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Old 09-23-2007, 09:55 AM   #21
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WTR,

As you have a houseful of walls to de-paper, you want to minimize your labor and have time working for you. Glen Haege (aka America's Master Handyman) had this on his site:
GLENN HAEGE -- AMERICA'S MASTER HANDYMAN

If the standard wallpaper removal technique does not work, Brian Santos, the Wall Wizard, gave me his secret formula for problem walls. After using the Paper Tiger on the walls, mix a bottle of Dif with one gallon of hot water, 1/4-cup liquid fabric softener, one cup of white vinegar, and one tablespoon of baking soda. Wet down the wallpaper three times, then cover with four-mil-thick plastic sheeting to keep the solution from drying. Let stand overnight before removing the plastic. You should be able to pull the wallpaper off in large strips starting from the bottom.
To clean off the remaining adhesive, spray the wall with Brian's solution one more time and squeegee off the residue. Wash the wall with a solution of a gallon of water and a cup of white vinegar. Rinse well.
Your walls should now be ready to paint or re-paper.

The plastic sheeting will keep the solution from evaporating and waiting overnight will allow it to soak thru the paper layer(s).

HTH,

omni
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Old 09-23-2007, 10:06 AM   #22
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I found that wallpaper had been stretched over a substantial hole in a bathroom wall in my brother's house. Probably opened to do plumbing work. Pretty handy, actually, as we took the opportunity to do more repairs before painting the room.

Want2Retire, no need to paint the room white to bring it to bright and cheery. Take a look at the room to see if you can pick up another light color.
Did you decide to fill in the hole somehow (how?)? Or did you leave it and paint what was there?

For the small shower/toilet room, I am also thinking of a very light green. The ceramic tile in the shower is mostly white, but also green and some tan. Interestingly, under the two layers of wallpaper I found green paint in almost the color I was thinking of. Of course it would need a fresh coat.

The only color to pick up on in the boudoir area would be pink from the sink. Going towards the pink tones could be risky from the viewpoint of making my house appeal to (possibly male) buyers later on. Also, if I continued the green from the shower/toilet room into the boudoir, the area might seem bigger.

I am going to LOVE the new, light colors, even if I change my mind about selling! The dark, dark colors in the shower room (and ceiling, and even walls in the shower above the tile) are oppressive and I think it will be seem much more pleasant and open in a lighter color.
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Old 09-23-2007, 10:10 AM   #23
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WTR,

As you have a houseful of walls to de-paper, you want to minimize your labor and have time working for you. Glen Haege (aka America's Master Handyman) had this on his site:
GLENN HAEGE -- AMERICA'S MASTER HANDYMAN

If the standard wallpaper removal technique does not work, Brian Santos, the Wall Wizard, gave me his secret formula for problem walls. After using the Paper Tiger on the walls, mix a bottle of Dif with one gallon of hot water, 1/4-cup liquid fabric softener, one cup of white vinegar, and one tablespoon of baking soda. Wet down the wallpaper three times, then cover with four-mil-thick plastic sheeting to keep the solution from drying. Let stand overnight before removing the plastic. You should be able to pull the wallpaper off in large strips starting from the bottom.
To clean off the remaining adhesive, spray the wall with Brian's solution one more time and squeegee off the residue. Wash the wall with a solution of a gallon of water and a cup of white vinegar. Rinse well.
Your walls should now be ready to paint or re-paper.

The plastic sheeting will keep the solution from evaporating and waiting overnight will allow it to soak thru the paper layer(s).

HTH,

omni
Thanks for the tip!! Dif is the type of enzyme solution that I am using right now, so all I would have to do is add some Downy and vinegar. I didn't know if it would be safe to mix these but it sounds like he has done it. I have plastic sheeting. I just may try this on the boudoir walls. I was blown away at how much easier the stripping went in the toilet/shower room, that only had two layers on most of it.
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Old 09-23-2007, 10:10 AM   #24
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I found that the wallpaper covered at least one irregularity in the wall surface, probably due to previous remodeling over the years. It is a rectangular indentation about 2"x3" and 1/2" deep, and about a foot from the electrical socket so perhaps it was an "oops" at one time. It doesn't go clear through, though.
Many layers of joint compound (not spackle), spread thin and built up. It'll contract and perhaps crack as it dries, so pack in a thin coat every day or two until it's filled.

