Bought a house that has FOUR layers of wallpaper in the kitchen. The wall was not primed before the 1st wallpaper was put on. Want to remove it and then paint the room. Have used a steamer, more hot water via a sponge and then scraping w/ very slow progress. Any tips? Thanks.
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There is a wallpaper scoring tool that you run over the surface and it cuts little holes. After scoring, you soak down the surface with wallpaper remover. Allow the remover enough time to work, adding more to keep the surface wet. This activates the adhesive and the paper should come off, but it might be one layer at a time. Just keep putting the remover on. If the first layer was put directly on bare sheetrock, you could have some issues. Removers, steam, water, will all soften the joint compound and make it easy to cut through inside paper corners. You have to be careful with knives or scraper. A good tool for removal is a 6" taping knife. Don't scrape or be aggressive, just let the remover do it's thing.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
I've found that cutting an X, the size of the steamer plate, through the paper with a utility knife is a good start. Then I press the steamer tightly over that spot until the first and second layer of paper can be scraped off. I like to use a shiny new chrome plated 6" taping knife to scrape. That kind is stiff enough to put some pressure on it.
Patience is the key to using a steamer. The paper will eventually emulsify and come off, no matter what kind of glue was used to hang it. You just have to give it time to work.
Remember to keep drinking water, as you sweat your way around the room.
BTW, you have permission to kick all the people who hung those four layers of paper, without steaming off the old stuff.
You have my sympathy...
Having done this before way too many times here are my results:
1. Wallpaper scorer / steamer - can work, but may not penetrate 4 layers and leaves you with tiny little pieces of paper.
2. Razor scoring / steamer - will work, but will require wall repairs over drywall as the facing paper will often lift along with the wallpaper.
3. Paper removal liquids - forget them. Steaming is the only method even close to being effective.
4. Remove Drywall entirely, re-install - believe it or not, this can be a real time saver if you're proficient at mudding and taping. The reason is that on a nasty job like the one you describe, I suspect you'll be patching and sanding half the wall anyway once you're done. If you've got real plaster walls or skimcoat, then you're probably stuck patching.
Remember before painting to use a good primer after scrubbing paste off the walls. Otherwise you'll get a nice crackle finish.
Good luck.
Remove Drywall entirely, re-install
Why take off the old? Just put a new layer of 3/8" drywall right over the paper. “The richest genius, like the most fertile soil, when uncultivated, shoots up into the rankest weeds..” – Hume
Why take off the old? Just put a new layer of 3/8" drywall right over the paper.
That works, but even with 3/8" you'll have trim and outlet issues to handle.
That works, but even with 3/8" you'll have trim and outlet issues to handle.
I only had one door and one window to deal with when I did it.
The electrical was easy enough too, just 3 outlets and a light switch.
Much easier than taking off the old. Corner room - two of the four walls are on an outside wall. “The richest genius, like the most fertile soil, when uncultivated, shoots up into the rankest weeds..” – Hume
The scoring tool the others have referred to is called a PaperTiger. Use it per its instructions, except run it a lot more than the instructions call for. Soak the scored covering with DIF. Then soak it again. Give it at least twenty minutes to soak in. Then soak it again. The whole mess sould slide right off. Use a rag soaked in DIF to remove and residue. Let the wall dry overnight. Go here for detailed instructions:
http://www.zinsser.com/ProjectDetails.asp?ProjectID=23
The more you score the easier and faster the job will go. The PaperTiger is about the size of computer mouse. No batteries, no cord - it's powered by the user. It is easy and really works.
I score a five foot wide area, soak it, and then score another five foot area. Soak both areas and continue scoring, soaking. When the DIF has worked the covering will easily slide off. Then continue scoring and soaking. It is a slow start but goes quickly once the DIF releases the adhesive.
Have a pail of clean water for your hands - the DIF soaked paste gets on your hands. Good luck.
In my experience the DIF gets off the paper, but leaves a whole lot of glue on the wall. My experience with a steamer is that a lot more of the glue comes off with the paper. Forget the DIF and buy a steamer.