You are all set for a new look for the wall that is covered by wallpaper, but you don’t know what the quickest yet easiest way is to remove it. Wallpaper removal before painting might seem a challenging task, but it doesn’t have to be when you know the right technique. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know to successfully get rid of the old wallpaper from your walls.

What type of wallpaper do your walls have?

Before jumping towards the process, you need to identify the type of wallpaper to proceed with the best solution. Your wallpapers might be of 3 kinds –

  1. Strippable: Use a putty knife to loosen the corner and try peeling it. If it comes off easily, you’re lucky, as it is strippable wallpaper that needs the simplest wallpaper removal method.
  2. Peelable: if the wallpaper comes off but leaves a paper backing, then it is the peelable type.
  3. Traditional: When the paper is stuck to the wall, be sure it is the traditional one, and prepare yourself to try moistening and scrapping it to remove it.

How do you get rid of the old wallpaper like an expert?

Once you know the criteria for wallpaper, you might wonder how professionals remove wallpaper from a wall. Here, we will break down the steps so that you can remove the old paper skilfully.

Step 1: Preparing the Room

Remove all wall-mounted hardware, such as switch plates, outlet covers, and vents, and cover the openings with tape and plastic. Move out the furniture; if not, shift it to the middle of the space and wrap it with plastic.

Turn off the room’s electricity and cover any outlets or light switches with painter’s tape. Light your workspace with high-quality work lamps on extension cords. To protect everything from water sprays, try covering the floors as well.

Step 2: Gathering Materials

When the room is entirely ready, it’s time for you to gather the necessary equipment. Here, we will provide a list of essential items you might need for the wallpaper-removing project-

  1. Putty knife or scrapper
  2. Soap
  3. Ladder
  4. Water
  5. Spray bottle
  6. Scoring tool
  7. Wallpaper stripper
  8. Rubber gloves
  9. Safety goggles
  10. Wallpaper steamers

Step 3: Start Peeling

Now that you are ready with the tools start the main task. Start by loosening a corner and removing it. You may pry up the wallpaper with the help of a regular putty knife. Modern Strippable wallpaper that has a vinyl or PVC layer may typically be removed with very little struggle.

But it is very rare to get the paper backing and all at once without any mark of glue specially if the wallpaper is old. If it’s a peelable wallpaper it will leave a thin, porous backing glued to the wall that will require a little more effort to complete the job.

However, if it is a traditional wallpaper you won’t be able to get even the top layer. So, it will need a different procedure.

Step 4: Alternative Solution of Peeling

As we mentioned, if you struggle to remove the top layer, the pry-up stage is not for you. Start the task with a scoring tool and run the scorer over the wallpaper with enough pressure. Be a little careful so that you don’t damage the wall underneath. Even if the paper has a vinyl coating to make it waterproof, scoring will help get rid of that. So, the wallpaper is now ready for moistening. You can use any of these mixtures here-

  1. DIY solution: Use Equal parts vinegar & hot water or a bucket of water and a tablespoon of dish soap and take it in a spray bottle.
  2. Wallpaper stripper: Mix the wallpaper stripper with hot water as the manufacturer directs. Transfer the mixture to a garden sprayer or spray bottle.

After the glue has moistened enough, you can pry up the old paper using a wide-bladed instrument like a regular putty knife. If the paper seems too stubborn, you can also use these mixtures on the wall with a wallpaper steamer. Hold the steamer for 10 seconds, then start scraping.

Step 5: Clean the Walls

Use soapy water to clean the walls and get rid of any leftovers. Just use a sponge to clean the walls. If any small holes remain in the wall after the removal procedure, fill them with spackling paste, allow it to dry, and then use sandpaper to smooth out any structures before painting or re-papering.

Ready for painting?

Once the walls are clear and free from their old look, you can hire professional house painters for your house in Sydney. For flawless residential painting service at an affordable rate, you can always rely on Priority One Coatings. For further assistance, call us today.