Removing Old Wallpaper Without Damaging Your Walls
There's a specific kind of dread that comes with pulling a corner of old wallpaper and watching a chunk of drywall paper come off with it. If that's happened to you, you're not alone, and it's usually a sign that the wallpaper was put up without a liner, or that it's been there long enough to bond aggressively with the wall underneath.
Wallpaper removal has a reputation for being a nightmare project, but most of that reputation comes from people using the wrong method for the type of wallpaper and wall they're dealing with. Here's how to actually approach it.
Figure out what kind of wallpaper you're removing
Not all wallpaper comes off the same way. Vinyl and peelable wallpapers are usually the easiest, since the top layer can often be peeled away by hand, leaving just the backing paper on the wall. Traditional pasted wallpaper, especially anything installed before the 90s, tends to be glued directly to the wall or plaster with very little forgiveness. Knowing which one you're dealing with before you start saves a lot of frustration.
Test a small section first
Before committing to a whole wall, peel a corner in an inconspicuous spot to see how it releases. If it comes away cleanly, you might be able to dry strip most of the paper by hand. If it tears and leaves backing behind, you're going to need to wet the wall to break down the adhesive, and it's worth knowing that before you're three hours into a room.
Score before you wet
For wallpaper that isn't coming off easily, a scoring tool creates tiny perforations that let water or removal solution reach the adhesive underneath. Skipping this step is one of the most common reasons people end up soaking a wall for twenty minutes with barely any progress to show for it. The water needs a way in.
Use the right solution, and give it time to work
A mix of warm water and fabric softener, or a commercial wallpaper removal solution, softens the adhesive so the paper releases instead of tearing. The mistake most people make is not giving it enough time to soak in before scraping. Rushing this step is exactly what leads to gouged drywall, because you end up forcing a scraper against paper that hasn't actually loosened yet.
Scrape at a low angle
Once the adhesive has softened, a wide putty knife held at a shallow angle against the wall lifts the paper without digging into the surface underneath. Steep angles are what cause gouges, especially on drywall, which is much softer than old plaster.
Wash the walls afterward
Even after the paper is off, there's usually a layer of leftover adhesive on the wall. This needs to come off too, or it'll interfere with paint or new wallpaper down the line. A sponge and warm water, with a little extra removal solution if needed, takes care of it.
Prime with Zinsser Gardz
It’s a safe bet to seal the walls after cleaning, as you may not have removed every last bit of glue residue. Sealing the walls with a problem surface sealer primer, or an oil or shellac primer will ensure that the paint will adhere with no issues.
When it's worth calling in help
If you're dealing with multiple layers of old wallpaper, plaster walls that are already fragile, or a wall that's clearly not cooperating no matter what you try, it's often faster and cheaper in the long run to have someone experienced handle it. We've removed our fair share of stubborn, decades-old wallpaper in Philadelphia homes, and we know how to read a wall before we start pulling at it.
If you're planning new wallpaper or paint and need the old layer gone first, reach out for a free consultation. We're happy to take a look and tell you honestly what you're working with.