Wallpaper! Help

[remodelme]

I am in the process of trying to scrape wallpaper off the walls! The walls are plaster (lathe and plaster) and the paper is not coming off. I'm getting frustrated. I'm about ready to take a sledgehammer to the walls and start over. Any tips?

 

[Rob]

There's a nifty little tool that has worked for us in the past. It scores the paper with little blades and helps it come off more easily. I'm not sure what it's called, but there are wallpaper razors and wallpaper scrapers that work on some types of jobs.

 

[WingDing]

I am in the process of trying to scrape wallpaper off the walls! The walls are plaster (lathe and plaster) and the paper is not coming off. I'm getting frustrated. I'm about ready to take a sledgehammer to the walls and start over. Any tips?

I've had some good experience with the tools Rob mentione above. After scoring the paper, there's a spray-on solution (I think its called Dif) that will saturate into the paper, and begin breaking down the glue. It works, but it is still a very tedious process.

I've also used steam in a similar fashion as Dif. Wagner sells a wallpaper steamer, but any steamer would work. Score the paper first!

I wonder if a heat gun would work as well. I've never tried it, but it may work.

If you go down the demolition route, keep the sledgehammer down. Get an angle grinder equipped with a metal cutting wheel and cut out manageable sized squares. Much cleaner, faster. Too bad I didn't know that until the last wall of my kitchen.

Let us know how it goes! Best of luck.

 

[WingDing]

I am in the process of trying to scrape wallpaper off the walls! The walls are plaster (lathe and plaster) and the paper is not coming off. I'm getting frustrated. I'm about ready to take a sledgehammer to the walls and start over. Any tips?

Not that it makes any difference in wallpaper removal, but is the lathe wood, or steel mesh?

 

[carrot]

That Dif works really well if you need it. I would try misting hot water first as it's free and will do fine if you don't have several layers to get through. Steam also can be great if you have one of those steam tools.

 

[Cammy]

When my mom and I updated my grandma's living room, we used my steam cleaner on the wallpaper. It helped and I think anything that helps loosen up the wallpaper glue, will make removing the wallpaper easier. Try a hair dryer if you do not have anything else.

 

[remodelme]

I had a steamer (my Aunt bought one) and it is not working. The water is just running down my arm. The paper is not coming off. I used a tool too for scoring it and it is just stuck. I don't know how old the paper is but it's driving me crazy. I did not try DIF yet, but I will be tomorrow.

 

[Calvin]

I hate it when that happens. I've been around a couple of jobs when they just gave up and called in as many friends as they could coerce into peeling the wallpaper off a tiny little bit at a time. It's frustrating. I don't envy you.

 

[remodelme]

I already tried that (calling friends). No one wants to help rip wallpaper. It's a terrible job. If the DIF doesn't work, I'm knocking the walls out. I can't spend too much more time on it. I'm also leaving deep marks in the wall in some spots, so I will have to fix it after.

 

[stirpermike]

steamer worked for me with my ghetto mixed paper remover as for a chemical that worked best i have used the expensive DIF but...

I ended up using hot water in a spray bottle mixed with fabric softener on paper scored with the "paper tiger" washed walls when done.

I had to get through 4 layers 3 of wallpaper and 2 of paint. And the room smelled better after!