Removing wallpaper from plasterboard

Kimi · 30 Mar 2016 at 14:34

The next room on the list has got 2 plasterboard walls and 2 brick walls, they are all wallpapered with 1980s flower power stuff.

Ive never removed wallpaper from plasterboard before but i would have thought getting it wet would be a bit of an issue.

Is there a method to removing wallpaper from plasterboard? I dont want to get the plasterboard soggy and end up bringing the wall down

Wizzfizz · 30 Mar 2016 at 14:39

I used hot soapy water and a sponge to remove ours, that seemed to do the trick

Vern1961 · 30 Mar 2016 at 14:54

Just don't over wet it (squeeze the sponge out and pat gently) and don't steam it. Leave to soak and loosen for a couple of minutes and scrape gently.

We just had a tussle with our old lounge paper which had been painted over (twice) and the walls underneath quite fragile. Had to use hot air (not steam) to soften the surface so it could be pulled off in reasonable strips, then above mentioned technique to get the backing off. Still brought some of the paint off the plaster but the new paper is quite thick (sorry, damask I have to say) which will hopefully cover it all up for another 10 - 15 years (by which time we'll be too old to care).

a1ex2001 · 30 Mar 2016 at 14:58

I'd just steam it and reboard it if the board gets knackered it will be quicker and easier than trying desperately to protect the board and then probably ruining it anyway.

Maccy · 30 Mar 2016 at 16:09

Just been through the same with our spare room, a lot of time with a steamer and scraping - it's hard graft but best to get the wall as stripped back as possible, I presume you're getting it plastered?