Wallpaper Removal
A Quick
And Easy How-To
By D. David Dugan
A word of warning upfront, if you have a wallpaper removal task ahead of
you’re your in for a bit of work. Make sure you set aside a considerable amount
of time for this project as you may run into tough spots and problem areas that
will eat up a lot of time. Removing wallpaper however, while not a fun task, can
be done quickly and easily if you are prepared.
First get the room ready. Remove everything from the room that can be
removed. This includes furniture and rugs where possible. When the room is
emptied cover the floor with a drop cloth in the area you will be working. This
will aid in cleanup later.
Now get all of your tools together:
• Goggles
• Mask
• Perforator
• Bucket
• Sponge
• Glue Dissolving Agent
• Blunt Scraper
• Sharp Scraper
Goggles and a mask are on the list first for a good reason. You will
have little pieces of who knows how old paper with who know what kind of glue on
it flying and dripping all over the place. Wear the goggles and the mask
whenever you are doing the least bit of work.
I can’t underestimate the importance of the perforator. They come in a
couple styles and sizes. Get the one that is most appropriate to the amount of
paper you have to remove. The perforator is pretty simple to use. With a slight
amount of pressure you roll it around the wall and it makes little divots into
the paper. Be careful not to press to hard as you do not want to dig into the
wall itself.
Next is preparing your solution. The commercial products work well, but
I’ve had good results with warm water and vinegar. If you are going to use the
commercial products, be sure to follow their instructions as to mixture ratios.
For the vinegar solution, 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water is sufficient for most
glues. Add more vinegar if you are having difficulties.
Ok, so we’re ready to start soaking the walls. Pick a spot, not to
large, and get it thoroughly wet with your sponge and solution. Some people like
to use a sprayer as well, but I find the sponge and a little pressure works
better. Don’t be shy about wetting the wall. Your solution needs to soak through
the paper and loosen the glue. You may have to repeat this step depending on
your situation.
Now comes the scrapping. Use a blunt scrapper or even a putty knife to
start with. You want to avoid nicking or gauging the wall underneath to save the
trouble of spackling later on. Use slow even strokes to remove the paper. If it
is loose enough it will simply melt off the wall. If not, wet it again. If you
continue to have trouble, you may have to switch to the sharp scrapper. Be very
careful though, of both your fingers and the wall!
Once all the paper if off, you may have to repeat this process to remove
extra paper layers or even a glue layer that may be left behind. You want to get
all the way down to the plaster or drywall. Then, spackle any nicks or holes
smooth, clean up the mess and paint to suit. Oh, and congratulate yourself on a
job well done.
D. David Dugan has a website,
http://homeimprovement.divinfo.com to help homeowners find all the
information they need about remodeling, home repair, building decks and
carports, room additions, and more. He also actively participates in an article
directory at
http://www.articlemotron.com that has current and up to date information on
many topics
|