Know These Time-Saving Tips for Removing Wallpaper

In any interior redesign, removing wallpaper is usually step one. Before you can make an old house new again with modern, stylish wallpaper you love, you have to get rid of the dated, peeling wallpaper you hate.

But removing wallpaper can be difficult and time-consuming.

The five important tips below on removing wallpaper will help you save time and preserve your sanity. Wallpaper removal might not be fun, but you can at least make it go by faster by following some helpful suggestions.

Try Dry-Stripping First

Wallpaper that was hung in the past couple of decades is likely much easier to remove than wallpaper from half a century (or more) ago. This is because the practice of priming walls before hanging wallpaper was popularized in the 1990s.

Prepping the walls with primer before applying the paste helps prevent the glue from adhering to the plaster and drywall. This makes eventual removal much easier — you can usually peel it off without using any liquid agents.

To see if your wallpaper can be dry-stripped, loosen a corner or a seam with a putty knife. Try to peel the sheet slowly downward. Is it working? If so, your wallpaper removal job just got a lot easier.

Cover Your Floors and Furniture

There’s nothing worse than finishing an arduous removal job only to have to clean up a major mess afterward. Prepare for an easy cleanup by spreading a dropcloth on the floor, removing furniture and covering any pieces you can’t move.

Perforate the Paper with a Scoring Tool

If you have to use water or a stripping agent to wet the wallpaper for removal, use a scoring tool to make some perforations so you can fully soak the surface, making the scraping job much easier.

A special scoring tool designed for wallpaper won’t harm the underlying drywall or plaster.

Use a Compression Sprayer to Soak the Walls

Instead of trying to soak the walls with a wet cloth or a handheld spray bottle, use a compression sprayer. They usually cost under $50 and they will make the job go much faster. A sprayer allows you to fully soak large sections of wallpaper at once.

Try this method before the traditional steam removal technique. Steaming is effective, but it’s time-consuming and there’s a higher risk of injury, especially if it’s your first time.

Don’t Use Water if There’s Wood Underneath

For the most part, water is the recommended stripping agent. You can use chemicals, but due to the noxious fumes that quickly fill the room, try to avoid these stripping agents unless you’re dealing with a particularly stubborn case. Also, if you have wood paneling beneath the wallpaper, use a gel stripper so you don’t damage the wood.

Your New Look

You can get more tips on removing wallpaper by calling Wallpaper Warehouse, but more importantly, you can find your new look on our online store. Check out our wide selection of materials and styles and plan your new design today!