How to Strip Wallpaper the Easy Way
I have a room in my house that I have never shown you before – not even a glimpse.
The reason – it is really small and impossible to get a good photo, plus there was not much to see – except lots of dated wallpaper.
Today I am giving you a peek to show you the first step in the room’s transformation that I am taking on as my first big project of the year. I don’t even have an idea for the room yet, but do know that whatever I come up with, that the wallpaper needs to go.
I put the wallpaper up back in 1996 and I loved it then -not so much anymore. Having to strip wallpaper, I like even less!
Removing wallpaper, especially well-adhered wallpaper, is not hard but can get a bit messy. I know this from plenty of experience. I also know from experience that the easiest way to remove it is to attack it with the score and soak method using a product called DIF Wallpaper Stripper and a Paper Tiger scoring tool!
Without these two marvelous inventions – removing wallpaper would require hiring a pro or the rental of a steamer.
Using these two products does require a bit of patience in the way of having to wait 20 minutes after the DIF solution is applied. If you are like me, you may want to start pulling off the wallpaper immediately. You will however, be rewarded after the wait when the wallpaper comes off in big sections in minutes – which does bring a bit of enjoyment – seeing new possibilities for the room come to mind right in front of your eyes.
Ed and I both took turns removing the paper and had it done in a few hours.
Foyer Powder Room: Before
I have had this glass cabinet door hanging in the room for a long time. I plan on removing the book pages behind it and will do something new with it somewhere else in my house eventually.
How to Remove Wallpaper The Easy Way
supplies needed:
- DIF Wallpaper Stripper – I used both the spray gel and the liquid concentrate in a bottle that you mix in hot water
- Paper Tiger Wallpaper Scoring Tool
- Paint roller with a thick nap or a Large sponge – I used a car washing sponge
- Plastic drop cloth
- Scraper
- Bucket with hot water
- Plastic gloves
- Large trash bag to place wallpaper in after removing it
- TSP Cleaner – to clean walls after paper is removed
The type of paper – texture and thickness, along with what was used to adhere it will determine how easy or hard the wallpaper will be to remove. I had a few stubborn areas, but all I needed to do was spray and sponge on more DIF and it eventually all came off.
1. Roll the Paper Tiger over the entire wallpapered surface. Apply just enough pressure to perforate the paper. If you push too hard, it will score the sheetrock or other wall surface. A little Spackle will fix the problem, but why add an extra step?
Doing this will leave little holes in the paper that will allow the DIF solution to penetrate the paper and loosen the adhesive.
3. Protect the floor and furniture with plastic drop cloths.
4. Mix the DIF liquid concentrate with warm water in a bucket following the directions on the bottle’s label. Use a thick nap paint roller or a large sponge to soak the paper with the solution. You can also use the Spray-On DIF. It is a thick gel that clings to the paper. I used both products, but like using the concentrate since it goes on much faster.
5. The fun begins after you apply the DIF and wait 20 minutes. In some cases – the paper will peel right off. Where there may have been more adhesive or less DIF – it may need a second coating and waiting period, just keep the paper wet with solution and the wallpaper will come off.
I used a flat metal scraper to gently wedge under the edge of the paper to start removing each section. Once I had enough wallpaper lifted up with the scraper, I used both hands to pull the paper off.
6. When most of the paper is off, you may be left with some smaller pieces. Just soak the areas with the DIF solution and sponge again, wait a few minutes and then rub the sponge over the areas with a bit of pressure until the paper slides off the wall. Add more solution to the wall as you work.
7. Once all the paper is removed -you need to clean the wall thoroughly.
Fill the bucket with clean water and TSP Cleaner. Wash over the walls with the solution to remove any adhesive residue on the walls. Then to make sure the walls are ready for paint – wash again with plain water.
Once the walls are completely dry, they should be primed. If painting – use a paint primer, if you are going to put up new wallpaper, use wallpaper primer.
The room is tiny, I classify it as a space, not even a room and I had to use a wide angle lens to get these photos which kind of look a bit distorted.
To remove the wallpaper behind the toilet, Ed had to remove the tank.
Now, I have to decide what to do in the room in the way of colors and style. I truly have no idea yet, except that it will be budget-friendly. Stay tuned…
For more project ideas, visit StartRightStartHere.com or follow True Value on Pinterest. I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.
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