Wallpapering 101

Lesson 2: Getting Prepared

This lesson contains the information you will need to remove old wallpaper and borders. It also covers the preparation of walls prior to wallpapering, which includes a tutorial about wall liners, describing where to use them and how to hang them.

Removing Old Wallpaper - Part 1

Removing Wallpaper isn’t really as hard as people make it out to be. First of all, if an oil base primer was applied to the wall prior to the initial installation of the paper, its removal will be a breeze, but generally, this won’t be the case. All you’ll have to do is get under the edge of it and pull it off is there is a solid oil primer on the wall.

Peeling a little piece off and examining the wall surface is a wise move. It’s always good to know what type of wall surface you are dealing with. These days, the most common wall coverings are made of vinyl. Problem is, these vinyl wall coverings are not solid vinyl, they are vinyl coated with a paper backing. Very few wall coverings that you will run into will be of a solid vinyl composition.

They have all kinds of wallpaper removal tools on the market, from sharp tools that score the surface to steam generating tools that soften the paper so it will come off easily. Tools that score the surface of the paper, like the “Paper Tiger” shouldn’t be used, all they do is damage the wall, and don’t help in removing vinyl coated paper. Old style wall coverings that are solid paper can be soaked or steamed and don’t need to be scored. The trick is to separate the vinyl coating from the paper backing. Steam and liquid soaking methods will not penetrate the vinyl surface. I use a wall 3.5 inch wall scraper made by the Hyde Corp. It has a 3.5 inch razor blade held tightly in its jaws by a set screw with approximately a ten inch coated handle. Holding the scraper perpendicular with the wall and exerting some pressure at the edge of the paper will usually separate the vinyl from the paper backing. Then, you can pull off as much of the vinyl as you can before having to work your way under it again with the scraper blade.

Please note that the use of this scraper is a very touchy move, but one that is completely necessary. The scraper must be held completely level with the wall, and at an angle where it will get under the paper, but not dig up the wall. Patience is paramount in this process. Getting in a big hurry will only cause damage to the wall which will have to be repaired with spackling before painting or recoating with a wall covering. Be sure to keep the scraper facing in the right direction by keeping the screw head that holds the razor blade in place facing you at all times. Using the scraper in the backwards position will damage the wall. Keep in mind that a razor blade is very sharp and dangerous; be sure to keep your fingers away from the blade at all times. You should wear gloves, and if you need to clean off the blade, wipe it with an old rag.

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