Removing wallpaper

shifty_uk · 29 Mar 2008 at 19:20

I'm going to be stripping and painting the walls at a relatives house over the next week or so. My plan is, to strip the wallpaper from the walls(it's been there for years so should be quite tricky), then to have a smooth, flat and painted wall.

After stripping, the thing that worries me is little cracks, chips and left over paste/paper from before. Could anyone recommend a method, or products that would help removing left over paper? I'd also need a filler for all the little cracks and imperfections on the walls?

Not done this properly before, but it shouldn't be that hard?

semi-pro waster · 29 Mar 2008 at 19:21

Polyfiller is the usual stuff that I've used whenever I've helped anyone with their walls, there are probably other products but that has been good enough.

And I don't know if you've already got one but either buy or hire a steamer, it makes the job infinitely easier although still can be a royal pain in the neck.

rpstewart · 29 Mar 2008 at 19:55

shifty_uk said:
I'm going to be stripping and painting the walls at a relatives house over the next week or so. My plan is, to strip the wallpaper from the walls(it's been there for years so should be quite tricky), then to have a smooth, flat and painted wall.

After stripping, the thing that worries me is little cracks, chips and left over paste/paper from before. Could anyone recommend a method, or products that would help removing left over paper? I'd also need a filler for all the little cracks and imperfections on the walls?

Not done this properly before, but it shouldn't be that hard?

The chances of you being able to paint straight onto the wall after you've taken the existing paper off are slim to nil unless the walls under the paper are decent plasterboard. If it's old hand applied plaster underneath then the best bet is to fill the walls as best you can, put some heavy lining paper up then paint that.

Take your time getting the paper off then go back round the room again once the walls have dried out and scrape off the last wee bits as you're filling the cracks etc. Try and get the filling as good as you can off the bat, it'll mean less rubbing down later however if it's a big hole then don't try and do it in one go, fill it roughly then come back to it again.

semi-pro waster said:
And I don't know if you've already got one but either buy or hire a steamer, it makes the job infinitely easier although still can be a royal pain in the neck.

Having spent most of the day stripping wallpaper myself I can assure you that a steamer is the best £20 you'll ever spend.

PhillyDee · 29 Mar 2008 at 20:06

Right click on desktop . . . . .

Zogger · 29 Mar 2008 at 20:38

shifty_uk said:
I'm going to be stripping and painting the walls at a relatives house over the next week or so.

Just a hint: you don't have to take your clothes off before painting the walls (or to have a good time). Particularly if the relatives are in

alexakasloth · 29 Mar 2008 at 21:02

When I did my bedroom I just used a steamer and plastic scraper, it was enough as the paper came off very easily, it had been up about 7 or 8 years. I used polyfilla to fill in holes after recomendations from people on here, easy to use and works well.

shifty_uk · 29 Mar 2008 at 21:06

Zogger said:
snip

Haha, yeah...

Thanks for the tips.

semi-pro waster said:
Polyfiller

I'll pick some up, thanks.

rpstewart said:
The chances of you being able to paint straight onto the wall after you've taken the existing paper off are slim to nil unless the walls under the paper are decent plasterboard. If it's old hand applied plaster underneath then the best bet is to fill the walls as best you can, put some heavy lining paper up then paint that.

I was afraid someone would say that. Completing this during my week off isn't going to happen is it?

Spinal2k2 · 29 Mar 2008 at 21:30

you might also have the problem of the wallpaper paste residue left on the wall in some areas that can cause a rough surface.

I think its something like salt soap or something like that, that you can get to clean the walls with once the wallpaper is removed.

If the wall is bad after wards with cracks etc that need filling in, fill them in then use wet&dry sand paper to sand it down smooth & flish with the rest of the wall (ie use a rough one first the work to a finder paper like P1200)

schnipps · 29 Mar 2008 at 21:33

Its a nightmare, IF the paper has totally welded on like we had in our old flat kitchen then there isnt much you can do on a budget. We steamed it off but it still left a mess underneath. We ended up having to wallpaper over it with a textured paper then painting it. That was with lining paper underneath.