How to Remove Wallpaper from Plaster and Wood Panels

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Are you ready to freshen up the walls of your home? Many older homes have plaster walls with one or more layers of old wallpaper. Removing it can be quite a difficult task if you don't know how to do it, but if you use the right technique, you can get it done in no time. Go to step 1 to learn how to get started.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Preparations

Step 1. Analyze the type of wallpaper in front of you

Depending on how the paper was made, it could be easy to peel off by dry tearing strips or it could be very difficult to permeate. The method you will use to remove it depends on the type of wallpaper. The possibilities are:

• Dry removable wallpaper.

  It is designed to be removed easily, without having to be moistened. Lift a corner of the paper and try to tear it with your hands; if it comes off easily, it is likely to be dry-removable. If it tears right away, it probably isn't.

• Porous wallpaper.

  This type of wallpaper is not easy to peel off, but as it absorbs water quickly, it dissolves and becomes easier to remove. To understand if your paper is of this type, apply a little water with the help of a sponge. If the paper absorbs water, it is porous. If the water runs off, it isn't.

• Non-porous wallpaper.

  Many types of wallpaper have a non-porous decorative layer, especially those with a metallic appearance or with embossed parts. Removing this type of wallpaper will require a little more work; you will have to engrave it before moistening it, to allow the water to penetrate and soften it.

Step 2. Find out how many layers of wallpaper there are

To remove a single layer of dry removable paper it will take no more than a few hours, but if there are more layers, it starts to get complicated. Lift a corner of the wallpaper and see what's underneath. Do you see the plaster or other layers? Continue to lift the paper until you find the plaster and count how many layers you will need to remove..

• If you have more than two layers, this is a very big job. You should get help from someone or hire professional paper removal tools.
• A layer of paint on top of a layer of wallpaper will make things equally difficult. Again, you may need help.

Step 3. Gather all the necessary tools

You will need the same basic utensils, regardless of the type of wallpaper. If you have a particularly difficult situation to deal with like: non-porous wallpaper + four layers to remove + paint layer in between, some extra tools will be needed. Here's what you'll need:

• For dry removable wallpaper:

  • Wallpaper scraper
  • Spatula

• For porous wallpaper:

  • Wallpaper scraper
  • Spatula
  • Solvent for removing wallpaper
  • Bucket of water and sponge
  • Spray bottle

• For non-porous wallpaper:

  • Wallpaper scraper
  • Spatula
  • Solvent for removing wallpaper
  • Bucket of water and sponge
  • Spray bottle
  • Perforating roller for wallpaper (or sandpaper)

  

  Step 4. Consider renting a steam cleaner

  Make sure it has the accessory to remove the wallpaper: it can be really useful if you have to face a particularly difficult job. Instead of wetting the paper with water, you will use the cleaner to apply steam, so that it softens and is easier to remove. The rental is not very expensive - between 30 and 40 euros for a day, with the possibility of having a discounted price if you rent it for several days. You might even think about buying one - depending on the type, you will spend between 50 and 100 euros.

  

  Step 5. Get ready to find some surprises under the wallpaper

  It is not difficult to find crumbling plaster under a layer of paper. Putting wallpaper to cover damaged plaster is a low-cost do-it-yourself repair that many homeowners use instead of shelling out the money to do a proper repair. When you remove the wallpaper, pieces of plaster may also come off. Even lifting the layers can cause cracks in the plaster and other problems to emerge. You need to be ready to fix any damage before painting the walls.

  Part 2 of 2: Remove the Wallpaper

  

  Step 1. Prepare the work area

  Before you begin, arrange the affected area to get the job done quickly and without making the rest of the house dirty.

  • Spread out newspaper or oilcloth to protect the floor and catch drops and scraps of wallpaper.
  • Have a trash bucket handy to collect the wallpaper pieces.
  • Also have a ladder handy to reach the highest points of the walls.
  • Wear old clothes, because you will surely cover yourself in dust.
  • If you are allergic to dust, you should wear a face mask while you work.

  

  Step 2. Prepare the solvent

  Fill the bucket and spray bottle with a solution of solvent and water. The recommended doses are 250 ml of solvent diluted in about 10-15 liters of water, depending on the heaviness of the wall to be detached. Using both the bucket and the spray bottle will allow you to reach every part of the wall.

  

  Step 3. If necessary, puncture the wallpaper

  If the paper is not porous, start by passing the special perforator roller or sandpaper to engrave the surface. Instead of doing it piece by piece, it is better to engrave the wallpaper all over the wall in one go, so that you don't have to go back to several pieces more than once. Make sure you complete the entire wall so that steam or water can permeate the paper.

  • Do not attempt to engrave the paper using a knife or other pointed object. You could damage the underlying plaster.
  • The punch roller leaves small holes in the wallpaper without going too deep and therefore without damaging the wall.

  

  Step 4. Moisten the walls

  You can skip this step if the wallpaper is dry-removable. If, on the other hand, it is porous or non-porous (not dry removable), it is time to wet the walls. Use a bucket and sponge or the spray bottle - depending on the area you are working on - to wet the wallpaper thoroughly. Wait 10 minutes for the water to permeate and the paper to soften.

  • Do not wet all of the paper at once. It is best to moisten an area from which you can remove the wallpaper within 15 minutes. Leaving the paper wet for a long time risks ruining the plaster. From time to time he works on an area of about 1mx3m.
  • To reach the higher areas, you can also use a paint roller or a scrubbing brush that you will have first dipped in the solution of solvent and water.
  • If you're using steam, go over an area with the cleaner and soften the paper. When you're done, place the hot cleaner on a baking sheet.

  

  Step 5. Start removing the paper

  Use the putty knife and scraper to lift and remove the wallpaper. Pull the paper slowly, keeping it slightly bent instead of giving a dry tear; in this way you will be less likely to detach the plaster as well. Continue like this until you have removed all the paper from the area you have moistened.

  • While you remove the paper from one area, let another in the meantime moisten. This will make the job faster.
  • It may be difficult to remove the paper after the first wipe of water. If it is very sturdy, wet it again and wait another 10 minutes.

  

  Step 6. Go ahead

  Continue the procedure - wet / steam, let it sit and remove the paper - until all the layers have been removed. Go over the entire wall to remove any residue.

  As long as the wallpaper is damp and malleable, work on it and keep the sponge handy to help you work

  

  Step 7. Clean the walls

  Once all the wallpaper has been removed, run the walls with warm, clean water. This will prepare the wall for subsequent treatments, whether you want to repair or paint them. Whether you want to put new wallpaper!

  Advice

  • A 50% warm solution of vinegar can replace the solvent to remove the wallpaper. It will make the room stink a bit, but it works great for removing old and stubborn glue.
  • Move furniture, curtains, etc. from the work area as this is a messy and dusty job.