing that it was going to take a week just to get the paper off so that the wall prep could start for painting, a contractor suggested putting a new layer of drywall on directly over the old surface. They used 3/8" thick drywall and were painting the next day. If you have a large area to do, or limited time, it may be worth considering that option.
Tear the front layer off by hand. I use a 4" razor blade. Do not score the wall. The moisture seeps into the drywall and compromises it. Tear front off, then soak the bottom layer. Take off with putty knife. Try not to gouge wall. I have stripped paper for 30 years, for a living.
hi i have good success with warm soapy dishwater. i apply with a sponge wait a few minutes then use a flipper to lift the paper. yup an egg lifter works great. good luck
Oh, that's unusual but you can try the TSP. It stands for tri-sodium phosphate and you should be able to get it at Home Depot or Lowe's or maybe any hardware dept. It is also used to clean up furniture after stripping off the finish so you may find it in the paint section of the stores.
We tried all the same solutions to try to strip vinyl wallpaper. Nothing worked until my clever husband brought in his heat gun. A lot less messy than a steamer and it worked like a charm. Just hold it a few inches away for a couple of seconds, and it practically peels off by itself.
I gave up on removal. I used thin underlayment and nailed it over wallpaper. Faux shiplap! Love it !
I saw this product several years ago. Go to the walllpaper section or to a wallpaper store. They sell stuff that looks like white, heavy wallpaper. It comes on a roll like wallpaper. It is used to apply to a papered wall so that you can paint without removing the original wallpaper. The product has always stayed on my mind because it seems so awesome but I have never had to use it. I have wallpaper in my bedroom right now and have been thinking about this stuff since my paper is stuck on like crazy. If I remember, the price was around $14/roll but not sure if it is a single, double, or triple roll. If too expensive, I might fight to remove a couple walls and use this stuff on the other two. I'm going online to Sherwin Williams to see if I can find it.
try putting a hot water kettle on the floor and direct the steam to the bottom of the wallpaper just above the baseboard. Let it sit there for a couple of minutes. Start by pulling the wallpaper away just above the baseboard and continue to allow the steam to hit the glue as you pull the wallpaper away. This really worked well for me on paper that I had a really hard time removing. Good luck
I have tried everything also and the only thing that works is a wallpaper steamer that you rent from a local hardware or local rental company
You need to peel off the vinyl layer first. Just grab a loose edge and slowly pull. Then the backing paper is easily soaked off.
I have removed several rooms of different types of wallpaper and found that using just straight white vinegar works the best . I just spray it on wait for several minutes ,usually the longer the better but not long enough for it to dry . Thats is ok though you can just spray again and wait. I use a putty knife to scrap it off once the vinegar has loosened the glue and it will . for wall paper that is textured ( possible several layers ) you may have to spray and scrape a few times but eventually you will have success. I have used the scoring device as well but found it alot easier to just use the tip of the putty knife run it all over the wall different directions and let the vinegar seep into the cuts . Good Luck ... you can do it
We've had good luck using A Wallpaper steamer. Once heated wallpaper Comes off in sheets. $ 50 at Home Depot. Best $50 I ever spent .
They also make a tool that is available in the wallpaper section that has teeth and you go in circles..scores it and then steam or use wallpaper remover..works great...no matter how you do it its a ton of work!
As someone said above, the first thing is to peel off the vinyl, which comes off fairly easily. Then use WARM water, to which you've added Dawn dish soap (not much, maybe tsp) and take a rag and spread the wet solution on the underlying paper. Let it sit to soak through for a few minutes (4 or 5) then use a broad putty knife orplaster spatula to scrape off. It should come off in large pieces. Do only a section at a time, since you don't want it to dry and re-adhere.
Yes it can come off but it sure is hard work. I have tried all of the above and one thing you have to remember is that you don't want to mark up the wall as your taking the paper off. You would be surprised how easy it is to damage the wall. For me, myself and I it was steam that helped me the best. Being that I was working on the living room, hallway, staircase all the up to the upstairs hallway. Just know that it takes time and I used my hand clothes steamer doing small amounts after work. Make sure you pick up the paper that your taking off of the walls because it will stick to wood floors. (That's another story, but I had kids and the dog stepping on it!) Good Luck!
