# Taking down wallpaper



## NewHomeOwner (Jun 29, 2004)

All right, what do the people on this board think is the better way of taking down wallpaper?
Should I rent a steamer or just use chemicals. The wallpaper is 40 years old (original to the house) and put up using old fashioned wallpaper glue. It is stained thanks to the former owners smoking habit.
Any advice will be appreciated.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Start with a product called Dif and a device called a paper tiger and see what that does. Believe me you want to use a steamer as a very last resort, just short of burning down the house first.


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

Hold off on that paper tiger! If the paper is vinyl or mylar coated you want to strip the outside layer off. If the paper is a true vinyl break out the paper tiger.
It sounds as if you have regular paper or else the stains would wash off.
I use a 1 Qt. spray bottle and warm water. I've used Dif and all it seemed to do was cost me more money.
Try to find a seam or lifting corner, set the bottle to 'spray' and wet down about a 2X2 area. keep it damp for about 10 mins and try lifting the edge. If it begins to peel you are on the road. If not, give it more time and keep it damp. If it's not peeling in 20 min. stop. You are up against a different glue and will have to go to plan 'B'.
95% of the time the paper will start lifting. Now just figure out how much you can handle at a time. I can handle a 8X8 ft. section while presoaking one the same size ahead of me.
Once the paper is down comes the fun part, washing all of the glue off of the walls. You will need a big sponge, a bucket and lots of water. If you are working on drywall be careful not to 'pill' the surface.
Allow the wall to dry at least 24 hrs. Fill and holes or divots, sand and prime with a shellac or alcohol based primer.
You are now ready for whatever comes next, paint or paper.


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## chris n (Oct 14, 2003)

*Chris*

http://www.wallpaperinstaller.com/wallpaper_stripping.html


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## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

get yourself a device called a garden sprayer, or for larger jobs a device called a garden hose and sprayer nozzle. use hot water with soap in it. let it soak in first.


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## neolitic (Apr 20, 2006)

cleveman said:


> get yourself a device called a garden sprayer, or for larger jobs a device called a garden hose and sprayer nozzle. use hot water with soap in it. let it soak in first.


The word "Pinhead" comes to mind.:sad:


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## Nigel S. Shorts (Jul 21, 2007)

Click that link Chis put up. That will cover you for 99% of the jobs. One caveat: To avoid possible damage to the wall, you might want to skip the Paper Tiger tool in favor of some really coarse sand paper.

All you need to do is allow water to penetrate the water proof layer, and in most cases a few passes with some 40 or 60 grit will give you enough for the water to seep in.

The Paper Tiger will tend to perforate the drywall paper and then you risk getting water in the facing paper and bigger problems.


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## Luke's Dad (Aug 29, 2005)

cleveman said:


> get yourself a device called a garden sprayer, or for larger jobs a device called a garden hose and sprayer nozzle. use hot water with soap in it. let it soak in first.


I've always thought my approach to stripping wallpaper is the same as sex......the wetter the better!!!:thumbup::laughing::laughing:


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## florida girl (Jan 17, 2008)

I found an easy way to remove wallpaper was a little fabric softener in a spray bottle of water. Comes off easy. Then use a cleaner on the wall to remove the residual glue. That's the hard park. Depending on what kind of wall surface it is.


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