Removing wallpaper

[HeavenLeigh]

I'm attempting to work on my bathroom......tearing down wallpaper, painting, etc.....

That wall paper is stuck like Bubbles to Michael Jackson's hip in the early 80's.
You're suppose to take a spray bottle and wet the walls, right? Is there some sort of solution I could buy/make that will help?

[jana]

Hon, I have recently discovered that removing wallpaper is the suckiest thing ever.

Your options are basically this:

- spray the walls with water, like you've been doing
- spray them with vinegar
- spray them with chemical wallpaper remover
- buy a steamer (ours was $50)
- forget the idea and paint over it
- forget the idea and pull down all the drywall and put up new

For all of the spray/steam ideas, it's helpful to score the wallpaper first, so the liquid can get down to soften the glue underneath. You can buy a scorer (I think one brand is Paper Tiger?) or just use the corner of your scraper VERY gently...you don't want to damage the drywall underneath. You have to be gentle with a scorer, too, and not push too hard.

Good luck! I know that it SUCKS. Between me, dh, and 2 other people, we probably spent about 10 hours trying to remove wallpaper (that was falling down on its own in some spots! we thought it'd be easy!) in a tiny bathroom. We finally gave up and tore down the drywall & put up new, which was MUCH easier in the end.

[HeavenLeigh]

:eek: I had never done the wallpaper thing til I put it up in both bathrooms. I was such an idiot, I "thought" the stuff would peel right off with a good yanking :rolleyes: I guess that's what I get for thinking!

Thanks for the tips J :D

[Sydneyp]

I've removed wallpaper bunches of times (and tried more often than that.)

The only time I had a real problem (and ended up painting over most of the paper) was when the person who papered the wall didn't prime the wall first. She just glued the paper directly to the wallboard - and I couldn't get it off without also getting off the wallboard (gypsum or plasterboard or knowing them, cardboard.)

Typically I go to k-mart and buy wallpaper glue solvent (or maybe it's called wallpaper remover or something like that.) This paper tiger brand sounds familiar - that might be what I used. Anyway - protect any wood, score the paper, soak it with the solution, be patient and don't rush. Soak it again for good measure and while it's wet grab a corner and start peeling. Any bits that stick soak again, use some kind of scraper (like a putty knife) and scrape it off. Now get really gooey cause you have to wash the walls and when you lift your arm above your shoulder the water and disolved wallpaper paste and solution run down your arm, into your armpit, and -this is the exciting part -(where's it gonna go?!) either down your side or down your back. Whoo! The fun of household redecorating.

Let me lay a new floor (starting with bare support beams) any day.