Where we practice real estate (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) we show our buyers alot of houses that have been built prior to 1980, in which wallpaper is commmon. We always encourage our buyers to look past the dated wallpaper because, although it seems like a daunting project, removing wallpaper can be just the kind of project to easily and quickly spruce up an older house.
How to Remove Wallpaper like a Professional
No matter which way you choose to remove the wallpaper you will need to be careful not to damage the sheetrock underneath. If the wall was not properly sealed with a primer prior to the wallpaper being put up there is a good possibility that some damage will occur to the wall.
Tools you will need:
- Drop cloth (plastic sheet)
- Ladder
- 3-6" broad knives (Putty knives)
- Scoring Tool (May not be necessary)
- Steamer, Chemical, or Dawn Dish Detergent (Depending on the method chosen)
Preparing the Room
Remove all outlet/light switch covers and light fixtures and place drop cloth on the floor.
Notes and Tips: (When you remove the light fixtures if it is possible to switch the room's circuit breaker off then do so. It is much safer than just turning off the switch. Consulting an electrician or an electrical book is a good idea if you are uncomfortable.)
Types of Removal
There are several optional ways:
1) Steaming
2) Using Chemical sprays
3) Using soap
4) Dry Stripping
If you are steaming the wallpaper off make sure you read the steamers instructions.
If you are dry-stripping the wallpaper do so slowly and carefully. When you slow down it is easier to remove full sheets of the wallpaper.
Using the chemical wallpaper stripper or the dawn soap is much the same. If you use the dawn dish detergent you will need to have a bucket of water and a large sponge. Prepare the soap the same as you would to wash a car. If you are using the chemical remover you will prepare it as directed; some are mixed with water and applied by sprayer or by hand. A product that works well is BIF by Zinsser.
Removing the Wallpaper
The wallpaper is made up of two layers.
The outer layer (The patterned paper) should peel off easily without the use of soap or chemical. Go slow and remove one sheet at a time (Some are put up horizontally while most are done vertically, find the seam and work that direction). If the top layer does not come off easily apply a small amount of the solution and wait 5 minutes before attempting to remove. Repeat on each sheet till the room is removed of the outer layer.
The second layer is the adhesion layer and much more difficult to remove. You will need to apply a liberal amount of the solution and wait 5-10 minutes before using the putty knives to scrape the paper off the wall. Use constant pressure being sure not to push the edges of the blade into the wall. Work in the same direction you peeled the outer layer. A long pushing motion seems to work better; however a shorter scrapping motion may be necessary. If the material is not removing easily try to apply more solution. If that doesn't seem to work you will need to try the scoring tool. Use constant pressure but only enough to score the paper not the wall. This is the trial and error section of the process. Patience is required and rewarded.
Once all the material is off the wall you will need to clean the wall with a light soapy water to remove any chemical residue. Clean up and let the wall dry for a few days prior to painting.
Notes and Tips: If the wall is damaged (you will know if the wall is damaged; usually the actual drywall paper will rip and you will see brown paper beneath or the white sheetrock) you will need to skim coat the damaged areas with sheetrock mud/joint compound prior to painting or placing new wallpaper on. If it is really bad you will need to hire a sheet-rocker to skim coat the room.
Final Step
Last but not least, you definitely should prime the wall before applying any finished coats of paint or putting up new wallpaper. Primer seals the paper covering of the sheetrock and makes taking the wallpaper off again much easier. There are a lot of good primers to use such as Benjamin Moore Multi Purpose Primer and Sherwin Williams Fresh Start.
By following these steps and with a little patience any homeowner can bring a dated room back to life!
