subject: The Secret To Removing Wallpaper Fast [print this page] Preparing a room to be painted means that you have to prep the walls so that the paint will coat naturally and nothing will show underneath. This means that if there is wallpaper on the wall, you are going to have to take the painstaking task of removing it. Removing it is not a pleasant job that anyone looks forward to, but it has to be done. Here are a few tips to make it easier for you.
The first thing you need to do is determine what type of wall you are dealing with. Generally speaking, the wall you are going to be dealing with is either going to be drywall or plaster.
When removing wallpaper from drywall you need to be more careful because the drywall is really sensitive to water. Too much water and you will be removing pieces of the wall instead of just paper.
Plaster walls are less vulnerable to water but you still have to be careful when using tools to pry it off.
Some wallpaper is going to be much easier to remove than others. The only way to know for sure is to grab a corner and test it out. There is a little trick to making sure it comes off with the least resistance.
Pry up a corner and make sure the force you are applying when pulling it is as close to the wall as you can. This will help ensure that the paper doesn't just rip out of your hand. Go slowly and use a putty knife or blade to assist you.
If you find that the wallpaper is not coming off as smoothly as you like, then you are going to need to use another method. Grab a water bottle and/or a bucket full of warm soapy water and a sponge. Go ahead and saturate the wallpaper with as little water as possible to get the job done. Test it in a few sections to see how much water you'll need and try to keep the wall as dry as possible after the wallpaper is removed.
With some time and a little grunt work the wallpaper will eventually begin to come off. When it does, it's going to leave a big mess. Be prepared for this and keep a large trash can in the vicinity. It may also be wise to put out tarps next to the walls so that the water and wet wallpaper doesn't drip onto the floors and wet or stain them.
Last but not least make sure that the walls are completely dry. Use towels and fans to do the job and do not start painting until the walls are completely dry.
