How to remove wallpaper?

[NeverlandClub23]

How do you remove wallpaper that was put up many years ago with wallpaper paste? My parents are going on vacation next week and I was going to remodel their bathroom while they're gone because my parents have been going through such a rough time (both of them are about to lose their last living parent) and I thought it would be a nice surprise when they get back as my mom has been wanting to get it done but putting it off for years. Anyways (I'm long winded), I have no idea how to remove wallpaper. Is there an easy way or any tips and tricks?

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

I have luck with a mixture of Downy & Water (1/2 & 1/2) in a spray bottle. Spray it on and saturate it, the mixture disolves the glue. Then use a scraper to scrape the rest. If it is really stubborn, try a steamer, that will soften the glue and should make it easy to scrape. Unfortunately, scraping will be part of the work no matter which way you try. Good Luck.

Hey I just realized we are neighbors. Where in Yorktown are you? I live near Walmart in Lightfoot.

 

[cbm26002]

Sometimes, I have found old wallpaper easier to remove then some that has only been on for a couple of years. You may be able to remove it just by steaming it and applying a solution of vinegar and water to the paper. Then you would just take a wide putty knife and scrape away. If that doesn't work you can get a wallpaper remover solution at the hardware store called DIF,(or maybe DIP?), and look for a gadget caller "paper tiger". It scores the wallpaper so that liquid gets in and disolves the paste. If you replace the paper, don't forget to apply a wallpaper sizing to the wall. It makes it easier to hang the new paper. Good Luck!

 

[sajetto]

Fabric softener and water worked for me too. Just be careful about how far you're scraping so that you don't take off any of the drywall paper.

I HATE wallpaper

 

[Pop Daddy]

"floor stripper" is what most the Maint men use where I work

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Hey I just realized we are neighbors. Where in Yorktown are you? I live near Walmart in Lightfoot.

I love that Walmart. It's very clean. My Dad drives there because the ones around here (Newport News, Yorktown, and Hampton are dirty and overcrowded). I live on the York River close to Yorktown Beach.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

sajetto- I hate wallpaper too. I tried to remove a wallpaper border before when I lived in Ohio but gave up because it was so frustrating and I had no idea what I was doing.

I plan on just painting once I remove the wallpaper. My mom must've been in a wallpaper mood when we moved into the house because EVERY room is wallpapered. But now she's slowly re-doing every room and taking the wallpaper down and painting in it's place, so I figure she must be over wallpaper! (Too bad I never paid attention to how she took it down). Painting is so much easier than wallpapering!

 

[sajetto]

Girl, wallpaper is pure evil. When we bought our house the brilliant folks who lived here before us had the bright idea to wallpaper over top of wallpaper

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Girl, wallpaper is pure evil. When we bought our house the brilliant folks who lived here before us had the bright idea to wallpaper over top of wallpaper

I can just imagine! Doing all that work just to find MORE wallpaper! Makes you wish you could call the previous owners and thank them.

Off topic-I was helping my boyfriend tear up his carpet to install wood floors at his old house. Under the carpet was four layers of different styles of laminated floor.

I'm really not looking forward to removing the wallpaper but at least it isn't a whole room. That would be so overwhelming!

 

[luvdzne]

Wallpaper is a nightmare! The people that we bought this house from found it just easier to paint over the wallpaper and borders. Dif as someone else mentioned or I use a spray bottle with vinegar and water. It usually takes two steps, the first takes the top layer of the wallpaper off and leaves the backing up, then you spray it again and it easily removes the last layer. Vinegar also helps remove the glue residue.

 

[puffkin]

Our ENTIRE first house was wallpapered. Most was from the 1950's we guess. The one bedroom the wall paper just peeled right off. The only way we could get the rest off was to rent a steemer and scour the wall then steam and scrape it off. It took a whole weekend to get all the paper down in the house.

 

[missypie]

Here's a secret: YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMOVE IT!!!!!

Years ago DH and I rented a steamer and scraped wallpaper off the kitchen wall bit by bit....it took forever.

Earlier this year, we had the powder room remodeled. The guys tried for a few minutes to peel the wallpaper off then, with our permission, put "mud" over the old paper, then textured the wall and then painted it. It looks terrific. I don't know why I always thought you needed to remove the wallpaper.

 

[goofy4tink]

Get one of those round scorers...they are about palm sized, with little wheelie thingies on the bottom. You just run it all over the wall...it makes little perferations in the wallpaper. Then, mix up some DIF solution, spray it on, wait about 15 minutes, then scrape. I tried the Downy system and found that I was allergic to Downy in that quantity...not a pretty sight!
The scorer plus the DIF was the best way I found when I did my walls last fall. Be sure to completely wash down the walls after you get the paper off. It makes a much better base for the paint....more work, but so worth it in the end.

 

[golfgal]

Get one of those round scorers...they are about palm sized, with little wheelie thingies on the bottom. You just run it all over the wall...it makes little perferations in the wallpaper. Then, mix up some DIF solution, spray it on, wait about 15 minutes, then scrape. I tried the Downy system and found that I was allergic to Downy in that quantity...not a pretty sight!
The scorer plus the DIF was the best way I found when I did my walls last fall. Be sure to completely wash down the walls after you get the paper off. It makes a much better base for the paint....more work, but so worth it in the end.

I would agree with this method, the scorer is called a Paper Tiger--don't get the generic ones, they don't work as well. We have tried them all this works the best. The trick is to wait the 15 minutes to start scraping. Depending on how old the wallpaper is it might just peel off in full sheets. If you take off the printed layer and the paper/glue layer remains, spray again with HOT water, let sit, spray again and using a 4-6" mudding knife (the big putty knife) the glue layer should come off easily.

The BEST tip we EVER got is that when you are done scraping, don't wash the wall. Let the wall dry and then sand down any rough spots with a sandpaper sponge. Put a coat of good primer on, like Kilz, and then paint. Your walls will be beautifully smooth and easy to paint.

We removed wallpaper from every flat surface of our old house, including the CEILINGS. It isn't fun. I will NEVER wallpaper again! (we didn't put the paper up, the previous owners did)

 

[minnieandtink]

I tried the DIF from Home Depot worked good but a mess.

 

[donnajon]

If you use wallpaper strip on your walls before you wallpaper it, the wallpaper will come off easily when you go to remove it. I've never had any trouble taking any of mine down. The round scorers are great tools.

 

[christygobar]

My parents will tell you that the removal of the wallpaper is no big deal (the others have the right idea with the spray bottle of water and downy!), but that retexturing the wall underneath for painting is an absolute pain in the patootie!

It shouldn't be tough since it's a bathroom. It's been exposed to steam and warm temperatures for years, and should peel off pretty easily. I did one about 8 months ago and while it takes time, it's pretty easy.