Do it Yourself: Re: [DIY] wallpaper situation

22 September 2011

Re: [DIY] wallpaper situation

There's a lot, lot, lot of wallpaper throughout the apartment. I mean a lot. The kitchen, the two bathrooms, the hallways are all wallpapered. In fact, even the DOORs were wallpapered. I simply cannot exert the energy or strength to scrape, wash, and double wash all those walls. No way. *Note: I used to watch the DYI shows on cable and thought, "Well, my! That's easy! I can do that!" Yeah -- I can do it, but at what cost? I'm gettin' too old for this -- and my husband is not handy, therefore doesn't like to do anything around the house. Therefore ... after my attempt to "paint" the bathroom after having gouged the walls behind the wallpaper and then not knowing what kind of paint to put on after that (yes, I finally got it painted somehow by default), I, at this time do not want to mess with it. I'm willing to prep to an extent before the painter comes, but that's about it. At this point in my life. Yet I appreciate all the suggestions. I'll be calling Zinsser soon or go to Sherman Williams for their thoughts. Cindi

From: Seymour Dupa <grumpy_44134@yahoo.com>
To: "DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com" <DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 2:11 PM
Subject: Re: [DIY] wallpaper situation

Try using a warm/hot air from a blow drier and a putty knife.

John

• It's better to wear out
than rust out.

From: Jan Flood <jan.flood2@att.net>
To: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 12:00 PM
Subject: Re: [DIY] wallpaper situation

As a general rule that backing is easy to come off with hot water and a large putty knife. Put some towels on the floor, use a big sponge and squeeze boiling water (or as hot as you can get it) over the paste, working top to bottom, move over and do it on another strip. While it's still hot go back and start scrapping the backing/glue residue off. Once you have most of it off, go over it with a strong cleaner, full strength 409, one of the citrus cleaners etc. to get it as clean as possible. The only problem I had doing this was if the sheetrock got too wet, the paper would pull off - so it's a little bit of trial and error to get a rythmn going. Usually by the time you get to the bottom half of the wall it gets easier as the water has had time to absorb. Nicks can be repaired with a light coat of mud, then sanded smooth.

As for painting or papering over the residue, don't think that's such a good idea - unless it's in very good condition. ie, still looks like wallpaper without a pattern. We used Kilz oil based primer over some of the old wallpaper then painted and it looks great. You can't tell where the paper was. The wall where we used a steamer to remove the paper looks good too but for the hassle I don't think I'd do it in a bathroom again. I found it just as easy to do it by hand, even if it took a little longer.

I wouldn't paint over the residue. Especially if it's like tacky glue...I don't know if the primer would give you a sealed coat I'm not an expert but I'd remove all the residue to paint or paper ---- or simply paint over the paper that's there. Vinyl will give you more of a problem since you'll have to clean it good and rough it up a little to get the new paint or paper to form a good bond. If I were doing it, I'll pull off all the wallpaper I could, then manually "steam" off the residue and clean it good, let it dry then paint or paper. Especially if you plan to live there for awhile. You can buy products to add to the water, I've heard vinegar and fabric softener but I found just plain hot water worked fine. The trick is figuring out who long to leave the water on, sometimes takes two or three passes with the sponge to get it to soak in without having hot water pooled all over the floor - or running up your arm :)

On Sep 21, 2011, at 10:18 AM, Cindi Waters wrote:

Hi. Evidently it is strippable paper, it comes off in big strips, but it was put on maybe 20 years ago, seems to be a vinyl type thing, but I notice that underneath is a sticky residue. I tried washing it off, but the residue does not come off and it is like tacky glue on the wall surface. Removing it will be a tedious job and so I'm thinking to paint over it with Zinnser GARDZ or a primer, or wallpaper over it. First question: will wallpapering over it eliminate the need for me to take off the glue residue left behind?

From: Jan Flood <jan.flood2@att.net>
To: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 9:55 AM
Subject: Re: [DIY] wallpaper situation

The paste is usually easier to remove than the paper. Just went through this -- do you want to paint or put up new wallpaper? Sounds like it might be strippable paper where it comes off in long strips? Or is the top layer of paper coming off leaving the back layer glued down?

On Sep 21, 2011, at 12:23 AM, clean_boost wrote:

I have to fix the walls in my apartment (condo) and previous tenants applied wallpaper with lots of paste. This paste is real sticky and I don't want to spend the grueling time to remove the paste. Can I take the old wallpaper off and apply new wallpaper if I have to, instead of painting?

Jan Flood

Jan Flood