OT-sticky, wallpaper that is--best removal?

[jimcav]

anyone--i have a big expanse of wallpaper to get off--12 ft ceiling too. want to minimize any damage to drywall. should i rent a steamer or does the fabric softener i read on the internet really work--anyone have a way that is good?
thanks
jim

[J.Greene]

anyone--i have a big expanse of wallpaper to get off--12 ft ceiling too. want to minimize any damage to drywall. should i rent a steamer or does the fabric softener i read on the internet really work--anyone ahve way that is good?
thanks
jim

it's been awile but I think we bought a little wheel that perforated the wall paper with a bunch of tiny holes. Then added a solution to loosen the glue. After sitting a bit the wall paper then just peeled off. try home depot for the supplies.

JG

[William]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=33129&highlight=wallpaper




William

[jimcav]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=33129&highlight=wallpaper




William
no plaster issues--was hoping something will remove it but not damage drywall underneath and it is ready to paint, not remove then clean it, etc.

thanks though
jim

[Ginger]

I use a wallpaper steamer on the wallpaper and it works well. don't score the wall paper too deeply and don't "dig in" with your putty knife and you'll be golden...

Oh, and remember to wash the wall afterwards to get all the glue off.

Wallpaper steamers are dang cheap, so look at buying one instead of renting one.

Have a nice time with that.

[Chad Engle]

I did a much smaller area and used "Dif" (I think that's the name). It worked well. Score with paper tiger, spray on the gel, wait a bit and it comes off pretty easily with no damage to wallpaper in my case.

I have used a steamer in the past, that was more pain and punishment than anyone should ever have to endure. Do not use a steamer on a step ladder wearing Tevas. :no:

[jimcav]

. Do not use a steamer on a step ladder wearing Tevas. :no:

classic--thanks
jim

[Hardlyrob]

The little scoring thingy is called a paper tiger - it has serrated teeth on little wheels under a hand hold and perforates the wallpaper without damaging the dry wall. Steamers are the way to go - much faster and easier to control.

Hope hope hope that they sized the walls before the wallpaper went up. this will keep from ripping the top paper layer on the drywall. I've done three houses of paper removal - Plaster is by far the easiest, followed by sized drywall then unsized drywall. If the drywall is not sized you will tear up the top paper layer and will need to go back and sand / fill in the gouges with compound before you paint. At that point it may be easier / cheaper to hire a drywall guy for a day to skim-coat the walls with fresh compound.

Don't wash the glue residue, sand it off. A 1/4 sheet orbital sander and 100 grit paper pops the glue bits right off. you can do a room in about 20 minutes vs. 1 hour + for washing.

Sorry for the detail, but we're serial remodelers.

Cheers!

Rob

[jspa]

A solution of white vinegar and water in a plant sprayer works. Just soak the paper and it peels right off. A steamer is the best way I have tried though. Just pray to whoever you pray to that the wallpaper was properly installed though. Definitely wait for the glue to dry once the paper is down and then sand it off.

[cadence90]

What Hardlyrob said.

[rbtmcardle]

I did a much smaller area and used "Dif" (I think that's the name). It worked well. Score with paper tiger, spray on the gel, wait a bit and it comes off pretty easily with no damage to wallpaper in my case.

I have used a steamer in the past, that was more pain and punishment than anyone should ever have to endure. Do not use a steamer on a step ladder wearing Tevas. :no:


Just bought a 3300 SF house that was completely papered, I had some union painter friends use the paper tiger thingy and Dif (liberal use of Dif) - 2 weeks and the whole house was repainted

[jimcav]

seems a concensus--my wife has a little steamer thing she uses to clean the high chair--i'll try that with DIF as a back up.

will hit home depot this weekend for the tiger

really appreciate the advice

thanks
jim

[William]

no plaster issues--was hoping something will remove it but not damage drywall underneath and it is ready to paint, not remove then clean it, etc.

thanks though
jim


True, I just figured that some of the techniques offered would be useful on drywall as well.



