Wall Paper Removal. Best way?
 

Hi all

I have a large area of wall paper to removal which will be a real pig to remove.

I can remember seeing something on TV which were like sheets which were wet and then hung up on the wall paper and then both the sheet and the wall paper just peeled off.

Any idea on this and any other method to use.

Kind regards

Mike

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Why dont you just get a steamer?

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Have you tried 'steaming' it?

My wife brought a machine that steams an area, and you just then scrape it off - no problems. I will run downstairs to see what it is called.

lemarsh

[edit] typical, always get beaten to the first reply! Here is the one we use. Only basic, but does the job/
http://www.earlex.co.uk/steam_html/steamss125.html

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

You should be able to hire a steamer.

When using one, dont hold the hot plate in one area too long. If your plaster is poor it will be damaged.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Big bucket of hot soapy water and a big sponge, soak the walls then scrape :)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Be careful with the wallpaper steamers though - a mate in work used one and he didn't realise the plaster underneath wasn't as sound as it might have been - he heard some 'popping' sounds as he merrily steamed away. The when he pulled the wallpaper off, huge chunks of plaster came away too - he ended up having the whole wall re-plastered too! :Yikes:
BTW I sympathise, I'm off work this weekend and decorating! I saw something on the telly last week that said the best way to strip wallpaper is to score it first, then get a bucket of warm water with a squirt of washing up liquid and a tablespoon of wallpaper paste added, sponge the walls, leave for 10 minutes then it should scrape off with ease. Will let you know the results later in the week! ;)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Steam - nothing removes wallpaper like it. :D

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Yep, good old steam.

Used with care can make life really easy.

That and plenty of elbow grease.
You can either hire one or purchase one from B&Q etc very cheaply.
I have a bog wallpaper one & the wife has a smaller one with a fine nozzle for cleaning the bath/cooker/kids ears etc...
Wonderful stuff.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Petrol can.

1. Throw petrol on wall.

2. Strike match.

3. Throw on to wallpaper.

4. Wall paper burns.

5. No more wall paper. (or house, but thats a risk you are willing to take if you do this. ). ;-)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

When you hire a steam stripper, make sure you get one of those spikey roller thingummyjig tools with it. You use it to make little holes in the surface of the paper. This is because some wallpapers have a surface that is not very good for letting the steam get underneath (especially if the wallpaper has been painted over - like woodchip for example). You could score the surface with a knife instead but if you do that then you end up pulling the paper off in lots of small pieces.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

start / settings / control panel / display / background --> none ;)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

I like that idea. In a similar vain, here's how you paint your walls quickly and without fuss....

1. One big bucket of paint

2. One fluid pump

3. hose & garden sprinkler

4. Assemble, leave the room, switch on and go to the pub.
(remember to remove the furniture, carpet and cover windows though).

:D

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

I was waiting for that :D

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

i have a steam stripper and they are great but.............when you get down low on your walls the steam and vapours suck up hidden dirt from your carpet in a strip around the skirting board and if you have a light carpet (mine is grey) it looks like someones sprayed it mucky in a 3 inch stripe all around the skirting board.......i then ended up using the carpet cleaner......great things though and they make wallpaper stripping easy peasy

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Just stick to anaglipta paper that you paint over and then you NEVER have to strip wallpaper again.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

And while we are in a decorating frame of mind, does anyone know if artex can be plastered over or will it have to be removed first?
Sorry I know that's :notopic:

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

I'm not too sure if it HAS to be removed, but i can tell you if you do remove it i hope you are not too attached to your knuckles

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Ah - well I have a mate who is a plasterer so it will be his knuckles but thanks for the warning!

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

hi Chimaera :wavey:

according to this link

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/artex.htm

plastering over it looks like the easiest option, do bear in mind the warning about potential asbestos content in the artex, though. :)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Ta for the very intersting link Gaz - its in my Favourites now! ;)
Asbestos eh? Something else to worry abut then! And I would rep you but have to 'spread it about a bit' LOL

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Don`t strip it, just keep papering over it, like some fool had done before I moved in this house.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Er.... sorry to say this but Artex... well it can be softened with a steamer & easily scraped off. :D

Looks like it the tool to have for the DIY'r...

