Wallpaper Removal In 6 Steps

Removing Any Wallpaper Easily

Are you tired of looking at the wallpaper in your home and ready for a new look? When considering the wallpaper removal process, it is best to remove all wallpaper and start from a clean slate, ensuring the next application looks seamless. Wallpaper is relatively straightforward to remove but can be time and labor-intensive.

Here we are breaking down the steps to removing wallpaper! Get ready to transform your home with confidence!

1] Preparing for Wallpaper Removal

Before starting wallpaper removal, make sure everything has been removed from the walls. You can sometimes push the furniture to the room’s center, depending on the room space and furniture size. Keep in mind some wallpaper types are messier to remove.

To protect flooring and furniture, place a drop cloth on the floor and light plastic to cover the furniture during the removal process. One of the most critical steps during preparation and setup is to place thick towels beside the baseboards. The towels will help absorb excess water, keeping the floors from getting too saturated.

Towels will also bridge the possible gaps between the baseboards and drop cloths, keeping glue and residue from finding their way onto the floor.

2] How to Determine the Wall Type

Wallpaper removal methods depend heavily on the type of existing wallpaper and walls from which it is being removed. If you have drywall rather than plaster, you must be careful not to get the walls too wet in the process because it can lead to wall damage.

3] How to Determine Wallpaper Types

There are three main types of Wallpaper strippable wallpaper, peelable wallpaper, and traditional. To find out what kind of wallpaper you have, use a putty knife to peel away a corner of the Wallpaper.

If it comes off clean without leaving a layer behind, you have strippable wallpaper. However, if there is a white paper residue left behind, then you have peelable. If you can’t get it to come off at all, you most likely have traditional wallpaper.

4] How to Remove Strippable Wallpaper

Homes that are older (50 years+) generally have plaster walls, whereas newer homes typically have drywall. If you aren’t sure what type of walls you have, you can push a push pin into the wall. Most will find drywall to be softer than plaster and, therefore, easier to insert the pushpin. In comparison, plaster walls will be more challenging to insert.

You will need a putty knife, rags, soap, and water.

1. Using the putty knife, peel and lift a corner of the paper away from the wall.
2. Using your hands, pull the wallpaper gently and slowly away from the surface, preventing it from tearing.
3. If you encounter rips, repeat the process until all wallpaper is removed.
4. Clean the walls with soap & water by initially scraping, then finally whipping the area clean.
5. Check the walls for any residual residue.
6. Allow 12 – 24 hours of dry time.
7. Sand and prime the walls before painting or installing new wallpaper.

5] How to Remove Traditional or Peelable Wallpaper

You will need rags, a putty knife, a spray bottle, a wallpaper stripper, soap, rubber gloves, and a ladder.

1. Using a putty knife, lift a corner of the paper away from the wall.
2. Using your hands, pull the wallpaper gently and slowly away from the surface, preventing it from tearing.
3. According to the manufacturer’s instructions, mix hot water with a wallpaper stripper and pour it into a spray bottle for application.
4. Spray the solution onto the wall in a small area (roughly 3×3 ft) and allow it to sit for 3-8 minutes. (For drywall, do not over-saturate the wall.)
5. Remove the wallpaper by scraping it with a putty knife. Be cautious not to damage walls while doing so.
6. If the wallpaper is not coming off quickly, reapply the solution and now wait for 15 mins. After 15 minutes, reapply the solution lightly before the second attempt of scraping.
7. Once you have removed the wallpaper from that area, repeat the process on the remaining regions until all Wallpaper is removed.
8. Clean the walls using soap & water by scraping and whipping methods.
9. Check the walls for any residual residue.
10. Allow 12 – 24 hours of dry time.
11. Sand and prime the walls before painting or installing new wallpaper.

6] Steaming Wallpaper for Removal

If the previous options do not work, the next option is to use a steamer in conjunction with steps 4 or 5. You will need safety goggles, gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, an electric steamer, water, soap, a putty knife, and a ladder.

1. Wearing a long-sleeved shirt, goggles, and gloves will protect your skin from hot water and steam.
   Read and follow all the manufacturer’s instructions before setting up the steamer.
2. Once the steamer is ready, apply steam to the surface until you start to see the wallpaper release.
3. Do not let the wall get too hot; it will cause the primer behind the Wallpaper to peel.
4. Start to scrape the wall with the putty knife directly after removing the steamer from the surface.
5. If the wallpaper is still hard to remove, conduct steps (3 -4) of section 5 before applying the steamer. The combination of these steps will almost guarantee removal. (If the added measures are unsuccessful, the wallpaper will likely not be removed. In this case, drywall replacement is probably needed.)
6. Continue the process until all the paper has been removed.
7. Clean the walls using soap & water by scraping and whipping methods.
8. Check the walls for any residual residue.
9. Allow 12 – 24 hours of dry time.
10. Sand and prime the walls before painting or installing new wallpaper.

Expert Wallpaper Removal Services

Home improvement projects are not for everyone. Now you understand the wallpaper removal process and the amount of time and effort it can take. Most would rather hire a team of trusted local professionals for time-consuming projects, and we are always here to help!

We are residential & commercial painting experts that will take care of the process of refreshing your walls from start to finish.

For a free quote, give us a call at 919-426-4928 today!