How to remove wallpaper: DIY guide
Friday, 21 January 2011 9:39 AM
Anthony Hill explains the most effective, easy methods of stripping wallpaper.
In theory, removing your old wallpaper is a fairly straightforward task - apply moisture and peel away. But in practice, stripping the walls can be one of the most frustrating and time-consuming parts of an interior design project.
The best method of stripping wallpaper requires preparation, a handful of specialised tools and plenty of patience.
As a starting point, remove all of the room's switch plates and outlet covers.
You'll also need to clear the walls of any artworks or wall hangings, as well as shifting all your furniture out of the way - at least away from the edges but ideally into another room, to create a bit more space to work in. Removing wallpaper can be a messy task.
The problem with simply steaming or spraying straight away is that most modern wallpapers comprise several layers and vinyl coatings specifically designed to keep moisture away. This is what makes a lot of new wallpaper washable.
As a result, you'll need to somehow pierce the paper's surface so that the water can work its way underneath, to dissolve the adhesive and make it possible to peel away the wallpaper.
You could use a knife to score the paper, but this requires a careful approach. Cut too deeply and you could damage a wall's surface.
A better option is to purchase a specially designed wallpaper piercing tool, which looks like a roller with spikes that make light work of breaking through to the old glue beneath. Wallwick SimpleStrip sells one for £4.99.
Once all the walls have been scored, it's time to wet them down with a solution of warm water and white vinegar. Use a spray bottle or bucket and sponge, depending on how much moisture you anticipate will be necessary.
Leave the moist walls for about half an hour to allow some of the adhesive to dissolve.
After about 30 minutes, try picking a corner or seam and gently peel the paper upwards in a smooth motion. If you're lucky, it'll come off clean and in large sheets. Much more likely, however, is that now you'll need a scraper.
Hold your scraper at a low angle and try not to use excessive force, or you could end up damaging the wall beneath. The easiest way is to always work from bottom to top, as it gives you more control and should require less effort.
Keep a spray bottle or bucket of the vinegar solution handy so that whenever you hit a particularly stubborn patch, it's there for you to add extra moisture.
Ideally, this will be enough. But if your old wallpaper really isn't going anywhere, you could go down the steamer route. These are widely available and relatively inexpensive devices (the £24.46 Wagner W14 240V model, available from Amazon.co.uk, gets rave reviews), which basically comprise a tank of boiling water attached to a length of hose carrying steam to a handheld distribution plate.
When using a steamer, take care only to hold the plate in one spot for a few seconds. Too much steam could seep right through to the plaster beneath, potentially causing it to crumble and require a repair job.
Once all the paper's off, the walls will probably just need a quick wipe down to remove any old paste left behind.
Removing wallpaper is often a lengthy task, but it's not difficult. Just take your time and approach the job methodically. Scraping at dry paper with a putty knife will take you twice as long and most likely damage the wall surface. Preparation and patience are key.
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