Rather than pay a professional for stripping wallpaper, do it yourself with the right wallpaper supplies. Because wallpaper is made with moisture-resistant fibers and is adhered to the wall with super bonding glue, it takes just the right combination of wallpaper supplies to take down what was meant to stay up for decades at a time. In the age of do-it-yourself easy home decorating, more homeowners than ever are re-designing their homes, and that can mean stripping wallpaper, sometimes several layers at a time. It's not easy to strip wallpaper, but you can get professional-looking results if you are determined and have the right tools.
Scoring Tool
Look for a wallpaper scoring tool or perforator, which is a small handheld roller with dozens of tiny teeth on a wheel. The tool is designed to puncture the wallpaper to allow steam, solvent and moisture in between the layers and to soften the adhesive enough to remove it.
Liquid Enzyme
Despite the on-again, off-again success of home remedies of vinegar and water solutions for softening wallpaper, a commercial enzyme solution designed for wallpaper removal can work fast to break down the glue and soften it up enough to be scraped away. The key is to let the enzyme solution penetrate the wallpaper for at least 30 minutes, allowing the chemical reaction to work fully.
Professional Steamer
Most hardware and home improvement stores will rent steamers meant to apply blasts of wet steam to the perforated wallpaper, softening the paper as well as the adhesive. Edges of paper will curl up, and much of it can then be peeled off.
Sheetrock Blade
The tool used to loosen softened wallpaper and scrape off adhesive is a sheetrock blade. Use this flattened blade to work your way under curled edges of wallpaper and slide gooey glue up from underneath. Sheetrock blades do have sharp corners, however, so take care not to puncture the wall with vigorous scraping.
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One of the very first things that people notice about a room is the condition of the walls. If they are covered with old and stained wall paper, chances are the room will have a dated and uninspired look. |
Wallpaper can turn plain walls into colorful works of art, but many people avoid wallpaper because they are under the impression that stripping and removing wallpaper isn?t easy. Hanging wallpaper doesn?t seem nearly as arduous since it's something new and exciting, but stripping and removing old wallpaper is considered a chore. |
It seems like a nightmare when a spot mysteriously appears on wallpaper. Although most wallpapers manufactured today are said to be washable, despite cleaning instructions, some vinyl wallpaper isn?t that easy to clean. |