William

[jimcav]

True, I just figured that some of the techniques offered would be useful on drywall as well.



William

i just meant i was hoping there was a really perfect method to get it to peel off and not have to do additioanl prep prior to painting--naive i see.
thanks
jim

[Birddog]

If the paper is sound and not vinyl or textured/embossed, then you can just texture right over the paper and then paint it. If you do this, it might be advisable to lightly sand the seam and run a thin coat of drywall compound over it before texturing. As someone else said, if the drywall wasn't sized first, it will be hell to get the paper off without damage, even with a steamer. IOW, you may have to skim coat it anyway. I've done this several times WO any problems.

Birddog

[Hardlyrob]

Don't screw around with a home sized steamer. Go rent the beast wallpaper steamer. I saw a crew that did this for a living once, and it was an eyeopener. Two guys, each with a steamer and two other steamers in the room just adding to the moisture. Keep the doors and windows closed, you want as much humidity in the room as possible. It won't do any long term damage since this is a one shot deal. What a great way to lose 10 pounds in a day!

I'm not sold on Birddog's solution, but he's in the biz so if it works for him without call backs, give it a shot.

And another thing - if the room has carpet, leave it down before you strip the wallpaper. Carpet makes a great dropcloth.

Rob

[Ginger]

If the paper is sound and not vinyl or textured/embossed, then you can just texture right over the paper and then paint it. If you do this, it might be advisable to lightly sand the seam and run a thin coat of drywall compound over it before texturing. As someone else said, if the drywall wasn't sized first, it will be hell to get the paper off without damage, even with a steamer. IOW, you may have to skim coat it anyway. I've done this several times WO any problems.

Birddog


BOOOOOO

Just say'n.

I have a house that has had that sort of thing done here and there...and it sucks when the wall wasn't prepped correctly in the first place then textured or painted over paper. Sure, you *can* do it, but it sucks to have something "go" on an underlayer and have to strip off all the junk on top.

One ceiling had texture on top of lead based oil paint. some was correctly prepped, some wasn't...had to resheet over the whole thing and recut the coves.

Another room has had 4 different wall papers over and 2-3 layers of paint on each layer of wallpaper over the years. The positive on that is that the earliest wall paper was put down with something that works really well with steam. The other positive is that it was put on wet plaster (house was built in 1929)...that's solid stuff. It still takes a lot of work to remove it from the wall.

I guess you're moving so it really doesn't matter if you layer up.

But that does beg the question...do you know what's under the wallpaper??

And yeah, get a steamer that's meant for wallpaper.

[jimcav]

BOOOOOO


But that does beg the question...do you know what's under the wallpaper??

And yeah, get a steamer that's meant for wallpaper.

it is 2 walls i the dining room, high ceiling "vaulted" they say. the house was built in 1997, so i hope nothing is under it but a painted wall.

i will see what they rent at home depot, or maybe try dif on an area and then find a tool rental place.
thanks
jim

[Hardlyrob]

If HD has a tool rental gig - they have them. Not expensive, and two walls you should be able to knock out in a day.

Is the house part of a development that was all built at one time? Do the other houses also have wallpaper on the same walls? If the wallpaper was done by the builder, chances are the wall was not sized, and you will have more prep work once the paper is off. If the paper was added by a previous homeowner, you will have a painted wall underneath, and the paper will just about fall off.

Good luck, and let us know what happens. You clearly have an audience of wallpaper stripping veterans.

Rob

[jimcav]

Is the house part of a development that was all built at one time? If the paper was added by a previous homeowner, you will have a painted wall underneath, and the paper will just about fall off.

Good luck, and let us know what happens. You clearly have an audience of wallpaper stripping veterans.