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Good advice, but dont forget to let the water soak in for about 5 mins

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

yes it can be - and I do have a steamer, but I was inclined to believe the info linked in my previous post, that it isn't necessarily 'easy' - I'm willing to be better informed, though :)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Hmm, perhaps the word "easy" isnt the right one to use..

When warmed up it did become a lot softer & easier to scrape off.
But nothing to do with DIY is usually "easy"...:D

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Grrrrrr!! I'm now starting to think this is a bad idea! But I've put it off for long enough - the sponge and bucket are out!

I may be gone for some time......................... :Yikes:

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

If it is sound then you can just plaster over it, probably the best way unless the artex finish is particularly peaky and a 3mm layer of plaster will not cover those peaks. Your sponge swirls will normally plaster over fine.

If the artex is painted then it is sealed and steaming off really does not work well. It is possibly easier to either rip the existing board down, or reboard (so double boarded) tape and plaster the new plasterboard.

My Dining room is double boarded as it was impossible to get the painted paper off the existing board to get a suitable surface to key the new plaster on.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

It's sound apart from a little bit in the corner where the central heating pump leaked - hopefully that won't make too much of a diffference.
Thanks for all the help everyone! :clap:
Will post the results here if it ever gets done. ;)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

I'll do the same - we're planning to do it in the only bedroom with an artexed ceiling before it gets redecorated. Need to do it in the next month or so whilst the spirit of getting this back to being a useful bedroom moves me.

I think we will also use it to plaster over the existing ceiling light hole and put halogens in too.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

i had this done once due to a leak. The artexer that did the work put a sealing paint on where the water stain was. A few days later he just artexed it again over the old pattern.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

:afire::mad: RIGHT! :mad::afire:
I have decided to admit defeat and go and buy a steamer - I've spent the last 2 hours scraping at the walls and my efforts look pretty pathetic to say the least - and I'd quite like to get the decorating done this side of Christmas! :rolleyes:
If I'd known it was going to be this much of a pain I'd have moved house! :dozey:
I'm a bit concerned about some of the plaster though - knowing my luck I will be booking the plasterer for a full room plus ceiling. :Yikes:

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

I'd HIRE a steamer.Unless you intend doing LOTS of wallpaper stripping.

Incog. :)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

Well it was only £20 and I will have 2 bedrooms to do shortly as well no doubt - so I reckon it's worth buying one. Now off to read the instructions! ;)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

I never rewallpaper.I've been painting all my anagilpta walls for thirty years.When I get bored I just pick a different colour.Heaven help who ever comes to redecorate after I leave this house. :D They will need a flame thrower :rofl:

Incog.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

I have just heard from a reliable source that there are 3 Essex girls getting all stripped off and steamy in one room in Rainham.
Any volunteers to mop their foreheads? ;)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

although I like the above fresh ideas there are alternative ways of taking wall papers out,
when i was repairing my house i thpught I'd get a steamer cause it is cheap and efficient but it turned out to be realy time consuming and it didnt work everywhere, Instead you can use scorer to make tiny slots throughout the paper and then use glue dissolvant to help you take the papers out in huge chunks, easy and quick ckeck this out - http://www.wallwik.co.uk/

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way?
 

The post is 5 years old:rolleyes: I think they would have removed the wall paper by now.;);)

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way?
 

5 years later means it's probably time to redecorate again :erm:

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way?
 

My favourite way to strip wallpaper off, is to pay some one else to do it!!!

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way?
 

Score it with a blade then paint sugar soap all over the paper, leave it for an hour then the paper will fall off with the little help from a scraper.

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way?
 

Seriously.....if the OP hasn't gotten the paper removed by now they've probably got larger problems.

This thread is 5 years old!!!

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way ???
 

You must of been bored with the fresh topics, if you dug this deep to find one from the archives!!!!;):)

Are you a decorator??

Re: Wall Paper Removal. Best way?
 

If anyone is really bored and wants to practice my hall, stairs and landing needs stripped.