My last few blogs have been about getting your home ready for sale which many people consider doing around this time of year. Everyone has that project that they have put off for one reason or another over the years. Taking down old wallpaper can be a daunting task and one you are not jumping up and down to do. I want to give some simple tips for the do it yourself person that might want to update the look of their home and get rid of the 1980’s wallpaper.
First off not all wallpaper is old and outdated. They make some amazing paper these days that can really bring your walls to life. It is the wallpaper that someone put on your walls 20-30 years ago or more that usually does not look good any longer. At Absolute Painting we have worked on some homes that have had wallpaper that had multiple layers of wallpaper from about 100 years ago. Let’s hope you do not run into this! Even if you do not think it looks horrible most potential home buyers will be turned off right away at most wallpaper.
If you get the urge to tackle this project you can follow a few simple steps and with a little luck it may come down easier than you think. You can buy all kinds of tools, gadgets and gizmos for taking down wallpaper. You can rent or buy a steamer at your local home improvement store. Some of these items help and some do not.
I always recommend just trying to peel away the top layer of paper so you can get down to the base layer that is stuck to the wall. If you can get the top layer off you may just try applying hot water with a sponge or rag and wait a few minutes. This works about 50% of the time depending on the type of glue they used originally. A simple spackle knife can help peel the bottom layer away and will not damage the drywall or plaster if done carefully.
If you have a lot of trouble with getting the base layer of wallpaper to come off you may use a steamer as they can help break up the glue and make the job easier. They do sell tools that can poke holes in the wallpaper as well so you can apply a product that will penetrate all layers and break up the glue. These can be a little tricky as they tend to do some damage to walls if you are not careful. I would test a small area first and see if you are damaging the drywall.
If you have tried all of these ideas and nothing will get the paper off you may want to call a professional and get their opinion. We have had paper that we just could not get down in rare instances and we had to have it skim coated over.
If you have any questions about products or ideas for wallpaper removal please call Absolute Painting and we are happy to help.