Rob
houses were built from 1995 on, there is only one other model of our home in the entire development, and i've never been in, but most other homes we've been to in the area are not wallpapered in the dinig room, but most are also 2nd owners.
thanks
jim

[Birddog]

I respectfully disagree with Ginger. There is absolutely nothing wrong with texturing over "sound" wallpaper then painting, esp in a newer home such as yours. It's 50/50 whether or not the wall was sized. If the builder did the paper, then odds are that the walls were not properly prepped, if an owner did it, then maybe. If there is no evidence of texture under the wallpaper, then the walls were probably taped and bedded for paper i.e. smooth finish. If you are painting the room, it would be advisable to texture to match the other rooms, or at least texture in a style that is not too different. One way to tell, is by looking closely at the base molding. If there is evidence that it was backfilled (caulked), then it was probably painted before being papered. If the paper is cut cleanly where you can clearly see the back edge of the base, or perhaps slip a very narrow blade between wall and base, then it was not backfilled. BTW, if you want a professional looking job, be sure to backfill before painting.

In your other thread about the sink, if you are replacing the top, then I would replace the sink. If the sink finish is dull, then for sure replace it. Almost everyone uses abrasive cleaners on their cast iron sinks and ruins the finish, and for the record, SofScrub and Comet are abrasive. I always ask the "cleaner" in the house "would you use that stuff on your car (bike)?" That usually gets the point across. If you go stainless steel, then periodic cleaning with Barkeeper's Friend. http://www.fridgefilters.com/bar-keepers-friend.html?gclid=CImopNTE75ACFQGdPAodSGR-0w

Birddog

PS, I forgot to mention, I'm a remodeling contractor, although my practice is pretty much limited to kitchens.

[TACSTS]

I'm on my second room of this wallpaper removal crap at my dad's house. Let's just say I will NEVER, EVER, EVER condone future wallpapering! What a tremendous pain! It did have the proper "sizing" or whatever you call it before the wallpaper was put on, but it doesn't seem to help. I'd hate to see what would happen w/o it. I've tried steam, I've tried DIF and other home remedies...nope. Still tears the crap out of the walls and I wind up with a couple days worth of drywall repair to do before it can be painted. Luckily I'm pretty good at drywall so I basically end up with a light plaster "skim" coat over much of the wall. It's a lot of work and a lot of sanding, but it gives a nice surface for the paint.

Honestly, if you've got a pretty good sized area to do, and you need it done quickly and done well, plus you've got high ceilings, I'd get a couple estimates and see if it worth it or not to try to DIY. Especially if you're not already adept at some light drywall repair, which is inevitable despite your removal method of choice. Removing wallpaper will turn you into a horrible, angry man. Trust me.

[jimcav]

i'd give you boras or something to do this stuff.
I can put up and tape/mud drywall, i did 70% of the basement, but not so sure on texturing
i was just going to fix what i gouge during rip-off of the paper and paint it with a 3/8 nap roller.
i guess when i get it off we'll see and maybe have to have it painted rather than do it ourselves.

the wallpaper stops at a chair rail. the baseboard trim does look backfilled.

thanks
jim

[Birddog]

Oh, you didn't mention a chair rail. What you have is a phony wainscot. It makes sense then that the base is backfilled. Are you going to remove the chair rail?. If you want to texture, just go buy a sheet of drywall, or a damaged piece, mix up some mud, thin it down till it's a little thicker than pancake batter, and try it out. I'd suggest using a "swimming pool" trowel, they have rounded edges, and make it easier. You could also use a regular trowel and round the edges with a grinder. There is a chance that you have a blown on knock down texture, that is a different matter/technique. Good luck.

Birddog

PS, too bad I'm busy. I have an old room mate that lives in Mt Vernon too.
You're in the Anacortes area or on Whidby aren't you?

[jimcav]

but i will put it back up.
i have seen texture sprayed, never trowelled--if it come to that i think i iwll hire someone who knows what they are doing--it is like truing wheels--i never learned to do it.
thanks
jim