Scraping Wallpaper - - Oh, Joy? :)

[TromboneAl]

Pictures, please.

 

[W2R]

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.

 

[Nords]

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!

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.

 

[Brat]

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.

 

[DangerMouse]

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.

 

[Khan]

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.

 

[W2R]

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.

 

[RunningBum]

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.

 

[W2R]

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

 

[thefed]

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.

 

[W2R]

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.

 

[FinanceDude]

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.........

 

[W2R]

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.

 

[omni550]

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?

omni

 

[Martha]

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.

 

[W2R]

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?

ROFL!! Probably. Either that or I just went completely insane. Oh well. Today I have to be at w*rk so I can rest my poor aching body.

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.

OK, that confirms what I suspected. I don't like it that much either, though Frank loves the stuff. I will "just say no" if he suggests it again.

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."

That must be why I didn't like the green paint I uncovered (see photos). I had been thinking of something that would match the tiles. But you know, maybe something of a more almond shade would go with green nicely.

Have fun. I have used Dif with hot water and removed paper from nearly every room of our place, including the kitchen.

How long did it take? If you say "one week" I will jump off a cliff in despair.

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.

This is really encouraging!!! If it even looked "OK", I would be ecstatic. If it actually looks nice when I am done, I'll be on Cloud Nine. I'll update the pictures at some point... Actually, since I am putting them on my Geocities site, I could conceivably do "before and after" pictures taken from the same angles.

 

[Martha]

Hey, it took a couple of years! But only because we didn't do it all at once. Each room was different. I thought the kitchen would be the worst because the wall paper was painted. Instead, it was the easiest as once you got under a corner of the paper it just ripped off in huge sheets, held together by the paint. Weird.

The bedroom is what we did recently. It had three layers of paper. The top was grass cloth which came off easily. Below that was a layer of metal flocked paper and below that standard old wallpaper. Took a fair amount of soaking and scoring for it to release but I think we got it all off in one day. Repairing plaster cracks took another day.

The worst was our parlor. There was only one layer of wallpaper but I swear it was stuck on in places with something other than wallpaper paste. We worked off and on for a month or thereabouts to get it off. We should have rented a steamer, but didn't. We were down to scraping with razor blade scrappers.

The bathroom was the only room with drywall. I removed the paper and caused a lot of dings and tears in the drywall in the process. Repaired with joint compound and it looks just fine.