by Dorothy Sander

Created on: March 16, 2008   Last Updated: May 12, 2009

Removing wallpaper can be so easy it takes only fifteen minutes to grab loose corners and pull. It can also be almost impossible. It depends entirely on how the surface beneath the paper was prepared prior to installation, how long the paper has been on the wall and what type of paper it is. Therefore, before attempting to remove it yourself it is helpful to perform a few tests and consider your options.

EXPERIMENT

Before you do anything you want to determine, as best you, can how easy the paper will come off. If you applied the paper initially, did you "size" the walls? "Sizing is a primer product made to prepare walls for wallpaper and can be found wherever wall paper products are sold. If so, your paper should come off without much difficulty. If paper is applied directly to the sheetrock it's almost impossible to remove it without damaging the sheetrock. Builders often do this when they build a house to save time and money, so if the wallpaper has been there since the house was built this may be true in your case.

Look for a loose corner on your paper and pull it slowly. Is the paper thin or thick? Does the piece break off quickly or does it pull more paper with it? If the paper pulls fairly easy and the paper is thick your job will probably be easier than if it is very thin and stuck firmly to the wall.

CONSIDER YOUR OPTIONS

If the paper looks like it doesn't want to budge and the seams, corners and edges are all firmly in place you might want to consider leaving the paper in place and installing new paper over top. If you are planning to paint, the seams can be lightly spackled and a primer coat applied prior to painting. This can be done by a homeowner but your results may be better if you hire a professional.

TOOLS NEEDED FOR REMOVING PAPER

If you decide to remove the paper, go to Hope Depot, Lowe's or True Value and buy a garden type pump sprayer, a bottle of DIF and a 5 inch spackling tool. You will find all of these things in the wallpaper section of the store.

Mix the DIF with warm water according to the instructions in the pump sprayer. Spray a section of the wall starting at the top and including a seam. The DIF will work into these areas loosening the paper. Let the DIF sit for ten minutes. Working with your spackling tool, if necessary, begin at a corner or a seam and loosening the paper begin to remove the paper by scraping and/or pulling being very careful not to work so fast or dig so deep as to damage the sheetrock. Sometimes if

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>