How to Remove Wallpaper

Wallpapers enhance the look of the room and give a unique feel to it. It is one of the main aspects to be considered, when it comes to home decorating. After every few years though, we need to remove the old wallpaper and paste the walls with new ones. Wallpaper removal is a tedious process and many of us do not know how to remove wallpaper easily. But if done properly, then it might surely reduce the work to some extent.

Procedure to Remove Wallpaper

• The materials you will require to remove wallpaper are a scrapper, knife, razor blades, scoring tools, paint rollers, large piece of sponge, a squirt gun, plain water and sandpaper.
• The first step for the removal of wallpaper is to move the furniture away from the walls and to cover the floor with drop pieces of cloth.
• Start from one of the corner of the wallpaper and try to peel it initially with your hands, a wallpaper scrapper, wallpaper remover or a knife. Some wallpapers are designed in such a way that they can be removed easily with one's hands.
• If the paper cannot be peeled out easily or if the pattern comes out, but the backing is still intact, then score the paper lightly with a wallpaper scoring tool or a razor blade. These tools will help you in removing wallpaper from a drywall. While doing this, take care that it does not cut into the plaster or the drywall present underneath.
• With a paint roller, the large sponge or squirt gun, apply plain water mixed with mild household soap or a wallpaper remover, to the wall.
• If required, saturate the wall with the solution a number of times. This will help the paper to absorb the water till the glue becomes loose.
• If required, you can also use a wallpaper steamer. While using steamers, care should be taken as these steamers tend to become very hot.
• Now, again try to peel the wallpaper. In order to peel them off, either use your hand, a scraper or a putty knife.
• The next step is to wash away all the glue till the original painted wall or the primed wall becomes visible. If required, you can also make use of a heavy duty scouring pad. Let the wall become completely dry and then, you can use a sandpaper to sand off the leftover paper, glue or backing. This process is the best way to remove wallpapers.

Wallpaper Removal Tips

• In case if any cuts or dings are developed on the wallpaper while its being removed, you can sand it, re-paint it, put up a new wallpaper, or plaster it.
• Instead of using a commercial or chemical solution, you can use vinegar as it is less toxic and it also works equally well as compared to other industrial solutions.
• For better results, you can use a fabric softener. They are inexpensive.
• Removal of wallpaper is a messy job and there is a probability of the old wallpaper sticking everywhere including the floor and the basement hence, while removing it, care should be taken.
• Care should also be taken while removing the wallpaper border and the wallpaper paste, because if it's not done properly, it might mess up the whole work.
• Avoid pasting wallpaper on an unpainted drywall. Before pasting it on a new drywall, at least apply a coat of primer on the wall. If, it is put directly on the drywall, then while removing the wallpaper, there are chances that the paper backing will peel off the wall boards.

Decorating walls with wallpaper is also a kind of wall art. So, what are you waiting for? Remove the old ones and decorate your room with new and stylish wallpapers which will help in wall decorations and thus accentuate the beauty of your house.