Stripping (wallpaper, that is....)

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Been wanting to paint the rooms in this old house, while we're here, and they walls have wallpaper on them. The newest comes off real easy, but the old original paper, has a death grip on the walls. Anyone know of an easy way to strip wallpaper, short of sandblasting?

-- Annie (mistletoe@kconline.com), July 22, 2001

Answers

Annie, really old wallpaper used glue that just won't quit. What's the wallpaper over, plaster walls or wallboard?

I've seen steamer units or handheld sanders that could be used over plaster, but don't think they'd work if its on wallboard.

How many layers are we talking before you get down to bare wall?

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), July 22, 2001.


Sojourner, It's over plaster walls. There's only 2 layers, the first one comes off kind of easy, but the original one.....!!!! Wow, I think it's been on there forever. I've been using a spray bottle and getting the paper wet, but the original paper just desinegrates and it all turns to a real slimy glue. Real hard to scrape off the glue. Don't want to use any chemicals, so was looking for some other good tips. Thanks!

-- Annie (mistletoe@kconline.com), July 22, 2001.

Here are some ideas:

The Old House Web
That Home
Ask the Builder
D IYFixit  (includes an easy to make scoring tool)

Hope that helps.

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), July 22, 2001.


Annie - I have used a product called Evans Adhesives Wallpaper Remover that works real good. You mix it 8 part water to 1 part remover. A gallon of the product is enuf to do 1 large room. I have also used a steamer, but it gets heavy.

-- Dianne (willow@config.com), July 22, 2001.

Annie, you can use vinegar and water, spray down till saturated and then use a putty knife to scrape off. The vinegar will help cut the glue. Tracy

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), July 22, 2001.


Thanks you all for the great answers and sites. I'll be putting them all to good use tomorrow. Wish me luck!!!! (can't wait to get this darn job over with!).

-- Annie (mistletoe@kconline.com), July 22, 2001.

Well, I'm finally done, at least with this one room! Dianne, I went to Sherwin Williams today and checked out the remover you recommended. They had something similar to it that was a jel. It worked great! As I was leaving the man there said that liguid fabric softener also works. Go figure. Guess I'll try it out when I do the upstairs, but I was wanting a sure thing, so I stuck with the remover. Thanks for the tip.

-- Annie (mistletoe@kconline.com), July 23, 2001.

Annie, I don't have an easy removal method for you, but this story might give you some incentive. When I was going to the University of Utah I rented an old apartment and got permission from the landlord to paint. When I was removing the old wallpaper I started uncovering old silver certificates that had been hidden underneath the paper. There were 7 one dollar certificates in one small area. Well, I went into a frenzy taking that paper off. The bad news is that the 1st seven were the only ones I found. And, believe me, there wasn't a scrap of wallpaper left when I was done. Doug

-- Doug in KY (toadshutes@yahoo.com), July 24, 2001.

You can also paint over wallpaper. Hope this helps. Removing wallpaper is a pain and makes you never want to have the stuff again.

-- connie in nm (karrellewis@aol.com), July 24, 2001.

Annie - glad it worked. As hard as it is to do, it is such a rewarding job when you finish!

-- Dianne (willow@config.com), July 24, 2001.


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