Out with the old…
...wallpaper, that is. There’s nothing worse than an otherwise well decorated room completely overshadowed by outdated, overbearing wallpaper. Distracting walls can really take away from the style and design of the rest of a room and can make a room feel small and stuffy. Maybe you’re just ready for an updated look in a kid’s bedroom, or maybe changing up the walls is part of a complete kitchen remodel; either way, removing the wallpaper can easily be a DIY job, leaving you with more (financial) resources and more options when it comes to the things you should really look to a professional for (it’s ok if interior design is not your forte!).
Before you get started, you should take some time to prepare yourself and the room you’re stripping wallpaper from. Take out all the old furniture, remove the light fixtures (or cover them, if you can’t remove them), and cut the power to the room. Cover the floor with a drop cloth, and don your gloves and glasses. Once you’re fully prepped, you’re ready to check out these three methods of stripping wallpaper and choose what will work best for you.
Stripping Wallpaper Method 1: Dry
Depending on your wall and wallpaper, you may actually be able to pull the paper right off the wall without having to use another method. To test if this will work, try using a broad putty knife to pull up some wallpaper in a bottom corner or right at a seam, and if you can get enough to grab, pull it at an angle. Is the paper and the adhesive backing coming up without taking a lot of drywall with it? If so, you can use the method for the rest of the room; if not, you’ll have to move on to either steaming or using a solvent.
Stripping Wallpaper Method 2: Steam
While you will have to rent a wallpaper steamer, they’re actually fairly cheap and easy to use (plus, you won’t have to deal with applying chemical solvents to the wall). First, use a wallpaper scorer on the entire room to help the steam get to the adhesive behind the paper. After that, and once you’ve plugged the steamer in and it’s preheated, press the plate to the wall and hold for 15-30 seconds. Repeat this until you’ve covered a section of the wall about 3 feet wide, and then use the broad putty knife to scrape away the wallpaper and adhesive (be careful not to gouge the wall behind the paper to avoid more extensive drywall/plaster repairs down the road). Continue in 3 foot sections until you’ve removed all the wallpaper.
Stripping Wallpaper Method 3: Solvent
Steam stripping can take a fair amount of time and many homeowners opt to use a liquid or gel mixture to remove their wallpaper. You’ll still want to score the paper so that the solvent can reach the adhesive, but after scoring, you simply follow the instructions to apply the solvent to a section of wallpaper about 3 feet wide. Some solvents will need to be applied using a paintbrush or paint roller, but some homeowners save time by choosing a solvent compatible with a garden sprayer for easy and quick application. Most solvents need about 15 minutes on the wall to loosen the paper enough. Use a broad knife to scrape the paper or simply pull on a corner - it should come off (tougher papers may require more than one application of solvent).
After stripping the wallpaper, you may have to take care of some minor wall repairs but you’ll soon be able to start designing your dream space. Consider hiring a professional painter to help you achieve a super clean, classy look - after all, with what you saved by removing wallpaper by yourself, you deserve it (and can afford it, too)!
