Every so often people need change, whether it be catastrophic or minor. Change is always appreciated in our homes. A facelift to any room is always desired, but sometimes the pocketbook tells you to hold off on that major remodel. However, simply changing the walls can satisfy our desire for home improvements. Problem is the wallpaper. Paint is typically an easy makeover, but wallpaper is a different situation. Experts recommend removing it before painting for better results now and down the line but how do you go about removing it? Today L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc. will share a few tips on how to remove the old wallpaper.
How Do You Prep to Remove Wallpaper?
To get the room ready for wallpaper removal, start by removing everything from the walls. Shelves, paintings, knick-knacks, and all the screws. Light switch plates and outlet covers must be removed too. Pull out the furniture from the walls. Most optimally remove them from room. If that is not an option, be sure to cover them with old blankets or sheets. Place old towels along the baseboards. Spread plastic drop clothes over the towels, and tape it to the baseboards. This will make clean up easier, and not compromise your floors. Be sure to allow yourself adequate time to remove the wall paper. Usually takes the average person a day to perform this duty.
How Do You Know if Wallpaper is Strippable?
Newer wallpaper has been made to make it strippable. If this is on your walls, the process just got a whole lot easier for you. If you are not sure, take a putty knife to the bottom corner and peal some wallpaper away from the wall. Grip it in your hand pull up. If it pulls up continuously and easily today is your lucky day. With a putty knife, pull up both corners of the strip, once free, use your finger grip to evenly pull the paper to the ceiling. Repeat process around the room. If the wallpaper is particularly stubborn a razor knife might be called into action. Cut perpendicular strips approximately 10 inches apart, and pull up the corners and pull. Other wallpaper needs to be removed by removing it with water. Mix a concentrated liquid stripper with hot water. Apply to the walls with either a spray bottle or a broad brush. Work a section at a time, if you tackle a too large of a section the mixture will dry before you can work on it. After the water solution has been sprayed, let soak in five minutes and with a scraper, begin removing the paper. If old paper doesn’t absorb the water, you may need to sand the wallpaper with coarse sandpaper, spry the solution generously and allow it to soak about half hour, then repeat the initial process. If you have washable wallpaper it is designed to make it easy to clean, but harder to remove. You must first break through the protective film that covers the wallpaper. Using a scoring tool, create holes throughout. Spray the water directly into the slits you created and wait about 10 minutes. With a putty knife, begin stripping away. Removing wallpaper with steam can be a daunting task, and for safety and ease, best accomplished with a partner. A steamer uses boiling water to soften and loosen the glue behind the wallpaper. If you go this route, be sure to follow manufacturer’s directions.
Interior & Exterior Painting & More in Amagansett, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Hampton Bays, Montauk, North Haven, North Sea, Noyack, Shelter Island, Sag Harbor, Shinnecock Hills, Southampton, Springs, Water Mill, Westhampton & Westhampton Beach, New York
L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc. can take all the fuss away from removing that old wallpaper, and cover your walls with whatever your heart’s desire. If you know you want something different, but are unsure what it is, our skilled professionals can provide a consultation and help get that selected room’s walls looking magazine ready.