Do You Want to Remove Wallpaper Before Painting?

Do you want to remove wallpaper before painting? Scenario: You’re getting ready to do some painting around the house, and you come to this one room. You knew it was going to be an issue, but you’ve managed to put it out of your mind. But now, here you are. Every wall in the room is covered floor-to-ceiling with wallpaper that you once liked but don’t anymore.

Do You Want to Remove Wallpaper Before Painting? What Can You Do?

A. Leave it alone and try to forget about it – again

B. Learn how to remove the wallpaper yourself

C. Paint over the wallpaper

D. Hire an expert to remove the wallpaper

Assuming that option A isn’t possible and you plan to go with option B, Franklin Painting of Farmington, CT, would like to share some helpful information.

Wallpaper Removal Methods

Here are a few methods for removing wallpaper that might solve your problems.

Is It Peel-and-stick Wallpaper?

If you used a peel-and-stick, non-woven wallpaper – or if the person who had the room before you did – then you may be able to just peel off the old wallpaper. If it’s another kind of wallpaper, read on.

Water Or Water Mixed With Fabric Softener

Most wallpapers need moisture to help them to break their adhesive and pull away from the wall. Vinyl-coated and textured wallpapers often respond well to soaking with warm water, after which you might be able to scrape off the wallpaper with a putty knife.

If the wallpaper is stubborn and doesn’t release with straight warm water, try adding some liquid fabric softener to the water and do it again.

Chemical Wallpaper Remover

The fact that there’s even such a thing as a mass-produced chemical wallpaper remover tells you that this job is one that has been problematic for a lot of people for a long time.

When you buy one of these solutions at a paint or hardware store, read the label well and talk with a person who works there to see if they know anything about using the product.
Chemical wallpaper removers contain special compounds that break up adhesives and allow the wallpaper to come away from the wall easily. Hopefully.

Wallpaper Steamer

Another method invented to make it easier for the average homeowner to remove wallpaper is the wallpaper steamer. Running these devices over wallpaper infuses the paper with steam to loosen the adhesive.

Ideally, you can steam the wallpaper section by section and then peel it off or scrape it off with a putty knife. Make sure to understand how to use the steamer before you start.

Factors That Can Affect Wallpaper Removal

People have had good results with warm water, chemical removers and wallpaper steamers, but there are other factors that come into play when removing old wallpaper.

One of the factors is the condition and texture of the wall behind the wallpaper. Some surfaces tend to “hold” the wallpaper and make you have to fight to get them to let go of it.

Also, certain wallpaper adhesives are stronger than others and can be difficult to completely cut through.

Option C.

It’s not advised that you try to paint over old wallpaper, but if you use a powerful primer – maybe even two coats of it – and the highest-quality paint you can find – maybe two or three coats of it – you might be satisfied with the results. But then, you might not be.

Option D.

Professional painters, remodelers and interior decorators remove wallpaper all the time. They are your best places to turn for a wallpaper removal job that’s not only relatively quick but also done well.

If you live in the Farmington, CT, area, call Franklin Painting for help with removing old wallpaper. Reach us by phone or through our contact form.