How to Remove Wallpaper

How long the task takes will depend on several factors, including the type of wall and the style of paper. “Nothing is going to get through if it’s solid vinyl paper,” says Westley. If that’s what you have, he suggests applying the water and removing layer by layer. Score! To help the water penetrate, especially if it’s thicker paper, you might want to use a scoring tool, such as a PaperTiger, to put small perforations into the paper for the water to enter, although not all experts recommend this method. “Don’t push too hard, though, or the water will get into the drywall,” says Westley, who also suggests working on one wall at a time to prevent drying. “Who would put a tree mural in a bathroom?” was Shannon Schmidt’s first thought when she saw this wallpaper. Photo courtesy of Mike Schmidt. For the Schmidts, whose wallpaper is attached to plaster walls, Westley urges the couple to score it first. “The wallpaper will come off easier on plaster than on drywall and the scoring won’t hurt the wall,” he says. Once the paper separates, Morrissey suggests using a six- or eight-inch wide blade to scrape it off. “Whether it comes off in one piece or not is strictly a matter of luck,” he says. Once the paper has been removed, all that’s standing between you and the start of a beautiful new wall is some glue. “Use your fingernail and scratch the glue,” suggests Westley. “If it comes off easily, you can just spray more hot water in sections and wipe it off.” Stubborn adhesive might need some additional water and wait time as well. Westley cautions that removing the glue is a vital part of the project. “People think they get the paste off and paint the room, but months later they see that the paste has attacked the paint, causing a chemical reaction and the paint starts to release and break off,” he says. “Look sideways at the wall and make sure you get it all off.” Patience, Patience, Patience Shannon Schmidt is going to learn what Shannon Thomason of Birmingham, Ala., already knows—removing wallpaper is a game of patience. “In my kitchen, there were three kinds of wallpaper, all at least 25 years old and yellowed with time and grime,” explains Thomason, who used the fabric softener and water method, combined with a steamer. “It was almost like a patience game—get it damp, steam it, use a tool to get a corner to turn up with the steam, then very, very slowly begin to peel/scrape up,” she says. “The bathroom was hellish. The wallpaper stuck firmly to the wall and would not peel off. It took tons of time and patience. I took a lot of sheetrock off with it in one bathroom, which led me to believe the wallpaper had been placed directly onto the sheetrock with no primer.” Once the wallpaper and paste have been removed and you’re ready to begin the next phase of your project, Morrissey suggests taking a break. “Wait before you prime or do your next project because you want the wall to be dry,” he says. “Most people are tired when they are done with the job and should just start fresh the next day.”

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