How to Remove Painted Wallpaper
You think it’s such a great idea to paint over a wallpaper, but once it’s time to replace it, your problem starts. Removing wallpaper that has been painted over can be a cumbersome task, but as long as you know what needs to be done, it will be easy. Here’s how to do it.
What You’ll Need:
Old newspapers or a plastic drop cloth
Wallpaper scraper
Stiff wire brush or paper tiger
Spray bottle
Chemical wallpaper stripper, vinegar-water mixture or wallpaper steamer
Old towels
Procedure:
Decide if you’re taking the paint first or removing it with the wallpaper at the same time. The first option will make the procedure longer but will be less messy. The second option is very messy, but will take a shorter time to accomplish.
Protect your floor before you begin the project. You can lay down sheets of old newspaper or a plastic drop cloth. This will protect the floor from the flakes of paint and old wallpaper that will come down. If you opt to use a chemical wallpaper stripper, you should lay down old towels, so it will absorb the dripping solution.
Penetrate the paint film and wear down the surface. You can do this with the help of a stiff wire brush. There’s also a handy round scoring tool called the Paper Tiger, with many small pins attached to its wheels. These make small holes as you roll it over the painted surface.
Loosen the wallpaper from the wall. There are three ways to do this.
Use white vinegar and warm water. Mix up an equal amount of these two liquids, then put in a spray bottle. Soak the whole wall with it, then let sit for 20 minutes. This will be a natural solvent to the wallpaper glue.
Use a chemical wallpaper stripper. It works just like the vinegar, dissolving the glue and lifting the wallpaper. You can apply this using a spray bottle or a paint roller, too. Work on small areas one at a time.
Use a wallpaper steamer. This uses a hot water reservoir, a hotplate and a hose to direct steam to the hotplate and melt the adhesive. Hold it against the wall, wait for it to soften, then move on to another area.
Start scraping the wallpaper. Loosen one corner, then see if it peels off. There are wallpaper types that peel off easily. Continue doing this, until most of the wallpaper has been removed.
If you see small pieces still sticking to your wall, soak or steam them for a few more minutes before removing them.
A painted wallpaper isn’t so hard to deal with, as long as you know the correct method. Remember these steps, and you’ll be able to do it perfectly.