What is the best way to remove wallpaper?

Question

What is the best way to remove wallpaper?

Answer 1

Gently with a scraper.

Answer 2

Mix a solution of fabric softener and hot water 1/2 and 1/2 and put in a spray bottle. Spray the walls and start peeling. You can soak a rag and rub the wallpapered walls as well but the spray bottle is less messy. My wall paper was 20 years old and came off like a charm. Just clean the wall after with TSP (TSP is just the name of the product. I guess it is only available in Canada. It is a all purpose heavy duty cleaner in a granule form. It removes wax, grease, wallpaper residue, cleans concrete etc. I don't know what an equivalent would be that you could purchase in the US.) to remove the glue residue.

Answer 3

I use steam strippers 90% of the time.

before starting I use a paper tiger to score the paper. These tools have serrated wheels that make very small puncture holes without damaging the surface below. I don't like using craft knives to do this as i like to get whole sheets off if possible and find that knives make the paper rip.

I then spray the area with water mixed with washing up detergent. I leave this to soak. You will be able to see when it has soaked in as the paper will darken.

If you are really lucky this might have reactivated the glue enough to enable you to scrape the paper off.

If not I then fill up the steamer and  turn it on. Again I leave it whilst the room fills up with steam. I then use a sharp scrapper with replaceable blades. Hold the steamer over a section of paper until the steam has passed through the holes and scrape away, whilst scraping move the steamer plate up to the next section.

In time you will judge how long to hold the plate and will speed up.

Wear thick rubber gloves as hot water will run down the plate. you should wear glasses as well but I don't bother personally.

caveats!!!

Be warned that if you hold the plate in one section for too long you might blow the plaster. There is also a risk of setting off any ionising fire sensors (wrap a bag around these). When working around electrical sockets either isolate them or tilt the steamer plate so that the stream of water from the bottom of the plate misses the socket. Also allow the steamer too cool before refilling. Use dust sheets otherwise the wet glue will stick to the carpet

I would allow a day for a 5m by 5m room. Another advantage of the steam stripper is that less water is used and as such the floor stays drier as does the plaster

Although sweaty work it should not be tiring. The knife should glide through the glue, if not you are not holding the plate still for long enough.

Depending on how long the bits of paper are that come off you might be able to save more time by using polythene dust sheets over the cotton dust sheets. When finished just roll the poly sheets up and dump them. Getting hardened bits of paper off the cotton sheets is a nightmare

good luck

Answer 4

Best way is with a Steamer .

Answer 5

I have had great success with removing wall paper, including the glue beneath the paper. First you will need to purchase two things from either Home Depot or Lowes. In the wall paper dept. the sell a tool that fits in the palm of your hand that you roll over the wall you want to remove. This tool is red on top and black on the bottom it has two wheels on the bottom with little points, that when rolled across the wall it indents little holes through the paper. You roll the entire wall first. Next you purchase a wall paper remover 1/2 gallon container and mix it in a pump sprayer. Spray the entire wall, wait 10 minuets, use a 4 inch Spackle knife and begin scraping. I guarantee you that the wall paper will fall off your wall effortlessly and very fast. Good luck.    

Answer 6

hot soapy water the soap holds the water to the wall.do not be tempted to strip after soaking the paper at first be patient and soak at least 3 times using a roller.remover with a wide filling knife which has a sharper blade than a scraper.I by mistake u chip into the wall this can be filled with fine surface filler once stripped.If the paper is blowen vinyl or wood chip remove the face of the paper first then soak to allow the water to penetrate the paper good luck

Answer 7

you can score the walls (gently) with a craft knife and then sponge them with water - leave for about 10 mins for the water to soak in and then gently scrape with a scraper and pull - the water should have loosened the paste and so the paper will come off .... this is done much quicker and easier with a steamer - if you have one .....

:)

Answer 8

Wall paper removers, it's like a liquid.

Buy it at your friendly neighborhood hardware store.

Regards.

Answer 9

get a squirt bottle

fill it half full of dish soap

the other half , hot tap water

score the wall paper with a sharp knife

soak the wall paper and gently scrape of with a scraper