As wallpaper is coming back to be a focal point of home decor, a few questions have to be answered to make sure the reintroduction of wallpaper to your project is a positive one. A couple that come to mind are: how do you remove old wallpaper and how do you properly prepare a wall to hang new wallpaper?
I like to tell my clients that removing wallpaper is a lot of fun. This usually gets a good laugh. Good wallpaper hung right is relatively easy to remove. If you don’t have both of these variables working in your favor, you may want to consider priming over the wallpaper with oil based Allprime to seal the paper and then paint or paper over the surface. You have to use oil based primer because if you don’t, the water based products can cause the old paper to bubble. Once the old paper bubbles, you should probably put your house on the market and move. I am just kidding. If this happens, just call me and I will offer some suggestions on how to fix your mess.
To remove old paper, you need two tools: a Paper Tiger and some wallpaper removal paste made by Zinnzer. You use the Paper Tiger to score tiny holes in the paper and then you spray or wipe the removal paste on the paper. The paste will re-wet the glue on the back of the paper and you should be able to start pulling the paper down in sheets. If you find that you are tearing up the Sheetrock in this process, stop. That’s the worst thing you can do. Destroying the Sheetrock will turn your little project into an expensive one. If the paper will not let go, then use the oil Allprime I mentioned earlier. Once you have the paper completely removed and the wall cleaned, prime the wall with Gardz and then the wall is ready to be re-papered or repainted.
To prepare a wall to hang paper, you need to start with cleaning your wall. If it is a previously painted wall, just make sure you have a good eggshell or shiner finish on the wall. If you are dealing with a wall that has never been painted, prime the wall with a product called Gardz.
At Rainbow Paint & Decorating, we are experts in dealing with wallpaper hanging and removal. We have the largest wallpaper library in the state and would love to call you a client. Please call or come by and we will help your complete your wallpaper project regardless the size.