The time eventually comes when we find that our wallpapered rooms need a bit of a lift.
The paper has lost its first flush of gorgeousness; it could be a bit grubby or it may be that quite frankly we just want a change. And, it’s a well known fact that the main obstacle in the way of wallpapering a room is stripping the old paper off! You may have been told that stripping wallpaper is really hard work but in truth this job is so easy.
Here are five simple steps to removing old wallpaper without the hard work:
Protect your workspace
Cover floor areas with dustsheets, old newspapers or plastic sheeting and turn off any electricity supply at fuse box. Have a dedicated rubbish bag for the old paper and use this as you strip it off the walls.
Prepare old wallpaper surface
If the old paper is painted, washable or heavy relief, you will need to roughen up the surface to allow the water to soak through. The simplest way is by using a serrated scraper or course abrasive paper. If using a craft knife be careful about scoring only the surface of the paper and not the wall. Vinyl wallpapers need their top layer removed by merely lifting it at one corner and peeling it off leaving just the backing paper.
Wet surface of old wallpaper
In a bucket, mix warm water with a handful of wallpaper paste and a little liquid detergent. The wallpaper paste helps the water to “stick”. Or, use a proprietary wallpaper remover which is much easier. In truth there are some wallpaper removers that literally cause the old paper to just fall off. Use a large sponge or brush to ensure that all the paper is wet and wait at least five minutes.
Tip: It is less messy if you use a garden spray bottle to apply the water to the walls.
Start stripping
Try a test strip at the edge of the paper and using the wallpaper stripping knife at a 30 degree angle, push it away from you being careful not to damage the plaster. If the paper does not come off easily then wet it again. By carefully re-wetting all the time you should be able to remove the paper in large strips.
Tip: Kids love to strip wallpaper with their fingers. Give them a wall to “play” with and you’ll be amazed at how much they’ll take off. Just remember to give them plain warm water to use – no chemicals.
Smooth walls are a must
Once the old wallpaper has been removed, go over all the area again methodically looking for little bits of paper that have been missed. There are always tiny bits still adhering that must be removed. Even a piece the size of a pin head will most likely show through your new wallpaper. Give your walls a final wash.
Tip: Give the kids 1p for each piece they find attached to the wall; their eyesight is better than ours!
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N.B. The steam wallpaper stripper
This machine does exactly what it says, enabling you to strip paper with the help of steam. This equipment can be hired from a tool hire shop but these days they are so inexpensive and easily obtained that it is much less hassle to buy one. They're ideal for the trouble free removal of old wallpaper with steam. In effect – fill with plain water, switch on and you’re away. Just follow the manufacturers’ instructions and you can’t go far wrong.