Or put something ornamental over it/in front of it, like a free-standing heated towel rack.

There's probably a "#$%^! A *&^%ing stud!!" between your hole and the receptacle. Of course that's never happened to me, I've just read about it...

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...mix a bottle of Dif with one gallon of hot water, 1/4-cup liquid fabric softener, one cup of white vinegar, and one tablespoon of baking soda.
Dif is good stuff.

I bet he uses the baking soda just to watch it fizz in the vinegar!
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Old 09-23-2007, 10:40 AM   #25
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Many layers of joint compound (not spackle), spread thin and built up. It'll contract and perhaps crack as it dries, so pack in a thin coat every day or two until it's filled.

Or put something ornamental over it/in front of it, like a free-standing heated towel rack.

There's probably a "#$%^! A *&^%ing stud!!" between your hole and the receptacle. Of course that's never happened to me, I've just read about it...


Dif is good stuff.

I bet he uses the baking soda just to watch it fizz in the vinegar!
ROFL!!!

Thanks for telling me about the joint compound!! That sounds like exactly what I need - - just something to fill it in, that can be painted.

I just got back from another round of scraping, and this time I got to a corner. I think I just removed the drywall tape at the corner. (sigh) There seems to be a layer like tissue paper between each of the three wallpapers, and it isn't any easier to get off than the wallpaper, so really I am dealing with five layers of paper. The bottom wallpaper sticks to the drywall like you wouldn't believe. By this time the drywall has a lot of dings in it, so I suppose I will refer to Brat's earlier post about that and try to make do.

This is harder than I thought it would be. My boudoir looks like h*ll and I am beginning to doubt my own sanity in attempting such a foolhardy project.
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Old 09-23-2007, 10:46 AM   #26
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Pictures, please.
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Old 09-23-2007, 10:52 AM   #27
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Pictures, please.
Upon obediently retrieving my digital camera, I discovered that the battery is completely flat. It's charging now.

Meanwhile, Frank just called and he's coming over to take me out to lunch. That will probably help my state of mind considerably.
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Old 09-23-2007, 10:53 AM   #28
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I think I just removed the drywall tape at the corner.
By this time the drywall has a lot of dings in it, so I suppose I will refer to Brat's earlier post about that and try to make do.
More joint compound. If the corner is a really big gaping tear in the tape-- like a foot long-- then you could consider reinforcing the corner with adhesive drywall tape (yellow mesh or some other bright color). But you'll probably be fine with just the joint compound, and it's better than spackle for patching & texturing the wall dings.

Maybe you should get the one-gallon pre-mixed bucket... that's how we buy ours!

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This is harder than I thought it would be. My boudoir looks like h*ll and I am beginning to doubt my own sanity in attempting such a foolhardy project.
Spouse spent nearly five years doing four rooms. Just take it one small step at a time and quit when you've had enough.

I agree with T-Al... Before & after photos will fill an album of fond memories... especially next time you consider removing the wallpaper in another house.
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Old 09-23-2007, 11:34 AM   #29
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Oh yes, we repaired the hole in the wall.

My recollection of husband's process for filling holes in walls: Cut a piece of drywall as a back patch in a shape that could be slipped through the hole (attached a long screw in it as a handle), goop-ed some glue on the back side of the hole, then held the back patch tight until the glue held. Let it sit overnight, removed screw. Fill hole with drywall mud (Spackle), a multi-step process as it drys. Sand the surface, finish to match adjoining surface.
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Old 09-23-2007, 12:48 PM   #30
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All I can add is on behalf of any potential buyer please do not paint over the wallpaper as once that happens it is a total nightmare to remove.

