Removing Wallpaper: DIY Basics

Removing Wallpaper: DIY Basics

By Howard Stier

Tired of that out-of-date, peeling wallpaper in one or many of your rooms?  Well, if you can muster some patience and a few tools, you'll be able to nicely remove it and create a new blank canvas for a fresh surface.

Removing it can be easy. Or, it can be a big chore. This, of course, depends on the paper and the kind of glue that was used to adhere it to the walls.

(Note: If existing wallpaper has a smooth surface and is securely fastened to the wall, you may be able to paint or paper over it and avoiding the removal process altogether.)

What you'll need to remove wallpaper

• Wallpaper removing solution or gel
• Spray bottle
• Hot water
• Drop cloths
• Scarifier or coarse floor sanding paper
• Scraper or broad knife

1. First, try using a scraper or putty knife to peel it off the wall, carefully lifting up a corner of the paper at an angle.  If you can remove it easily, great! Continue peeling. You may use a kitchen rolling pin to remove dry paper.

2. If you are unable to peel wallpaper completely, however, you'll need to go to the next step.  So, fill a spray bottle with a solution of hot water and wallpaper removing solution which you will use to cover a test area of about 4 square feet. You can also use a gel remover to avoid water damage to trim and floors. Leave solution on the walls for 15 to 20 minutes -- but no more than that. Leaving the solution on longer can cause damage to drywall.

3. The solution should quickly dissolve the adhesive if the wallpaper is porous. For non-porous paper, you will need to score the surface before applying solution with a special scarifying or scoring tool, coarse floor-sanding paper, or the tooth-edged side of a saw. The decorative surface of some wallpaper easily separates from the backing which allows you to dry-strip the decorative surface and use solution and a broad knife to remove the backing.

4. If the existing wallpaper was laid with proper prepping, you should lay new wallpaper on top of existing paper rather than risk damaging drywall by removing.

Tips for Specific Types of Wallpaper

Flocked: Constructed from very fine cotton, silk or nylon fibers, some flocked papers have a paper substrate which can be removed using a solution or a steamer.  If you are unable to remove the surface, you may need to dampen flock fibers before scoring the surface. Saturate the scored surface for 15 minutes and then remove using a broad knife. Fabric backing should peel away easily.

Commercial grade vinyl: You can easily remove most commercial grade wallpaper, especially if you pull off at a 10-degree angle in narrow, 4-6 inch strips.

Cork Veneer, Felt, and Suede: Cork veneer is constructed from cork shavings laminated to a substrate paper. Felt and suede wallpaper have a napped finish resembling leather. For these types of wallpaper, you usually strip the decorative surface from backing. You may need to score the backing with coarse sanding paper before soaking with full strength removal solution. After ten to twenty minutes of soaking, use a broad knife to scrape away backing. If you are unable to remove substrate, install the new paper directly on top. It is preferable to remove both layers.

Foil: This paper is constructed of a thin aluminum sheet laminated onto a paper or scrim substrate. There may be a polyester sheet between the foil and substrate. You will need to score foil paper with rough sandpaper before dampening with wallpaper-removing solution.

Natural cloth paper: This category contains grasscloth, hemp, jute weave, paper weave, reed cloth, string cloth, and rush cloth and is made from natural plant materials. You will need to remove the texturized surface by saturating with wallpaper removing solution and scraping. Repeat to remove backing. If backing cannot be removed, dry, sand, and paper over the backing.

Expanded vinyl: This paper has a raised, heat embossed patterns. You can usually dry peel the surface layer and can either lay new paper over paper backing or scrape away after soaking with a mixture of warm water and removing solution.

Liner paper: You may be able to lay new paper directly on top of liner paper if the liner paper is securely fastened to the wall. If it needs to be removed, first try to dry strip. If that doesn’t work, use the soak and scrape technique.

Photo mural: This wallpaper also has a decorative surface over backing. You can usually peel away the surface. If you are unable to peel it off, you will need to score, spray, and scrape.

Mylar: This wall covering has a foil-like surface which usually dry strips from the backing. You will need to soak and scrape the backing.

Solid sheet vinyl, silkscreen, or wetlook: These wall coverings feature decorative surfaces made of vinyl which can be removed by pulling the surface layer.

Standard Paper: The thin vinyl coating on this paper can be removed with coarse sandpaper, sprayed with warm water/removing solution mixture which you can let soak for 15 minutes before scraping.

Vinyl coated: You can usually dry-strip vinyl coated paper from the wall. You may need to score with sandpaper or a scarifying tool before soaking with solution and scraping.