Wallpaper

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
I have several rooms that have hideous old lady flower print/border wallpaper in them and am looking at options for either removing it or painting over it.

Options and opinions?
 
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mAlice

professional daydreamer
Removing wall paper can be a nightmare, and depending on how it was applied and how long it's been there, you can also cause some pretty serious damage to the walls. You may want to consider hiring a professional. You can do it yourself, but know that it may not turn out the way you think it will. One of the houses I was looking at down here had some pretty hideous '80's wall paper, and I would have removed that (kitchen), but the family room had a very old fashioned small print paper that I fell in love with. I would have left that and found a way to work with it. Actually, with my furniture, I would have had no problem. Good luck! Oh, and painting over it can make it much more difficult to remove if you decide to do so in the future. That said, I think you can paper over it with a new wallpaper, but I'd do the research first to be sure.
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
Removing wall paper can be a nightmare, and depending on how it was applied and how long it's been there, you can also cause some pretty serious damage to the walls. You may want to consider hiring a professional. You can do it yourself, but know that it may not turn out the way you think it will. One of the houses I was looking at down here had some pretty hideous '80's wall paper, and I would have removed that (kitchen), but the family room had a very old fashioned small print paper that I fell in love with. I would have left that and found a way to work with it. Actually, with my furniture, I would have had no problem. Good luck! Oh, and painting over it can make it much more difficult to remove if you decide to do so in the future. That said, I think you can paper over it with a new wallpaper, but I'd do the research first to be sure.

Trying to keep expenses down as much as possible so hiring a professional isn't really an option. One room (dining) has the remains of an attempt at removing it so I can see it can be a nightmare. The one bedroom has wallpaper that is okay and can stay, but two bathrooms (both small) need it gone or covered up.
 

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
That's what I am trying to figure out as I have never had to work with this crap before. :lol:

Check United Rentals. For the bathrooms, perhaps get them super steamy to help loosen the glue, then use the steam machine.
 

limblips

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
The big question is how was the paper originally applied. If it was sized properly, removal is much easier. If it was applied over raw drywall it can be a complete female dog to get off.
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
The big question is how was the paper originally applied. If it was sized properly, removal is much easier. If it was applied over raw drywall it can be a complete female dog to get off.

I have no idea. The house is about 30 years old and I imagine it has been up for quite some time.
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
Get you a "scoring tool" so that any steam or solution you use can get behind the paper better to soften the adhesive.
 

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
Can you rent a steaming device to help remove it?

Forget the steaming device and just use an old iron, I did two rooms with my clothes iron and it came off so easy and left the walls in great shape. The iron wasn't really fit for clothes any more though.
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
Get you a "scoring tool" so that any steam or solution you use can get behind the paper better to soften the adhesive.

I was going through one of the cabinets and hit pay dirt: scorer, PIranha wallpaper remover gel spray, removal sponge, DryDex spackling, and scraper - all brand new! Let the games begin. :lol:
 

black dog

Free America
I've gutted a few homes in my life, when removing wall paper I use two paper tigers ( one in each hand ) and roll ten million holes in the wall paper, then I use DIF wallpaper remover in a garden sprayer and keep spraying the walls down. Sometimes it falls of the wall by itself. If not I use a 4" putty knife to remove it after a generous soak time.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/for/d/wagner-power-steamer-715/6513782850.html

Scored one of these years back in the reStore, loved it. After doing a bathroom and two bedrooms here, I donated it back :) Thing works like a charm. As long as you use it right. 30-50 seconds per section, paper comes right off. Get into a rhythm, while you steam one section, the other hand uses a 6 inch scraper to remove what you just steamed. Thats for the hard glued stuff from the 50-70s, the newer stuff from the 80s, you can start at the top and it pretty much falls down off the wall as you go under it's own weight. But if you try and use it like a magic wand and don't give the steam the time it needs, you will be disappointed.


https://www.lowes.com/pd/Wagner-Power-Steamer-715-Wallpaper-Steamer/1000158631

Here it is brand new and less than a rental. When you are done, sell it on CL for $25 and it cost you even less. :)
 
Blowtorch. Burn that sucker off.


:lol: My brother and I were talking about just this today as we are considering taking down some wallpaper in my dad's house that mom put up 20 years ago. My SIL has used the hot iron method with good results, but it's not a sure thing either.
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
Forget the steaming device and just use an old iron, I did two rooms with my clothes iron and it came off so easy and left the walls in great shape. The iron wasn't really fit for clothes any more though.

Not fit for use on clothes before or after the removal? :lol:

Thanks for the tip! :yay:
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
I've gutted a few homes in my life, when removing wall paper I use two paper tigers ( one in each hand ) and roll ten million holes in the wall paper, then I use DIF wallpaper remover in a garden sprayer and keep spraying the walls down. Sometimes it falls of the wall by itself. If not I use a 4" putty knife to remove it after a generous soak time.

Thanks! These rooms are very small so one scorer will be sufficient. :lol:
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/for/d/wagner-power-steamer-715/6513782850.html

Scored one of these years back in the reStore, loved it. After doing a bathroom and two bedrooms here, I donated it back :) Thing works like a charm. As long as you use it right. 30-50 seconds per section, paper comes right off. Get into a rhythm, while you steam one section, the other hand uses a 6 inch scraper to remove what you just steamed. Thats for the hard glued stuff from the 50-70s, the newer stuff from the 80s, you can start at the top and it pretty much falls down off the wall as you go under it's own weight. But if you try and use it like a magic wand and don't give the steam the time it needs, you will be disappointed.


https://www.lowes.com/pd/Wagner-Power-Steamer-715-Wallpaper-Steamer/1000158631

Here it is brand new and less than a rental. When you are done, sell it on CL for $25 and it cost you even less. :)

Awesome! Thanks for the info. :cheers:
 

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
Blowtorch. Burn that sucker off.


:lol: My brother and I were talking about just this today as we are considering taking down some wallpaper in my dad's house that mom put up 20 years ago. My SIL has used the hot iron method with good results, but it's not a sure thing either.

This is a townhouse so I don't think the neighbors would appreciate setting their houses on fire, too. :jameo:

I am taking notes of all the methos and I am sure one or some combo will work. :yay:
 
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