Ok, i'm now onto the wallpaper removal of a different room. It is all old and cracking and when I'm taking it off by just picking at it, the paper comes off in small flakes. I was thinking of spraying and scraping, but I was also thinking that it might be possible to just take an orbital hand sander and just go over it with a medium grit paper. Has anyone done this? - removing wall paper is one of my LEAST favorite things to do.
A steamer is the usual gadget. Steam dissolves the older types of wallpaper adhesive.
Start drinking. The wet method's the best, which speaks volumes about the other methods. Sanding will make you very unhappy.
Have you seen the little device that has small pivoting cutting wheels, you roll it around the wall and it slits the heck out of the paper. Then you spray on the dissolving solution.
Sanding sounds way messy, and may put a lot of lead-paint dust in the air.
Dave
I use a spray bottle get an area wet then wait for saturation. Work awhile spray a little more and add a small area repeat. If you do not care about the floors a big spounge works just more water to clean up. Just do not let the area your working on dry out. Even worked on the fing foil paper in the bathroom I removed. No one ever said this was fast.
I would suggest against sanding
what is the paper installed over? wall board or plaster
I use
I use the same method. Just keep putting the solution on to keep the paper wet and don't try doing it without the tiger. Patience is the key to getting it off easily.
Thanks All.. i think that's what i'm going to have to do, suck it up and spray it on! It's on plaster, so the next step will be to smooth it out a little. Can I just use the same stuff I used on the drywall?
Yes. And, if scraping leaves some minor marks, sand them gently with the mesh-type sanding stuff - looks like window screen, sort of. Dust passes through it and if it's like most plaster dust, it'll fall straight down to the floor, pretty much. Doesn't seem to float all over the place, like sawdust.
That's what I've always found works for me too.
If the paper is as brittle as it sounds, you might get most of it off just peeling or GENTLE scraping. Spraying with water a couple of times, allowing for water to soak in a bit, is usually sufficient to soften the paste and make it loose enough to scrape. I've never used steamers or chemicals. It the paper is coated, either vinyl or painted, a back-and-forth lateral scoring with coarse sandpaper will cut it enough to allow water to soak in. Have to be careful not to go deep enough to score plaster or wallboard surface. When the paper is gone, spray again to soften remaining paste. I usually let it rest at this point, in case the wallboard coating has absorbed water. Dry overnight, then wash off remaining paste (unless you like sanding :o)
While I've not done a lot of wall paper removal, my experience has been that the best way ...depends...
My experiences so far:
1) It isn't stuck on well, and gentle peeling/scraping got it all off, with a few minor touchups with a sander or a bit of water.2) Won't peel well. Steamer takes it off quickly. (or close the doors/windows, and vent the clothes dryer into the room ;-)
3) Steamer won't take it off, but outer layer of wall paper will peel (relatively moisture proof outer layer) easily. Then, a steamer takes off the rest (coarse paper/glue) quickly.Black and Decker makes a pretty inexpensive wall paper steamer (under $50). You can also rent them.
It's certainly saved a lot of time over how long it would take with a spray bottle of water.
Given how fast the steamer does the job, I won't give ours up.
I like the DIF wallpaper remover. Roll it on with a paint roller (use a bucket and grate). Add more as needed until the paper comes off easily.
Use a solution of fabric softener and water in a spray bottle. Makes it come off really easy!
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