Group: alt.home.repair Date: Sun, Dec 14, 2003, 10:03pm (CST+6) From: snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (Patscga) I asked about this before and everybody said don't do it. I've had four painters come here, plus a wallpaper person, and they all said you can't remove wallpaper that was installed 30 years ago without tearing up the wallboard because they didn't do wall prep back in those days. Then I recalled that I did have someone try this many years ago in another room and he ruined the walls so that I had to have them re-mudded. Now I would like to hear from someone who has painted over wallpaper successfully, if there is someone like that. Pat _________________________________ You either haven't got the right painter or you need to call in a paper hanger to remove it. I usually use a tool called a paper tiger which up scores the paper, then using a garden sprayer with very hot and lightly soapy water, mist the paper down until it will freely peel off. Tip: if it doesn't freely peel off yo haven't got it wet enough. Cloth drops covered by several layers of newspaper will keep water off the floor and using the newspaper you will be able to roll the old paper that has been scraped off into a log and dispose of it easily. After glue is washed off walls I HIGHLY recommend and oil-based primer. Then you may touch up imperfections with spackle and sand smooth then paint. One final note, if you paint over this paper someday someone (probably you) will have to remove it and it will be near impossible without tearing out the wallboard. Good luck. Al
- Vote on answer
- posted
20 years ago