If it's not a large area there is fabric can cover it with. Tack it up then cover the tacks with molding or cordin
I have the same problem. I finally found out the wallpaper was glued to naked sheetrock, no paint underneath. Doesn't come off. Nothing works, steaming, scoring device, soaking, NOTHING. I have pulled off as much as I can get off now I am going to go over the damaged wall with paint then immediately apply crinkled tissue paper who's edges have been torn unevenly then spread out the tissue paper and leaving some texture and rolling over the wet tissue with another coat of paint and letting that dry. This is suppose to seal the drywall and cover the damage by camouflaging any obvious damage. I happen to like the look of textured walls, gives them a rustic vintage look.
I removed a roomful of that kind of wallpaper by pulling off the outer vinyl layer and then using a 99 cent trigger spray bottle of water to wet a section of the wall, waiting a few minutes, then scraping the wall with a spatula with rounded corners. After doing the entire wall that way, I'd wash it off with a bucket of clean water, scrubbing with a microfiber cloth, a Magic Eraser, or a Scotch Brite, depending on how stubborn the glue was being, to get off. Patti's right about protecting your floor with something like plastic sheeting!
Peel off first layer (especially if shiny as no moisture will penetrate) then use Dawn dish soap I hot water and spray wall, then cover with plastic bag from cleaners. Move to next section, then go back to covered section, remove plastic and scrape . Repeat. The plastic traps the moisture so the degreaser (in dish soap) breaks down the glue. And when you wipe down the walls , they are clean from using soap that smells good.
I've peeled off wallpaper in many a room, it will depend on the type of wall behind the wallpaper. My house, almost a hundred years old is the old lathe and plaster, removing the old waterproof wallpaper in the bathroom was the worst, nothing worked until, as mentioned,the metal tool that lightly punctures the wallpaper allowing vinegar/water solution to soak through. If you are not in a big hurry, get at least a small section removed so the solution can penetrate under the paper, eventually the paper is so wet it is more easily scraped or it will actually fall off--useful for a stairwell when reaching the upper portion would require scaffolding.
Use a vinegar/water solution as much vinegar as you can tolerate, use a sprayer or sponge floor mop to wet down the wallpaper until it is easy to remove with a scraper. The problem with steamers, they can get heavy and so hot others who used them have burned themselves. Good Luck.
If you have removed all of the vinyl, go to WalMart and purchase a spray bottle of DIF. This will remove wallpaper quicker than anything I have ever tried and it is very easy to get the paper off once you have sprayed it with this product. It is made specifically for removing wallpaper. It isn't that expensive at WalMart either.
I hope this helps.
You can purchase liquid wall paper remover at Lowes or HD. I've tried it and it worked well.
when I removed my wallpaper in our house I used some old and cheap wallpaper and soaked it will warm water then applied the paper to the wall left it on until the paper underneath started to come off, keeping the paper damp with warm water some came off easy and the others took longer No damage to the under layer of drywall, washed thoroughly to remove all glue remains I kept reusing the same cheap paper several times well worth the money Good Luck
Thank you everyone!! I finally got the wallpaper off. I tried everyand for me the winner was f
straight vinegar. I had to boil it and put it in as soon as it was able to be put in a prayer bottle! I worked slow and kept the vinegar hot. It helped loosen the vinyl top coat and saturated the bottom layer.
The sad thing is, it appears it was put on unpainted sheet rock. That being the case is why you're probably having such a hard time removing it. It's not simply glued, it's adhered to the paper on the sheet rock. Happened to me once and I had a skilled guy come in and do a "knockdown style" faux stucco. Boom! problem solved.
We had the same problem, DIF, dish detergent, goof off, goo off, sanding, scraping, steaming, soaking, swearing. Final solution (maybe all the other cleaners weakened the glue) 90% alcohol not the usual 70%. Try it!
I've taken on more than one project with a prayer bottle in my hand......lol
I had the same thing happen to me. I tried EVERYTHING. Finally rented a steamer and cleared that stuff in about 4 hours!!!!
Hi Anne, you can buy a really inexpensive tool at the home improvement stores called a wallpaper shark. Its a handheld disk that has rolling cutters in it. Scrape the wall paper with the shark and spray on cheap window cleaner. The stuff you buy for cars. Wait a few minutes. It should easily peel off once it is soaked into the paper.
here are some tips https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=how%20to%20remove%20wallpaper&rs=typed&term_meta[]=how%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=to%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=remove%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=wallpaper%7Ctyped
You scored it which is perfect. I have removed A LOT of wallpaper over the years and I find nothing beats a steamer. I have used both an old clothes steamer and rented a professional wallpaper steamer from a paint and wallpaper store. Both of them work just fine. Just take it slow, it WILL come off!