I spent my recent vacation helping my sister remove wallpaper that had been painted over with a gloss paint. Over 10 hours with a hired steamer and we were only able to remove the paper from a couple of rooms.
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Old 09-23-2007, 12:48 PM   #31
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Oh yes, we repaired the hole in the wall.

My recollection of husband's process for filling holes in walls: Cut a piece of drywall as a back patch in a shape that could be slipped through the hole (attached a long screw in it as a handle), goop-ed some glue on the back side of the hole, then held the back patch tight until the glue held. Let it sit overnight, removed screw. Fill hole with drywall mud (Spackle), a multi-step process as it drys. Sand the surface, finish to match adjoining surface.
Sounds like an opportunity for a time capsule.
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Old 09-23-2007, 01:18 PM   #32
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Sounds like an opportunity for a time capsule.
Hmm!! I suspect that time capsules are a lot more fascinating to find, than to plant.

I am posting from Frank's house. We went to Lowes, and I got a bucket of joint compound, some spray-on orange peel texturizer, and I noticed that they had the enzyme in a spray gel so I got some of that to try on the tough spots. I also got some cards representing various paint colors so that I can start thinking about what colors I will paint it (when things get to that point). I still need to get some adhesive drywall tape. I can do this!!

I am feeling much encouraged now that I am "armed". Nords, you are right - - I need to just keep coming back to this project and eventually things will start coming together. T-Al, my camera is still charging at my house. Dangermouse, I think you are right about painting wallpaper - - plus, with my luck, it would be ME that would have to remove it, if the result looked bad.

Frank has the day off, so probably I will not get much more done today (I think this is the second day off he has had in the past month). His suggestion was to have someone re-drywall the whole room (he hasn't seen it yet, though). I am hesitant to do that since the cheap SOB's who built my house never put drywall inside the exterior walls - - and one of the walls is an exterior wall. So it really wouldn't solve the problems, plus it would be expensive and might create more problems.
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Old 09-23-2007, 02:09 PM   #33
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When I was doing this, I had decided to peel off the old ugly paper so I could repaper part of the wall and paint the rest. The old paper was also peeling so I didn't want to paper over it. Someone suggested to me to buy some thin panels at Lowes or HD to just cover the old paper. Apparently they come pre-papered, or presumably painted if you like. I either couldn't find them or didn't bother for some reason, but maybe this is a possibility for you. I guess it's kind of like putting a new veneer over the old wall.
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Old 09-23-2007, 05:23 PM   #34
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RunningBum, that's definitely a possibility to consider. We looked at paneling today, but didn't see anything inspirational. I think I want to try painting over the orange-peel texturing. Dunno. Meanwhile, working on. I got Frank to help me this afternoon for an hour or two.

Trombone Al, and other, here are the promised photos. I took seven or eight, so I put them on geocities for you to see rather than upload so many.

Stripping Wallpaper - September 23, 2007
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Old 09-23-2007, 07:40 PM   #35
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soak soak soak. get some dig wallpaper remover, and spray it down GOOD after scoring with the tiger or somethign similar. then let it dry,. then soa. then dry etc as often as you can handle it


saturate it one more time when youre ready to peel, and use a 1ft handled bladed scraper. fingernails work well too!


good luck

if this doesnt work, a steamer might.
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Old 09-24-2007, 07:10 AM   #36
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soak soak soak. get some dig wallpaper remover, and spray it down GOOD after scoring with the tiger or somethign similar. then let it dry,. then soa. then dry etc as often as you can handle it


saturate it one more time when youre ready to peel, and use a 1ft handled bladed scraper. fingernails work well too!


good luck

if this doesnt work, a steamer might.
Thanks - - I have been doing all of the above from the start, except my bladed scraper doesn't have a 1 ft handle. It is the biggest and best one that Lowe's had, though, with a little wheel on the back so that the angle is correct as you slide the blade across the drywall.

I might try a steamer for the other rooms when I get to them! I would move all of the furniture out of the bedrooms, rent the steamer, and try to do as much as I could over a weekend.

