Old Wallpaper

Teri
by Teri
I recently moved in a house and bedroom wallpaper looks old and it's probably more trouble to remove it. It is separated at some seems. I need some ideas to cover up. It's a glossy texture.

  7 answers
  • 2dogal 2dogal on Mar 30, 2018

    Please - unless you want to cover it with shiplap or something similar, please remove it. If you go to paint, because it is already separated at some seams, the glue will continue to loosen the paper andy you'll have to remove it anyway.

  • Rachelle Rachelle on Mar 30, 2018

    I just helped my in-laws remove 20 yr old wallpaper that was attatched to unpainted sheetrock. Wow. We tried every product out there and spent tons of money, nothing was working. So I got on Pinterest, and Voila, found something that took it off in minutes, and made the house smell wonderful at the same time. Buy a squirt bottle and some Downy fabric softener (we tried the generic brand and it didn't work.) Mix a capful of the fabric softner with hot water in your spray bottle, spray on the wallpaper, let sit for about 5 -10 min, and everything peels right off, including the glue. We used spackle scrapers just to make it go quicker, but you can peel it right off with your hands. Good luck!

    • Teri Teri on Mar 30, 2018

      Thank you for that tip. It is a rather standard size bedroom.

      I can see there was paper there before with other lines. Hopefully this tip will go through layers.ty

  • Kac32568501 Kac32568501 on Mar 30, 2018

    You can paint wallpaper, but you should clean it first. There is a cleaner you can get wherever they sell wallpaper although this is rather labor intensive. I have applied fabric to the walls using liquid laundry starch. It's similar to working with wallpaper but easy to clean (just vacuum).

    • Teri Teri on Mar 30, 2018

      Thank you, I may be able to wash walls real good and put Kiln primer on it also.

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Mar 30, 2018

    If you remove it, I would try to take off the first layer first, as nothing will penetrate the glossy layer to get underneath to the glue. It isn't really hard, just pull on it and it should separate from the paper layer underneath.

    • See 1 previous
    • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Mar 30, 2018

      The shiny layer isn't glued, it is part of the paper itself, if you can get it started, that layer should just peel off. it could be plastic or like an enamel, but it should just peel away from the rest of the paper. I had to do that with a whole wall that someone used contact paper on for a metallic look in the entry way and down the basement stairs wall. Once that top layer was off I used a steamer and the rest came off easily.

  • Sharon Sharon on Mar 30, 2018

    You could put 1/4" drywall up and start over.

  • Emily Emily on Mar 30, 2018

    I would recommend removing the paper.