How can I remove wallpaper from dry wall?
Answers:
How hard or easy it is depends on the type of paper, if it's been painted and if so, with what.
GOOD QUALITY WALLPAPERS:
Good quality wallpapers have a backing on them, if this is the type of wallpaper already on the wall all you need do is lift the surface sheet off (it will pull off in whole strips), the backing paper will be left behing and you can paper or paint over it.
WATERPROOF WALLPAPERS
Some wallpapers have a 'waterproof' finish to them or they may have been painted with an oil based paint - spray a bit of water on and if it sits on the surface in tiny droplets this is what you have - it's a nightmare to get off. This is the point at which you may wish to consider moving house or knocking the wall down and rebuilding.
If you don't fancy moving or getting into demolition then you need to soften the adhesive with water and this means cutting the surface of the wallpaper. Use a box-cutter (Stanley knife) and score the paper in a criss-cross pattern of smallish (2 or 3 inch) squares. You may want to use a wallpaper stripper (see below). Continue as per 'other wallpapers'.
OTHER WALLPAPERS:
If the room is empty of furnishings, carpets, curtains / drapes etc I'd recommend using a pressure sprayer to apply water to the walls. If it's not empty then use a hand sprayer (if you have neither a sponge will do). Plain water is fine as this will disolve the adhesive, the various additives you can use have little or no effect.
Don't soak the walls so much that the water is pouring down them as this will soak the floor - better to spray lightly, wait a while, spray again.
After a short time the water should penetrate through the paper and soften the adhesive. Remmove large pieces by pulling them off with your hands. Spray again, wait a few minutes, pull off more pieces.
Once you've got the large bits off use a scraper to remove the bits that remain - you may need to keep spraying water. When scraping it helps to have the scraper as flat against the wall as possible. Don't hack at awkward bits of paper or you may damage the wall itself.
It can take a long time especially if the paper is hard to penetrate and you're only removing little bits as a time.
Once you've scraped off the paper sweep the wall with a stiff brush to remove bits left behind then wash down with a solution of sugar-soap and warm water (ordinary soap will also do) When the walls are dry scrape over them with the scraper to get any remaining bits off.
WALLPAPER STRIPPERS:
Don't like them at all, they take forever and are only of any advantage on a wall where it's really hard to get the water to penetrate the paper. You can hire these from tool hire firms.
USEFUL TIPS:
If the walls are old or the plasterwork is poor then proceed carefully as you may end up pulling chunks of plaster off with the paper.
If it doesn't matter about getting condensation everywhere and the outside temperature isn't too hot then close the doors and windows, put a kettle or two in the room, lift the lid and let it keep on boiling (bot not boil dry). The room will get soaked in condensation and the paper will be much easier to get off. Keep wiping electrical fittings to prevent water getting in.
ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTION:
I'm in Yorkshire, England; if you want to send your walls over here I'll strip the paper for you - please also include a blank cheque to cover the cost of return postage ;-)
Other answers:
You can get some kind of solvent at Home Depot that loosens the wallpaper. A steamer also works, but is more laborious.
You can get some kind of solvent at Home Depot that loosens the wallpaper. A steamer also works, but is more laborious.
make a mixture of vinegar, a very little bit of dish soap and water in a spray bottle and soak down the wall paper then use a wide scraper ( putty type knife )
and this should break the glue down and the paper should start to become soft and easy to pull down in large pieces, then wet the wall down and use the scrapper to clean any left over paper off the wall, do not forget to wash the wall down with soap and water to get the vinegar and left over glue off the walls
good luck have fun.
Steaming the wallpaper works the best, especially for older wallpapers. The spray stuff gets messy and isn't as effective. You can try both ways. Soak the paper thoroughly, then use a spatula to scrape the paper off, if you soak it well enough the entire strip should come right off, if not, use the spatula to get the rest off.
They have a wallpaper remover now that you just spray on and wait a few minutes and it loosens it up without all that scraping that you did before, I see it on room by room.
Its called DIF. It's a wallpaper removing solution. Its easier if you lightly score the wallpaper first. Smaller pieces come off easier. The entire job is a real pain in the *** but its easier then scraping it off.