I think I am making progress. I have done more since the photos were taken. Strangely, last night I actually WANTED to go in there and pick at it a little before going to sleep. Much to my surprise, the top layer of paper in the toilet/shower room started coming off in huge sheets, like 2 feet long! Pretty exciting, and I slept like a baby after that. Tonight I have to figure out how to disassemble and move the over-the-toilet towel rack, so that I can get to the area behind the toilet.

The more I do this, the easier it seems to get. If this is just a learning curve, then I am much encouraged and VERY grateful for all the tips and help!

Frank wants me to finish taking off all the wallpaper before I start any painting or refinishing. I had planned to do that anyway, though I suspect he has some ideas up his sleeve that he wants to look into. He thinks paneling would be great, so maybe that is what he is researching. I really like the idea of orange peel texturizing and painting, though, so if his ideas are not stupendous then that is what I will do.
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Old 09-24-2007, 07:34 AM   #37
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My house had wallpaper in the dining room, all the bathrooms, and the master bedroom when I moved in. It was vinyl-backed stuff which is very hard to get off. I have re-done all the room s except the master, and learned a LOT from my mistakes. Here's the best way I found:

1)Paper Tiger the heck out of the wall paper.

2)Buy a small (64 oz) pressurized sprayer. Fill it with DIF concentrate and HOT water, and pressurize it.

3)Spray liberally over the surface, wait 10 minutes, then spray again. Wait 10 minutes.

4)Use a PLASTIC large putty knife to loosen the wallpaper. It should peel off in large chunks.

5)Continue spraying tough areas as needed.

6)Have an occasional adult beverage to make the time go faster.........

Good luck.........
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Old 09-24-2007, 07:43 AM   #38
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My house had wallpaper in the dining room, all the bathrooms, and the master bedroom when I moved in. It was vinyl-backed stuff which is very hard to get off. I have re-done all the room s except the master, and learned a LOT from my mistakes. Here's the best way I found:

1)Paper Tiger the heck out of the wall paper.

2)Buy a small (64 oz) pressurized sprayer. Fill it with DIF concentrate and HOT water, and pressurize it.

3)Spray liberally over the surface, wait 10 minutes, then spray again. Wait 10 minutes.

4)Use a PLASTIC large putty knife to loosen the wallpaper. It should peel off in large chunks.

5)Continue spraying tough areas as needed.

6)Have an occasional adult beverage to make the time go faster.........

Good luck.........
Thanks, FD!! I don't drink but wallpaper removal just might drive me to it. The paper tiger doesn't seem to go through all three layers of wallpaper at once, so I have been repeating once the top two layers are gone.

It's great to get all of these suggestions from everyone. My house has wallpaper in all three bedrooms, both bathrooms, dressing room/boudoir, hallway, living room, kitchen, and dining area. Only the den was "spared", and it is connected with the kitchen and dining area. The wallpaper really is tasteful, but I just don't think it is conducive to a quick sale in 2009.

The paper in the area I am working on now is my least favorite, since it is very dark and the shower area seems tiny enough already (see photos)! I am hoping that this will make it feel less claustrophobic.

This morning, I really do think I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe.
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Old 09-24-2007, 08:12 AM   #39
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This morning, I really do think I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe.
Either that, or maybe you were scraping at a stuck piece of wallpaper a bit too vigorously and poked a hole clear through the drywall?

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Old 09-24-2007, 09:18 AM   #40
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If you are going to sell in a couple of years, I wouldn't do paneling, unless you are talking about doing some really nice wainscoting. A lot of people just don't like the look of paneling. I would go with the paint, with some nice modern colors. Don't be afraid of color. The green sounds nice so long as it isn't "hospital green."

Have fun. I have used Dif with hot water and removed paper from nearly every room of our place, including the kitchen. Using paper towels or plastic to hold the moisture in is a very good idea. Repair dings and holes with joint compound, prime and paint and it should be beautiful when you are done.

Looking forward to the progress pictures.
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