Are you going to change the look of your house?There are layers of wallpaper on the plaster walls of older houses.If you use the right technique you can have the wallpaper off the walls in no time.To learn how to start, look at Step 1.
Step 1: Determine what kind of wallpaper you have.
Depending on how the wallpaper was made, it could be easy to pull off in dry strips or difficult to penetrate.Depending on what type of wallpaper you're dealing with, the method you use to take it off your walls will be different.This is designed for easy removal and should be possible to strip without using water.It's probably dry strippable if you peel back a corner of the wallpaper.It probably isn't if it tears immediately.This type of wallpaper won't come off in easy sheets, but it will absorb water and loosen up, making it easy to strip.To find out if it's porous, use a sponge to apply some water.It's porous if the wallpaper soaks it up.It's not if it drips right off.There is a decorative nonporous layer in a lot of wallpaper.You'll see this with wallpaper that has raised parts.To apply water to this type of wallpaper, you'll need to score it first, so that the water can soak in and loosen it.
Step 2: Determine how many layers there are.
One layer of dry-strippable wallpaper can be removed in a few hours, but if you have more than one layer, things can get more difficult.You can see what's behind the wallpaper by peeling it back.Do you see plaster or wallpaper?Count how many layers you have to remove before peeling.It's going to be a big job if you have more than 2 layers.Renting wallpaper removal equipment or getting someone to help you might be a good idea.It will be more difficult if there is a layer of paint on top of the wallpaper.You might need to get some help.
Step 3: The right supplies should be gathered.
No matter what type of wallpaper you're dealing with, the same basic supplies will be useful.A few extras will be in order if you have a particularly tricky combination of nonporous wallpaper + 4 layers to remove + coats of paint in between.You need a bucket of water and a spray bottle for wallpaper perforating.
Step 4: Consider renting a steamer.
When you've got a tough job on your hands, wallpaper steamers can be very helpful.Instead of soaking your walls in water, you can use the steamer to apply hot steam to the wallpaper, which will loosen it and allow you to remove it.You don't have to pay much for a half-day or day of work if you rent a steamer.If you need your own steamer for more than one day, you can buy it for about $50.
Step 5: There will be a surprise under the wallpaper.
Under layers of wallpaper, it's not uncommon to find crumbling plaster.A cheap repair that many homeowners use is putting up wallpaper to hold plaster together, rather than forking over the money and effort required to make real repairs.Chunks of plaster can come off when you remove wallpaper.Cracks in the plaster may be revealed by peeling back the layers.Before you apply paint to your walls, make sure you fix the issues.
Step 6: Prepare for stripping.
Set up your work area so that you can get the job done quickly without damaging your house.You can protect your floor by covering it with a newspaper or tarp.If you have a garbage pail nearby, you can easily collect the wallpaper strips when they come off the wall.If your walls are above where you can reach, have a ladder handy.Dust from the old wallpaper and plaster will cling to you as you work, so put on some old clothes.If you are sensitive to dust, you may want to wear a mask.
Step 7: You can mix your wallpaper removal solution.
Put a mixture of water and wallpaper removal solution in a spray bottle.The recommended amount of wallpaper stripper is 5 ounces.You can reach every corner of the walls if you divide it between a bucket and a spray bottle.
Step 8: Perforate the wallpaper if it's necessary.
If you have nonporous wallpaper, you can begin perforating it by using a tool.You won't have to go back and do more later if you perforate all of the wallpaper.To make sure the wallpaper is able to take in water or steam, it's important to evenly distribute it from top to bottom and side to side.Don't use a knife or sharp point to perforate the wallpaper.The plaster is underneath the wallpaper.Perforation tools work by rolling over the wall and puncturing the wallpaper with tiny points, never going deep enough to damage the walls.
Step 9: Take care of the walls.
If your wallpaper is dry-stripping, you can skip this step.It's time to wet the walls if you have porous or nonporous wallpaper.To thoroughly soak the wallpaper, use a bucket, sponge, or spray bottle.It takes about 10 minutes to loosen the wallpaper.Don't soak all of the walls at the same time.It will take you about 15 minutes to remove the wallpaper from the large section.The plaster could be damaged if water is allowed to sit in the walls for a long period of time.It is possible to work on a 4' X 10' section at a time.You can use a mop dipped in the wallpaper removal mixture to reach higher areas.The wallpaper should be loosened along the way if you're steaming it.When you're done, put the steamer head in the baking pan.
Step 10: Start stripping.
The wallpaper can be removed with the help of the putty knife and wallpaper scraper.The chance that you'll pull off plaster is reduced if you pull it back at a sharp angle.Keep stripping until the wallpaper is gone.You should have another area soaking while you're stripping.This will speed up the job.It can be hard to peel back the wallpaper after a soaking.Wait another 10 minutes if the wallpaper is stubborn.
Step 11: Keep going.
Continue the process of soaking, steaming, and stripping until you have successfully removed every layer of wallpaper.You can get the pieces of paper that are left over by going back over the walls.If the wallpaper is wet and malleable, you can use a scrubby sponge to help it along.
Step 12: The walls need to be cleaned.
Go down the walls with fresh hot water once the wallpaper is off.This will make sure your walls are ready for whatever you decide to do next.You might want to hang more wallpaper.