What is the easiest way to remove wallpaper that was applied directly to bare, untreated drywall?

Question

I am able to remove the top layer of the wallpaper with no problem, leaving only the backing of the wallpaper, which I am treating and soaking with warm water and fabric softenener. After that I have to scrape the backing off and it's not coming off easy at all. It took me over 2 hours to remove a small section...and it's a big room with alot of wallpaper. I'm gouging the drywall a little bit too, in the process. Obviously the people we bought the house from not only had awful taste in wallpaper (pink and green flowers/stripes) but they also didn't hang the wallpaper correctly, on treated drywall for easier removal. They were do-it-yourselfers...they actually finished the entire upstairs themselves. It's a mess and it's very frustrating and time consuming trying to remove the wallpaper. Is there anything that can help make this easier? even a little bit easier?????

Thanks,

Gina

Answer 1

Yep, there is a wallpaper remover machine, that steams the wallpaper, don't think they are expensive, but you can hire them, you can also try wallpaper stripper, you can get it in diy shops.

Answer 2

Fabric softener often works--that's what This Old House general contractor Tom Silva uses. He mixes it half and half with water, then uses a spray bottle to apply the mixture to the wall. After letting it set for a few minutes, you should be able to peel the paper off quite easily.But if that's not working you could rent a wallpaper steamer. Here's a short video showing how to use one:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,...

It's common for the drywall to get gouged a bit during the process of removing wallpaper, but don't worry: repairing the damage is not too difficult. You'll need a couple different sizes of drywall knives (they're like a super-wide putty knife) and some joint compound--all of this is available at a home center or hardware store and won't be expensive. Here's how to repair drywall:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,...