Removing 2 layers of old wallpaper and paint

py2006

Hi guys,

In our spare room, about 10 years ago, I painted over some old wallpaper instead of removing the paper. There is actually two layers of wallpaper underneath. The painting didn't come out as well as I had hoped and age hasn't done it any favours.

Do you have any tips to handily remove wallpaper/s and the paint. I want a flat surface again so I can paint it again.

Thanks

BrokenArrows

py2006 wrote: »

Hi guys,

In our spare room, about 10 years ago, I painted over some old wallpaper instead of removing the paper. There is actually two layers of wallpaper underneath. The painting didn't come out as well as I had hoped and age hasn't done it any favours.

Do you have any tips to handily remove wallpaper/s and the paint. I want a flat surface again so I can paint it again.

Thanks

You wont get a flat surface to paint. After removing wallpaper you are guaranteed to wreck the wall with scratches especially since you have painted over it.

Wall paper stripper usually works by soaking though the paper and dissolving the glue making the removal of the paper easier. Since you have painted over it the wall paper stripper wont work well and i see many many hours of scraping paper ahead of you.

So just scrap it off the best you can with hot water, wall paper stripper and then just wall paper it again.
Or after removing the paper get the room plastered again so you can paint.

seamus

You want one of these guys. https://www.woodies.ie/stanley-orbital-wallpaper-scorer-1132481?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9ZDeBRD9ARIsAMbAmobTAfZD91XSLtFGTpHZw5CzZnvHdLaGoqT_gvSN003vpkptJoPqAewaAng2EALw_wcB

Basically provides you with an "in" to get water in behind the wallpaper.

Painting it again is another matter. There's a good chance that after the scoring and stripping there'll be more tiny holes and gouges the wall than you can reasonably patch.

If you really want to repaint, then paying a plasterer to freshly reskim the walls after stripping, would be money well spent.

Get the old wallpaper off and then see where you are. You might find the plaster coming off in chunk and then you'll have no choice but to replaster.

py2006

Well its a spare room, so I wouldn't mind the odd unevenness on the wall. Although if the original plastering comes off too :eek:

Diziet

Use a wallpaper steamer, it really is very effective. Then make sure you wash the wall well, fill any indentations, sand and paint. it is not quick...

ouxbbkqtswdfaw

I'd buy a steamer and take off one layer gently at a time. Then wash the walls to remove all adhesive. Then you will see how bad or good the walls are. You could try and fill the marks or scores on the walls if they are not bad. Otherwise, skim or wallpaper again.

py2006

is it ok to run the steamer over paint? That scorer recommended above looks good.

ouxbbkqtswdfaw

Yes it's emulsion, ie waterbased and the paper will shift. Try to shift only one layer at a time.

py2006

skip to 2:07

EDIT: Actually I think she uses it wrong, I think you are supposed to run in in circular motions.

bunderoon

Be very careful with the steamer as if there is a slight hold in the top skim of the plaster, then the steamer will push the steam into it and will start to move a dinner plate sized of skim away from the wall.

I renovated my house and thought I'd be able to strip the walls.
I happily paid a plasterer in the end to reskim. I wish that I did it from the start. Would have saved me a lot of time.

py2006

bunderoon wrote: »

I renovated my house and thought I'd be able to strip the walls.
I happily paid a plasterer in the end to reskim. I wish that I did it from the start. Would have saved me a lot of time.

I must get a quote on plastering, I think the room is only 10x10

ouxbbkqtswdfaw

Either way you'll have to get the paper off.

listermint

Forget those little wheelie things. They are rubbish. Literally a couple of uses and they break.

This is what you want .

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-245130-Wallpaper-Perforator-480mm/dp/B0015NRK36

I've removed acres of wood chip with it. Anyone that knows wood chip will know the pain.

Anyway pierce with that roller than using wall paper remover and a garden sprayer spray the walls down the night before.

Next day come back and spray some more with the sprayer and start with a scraper. Spraying more remover every so often. It will lift it all up much better than any steamer machine which gets warm and sticky and is a horrible experience.

Basically keeping the walls wet lifts the paper off and plenty of elbow grease.

Lumen

I've to do this too this weekend, although fortunately the paper isn't painted over.

@listermint, to be clear you're saying avoid steaming but use "wallpaper remover" and patience instead?

This sort of stuff?

https://www.woodies.ie/durabond-500ml-wallpaper-stripper-631928

ouxbbkqtswdfaw

From my experience the steamer is the best way to do the job. Place on wall count to 10, move to adjacent position count to 10, move to adjacent position again count to 10. You are waiting for the steam to penetrate the paper. Then return to original position, count to 10, then use scraper to gently lift paper, first the outer leaf and then the inner leaf.

Markcheese

Plus 1, on the steamer, take your time, plenty of steam,
And when you're finish wash down with sugar soap,.. Good luck...
(If you want to wet the paper well the night before that'll help..just warm water and a bit of washing up liquid .)

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Painful stuff. Glad to see I'm not the only one who had to go the replaster route. Though I stripped an entire 4 bed semi d and the painter took one look and said not a hope. Replastered the entire place. You live and learn.

listermint

Lumen wrote: »

I've to do this too this weekend, although fortunately the paper isn't painted over.

@listermint, to be clear you're saying avoid steaming but use "wallpaper remover" and patience instead?

This sort of stuff?

https://www.woodies.ie/durabond-500ml-wallpaper-stripper-631928

Yep that stuff.

Steamers are zero crack. They are slow. They create sticky messes on the wall. They make the room hot and the windows steamed up. its a terrible environment to work in. Ive used handheld electrical and industrial steamers and same result.

Piercing, damping the paper and scraping it is the most effective and quickest cleanest way to do it. Steamers create bits , tears and wet damp sticky glue everywhere.

listermint

Spiked the wall before the game. Sprayed.. watched the first half and took down 8 sq meters during the half time

Just using these. Steaming is now where near as fast.

BrokenArrows

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

Painful stuff. Glad to see I'm not the only one who had to go the replaster route. Though I stripped an entire 4 bed semi d and the painter took one look and said not a hope. Replastered the entire place. You live and learn.

Well you would have had to strip the wallpaper anyway. You cant skim over paper.

OP, Start off with the easy method (wallpaper stripper and sprayer) and work your way up to complex method, scrapers and steamers.

I stripped a whole house. Every room had multiple layers of paper. Worst few weeks of my life.

However there were some walls where the paper just fell off after a bit of water+wallpaper remover. Fingers crossed that will be your whole house.
I honestly dont know why some walls were easy and others not. Probably paper type, amount of glue used, wall type etc.