How To Remove Wallpaper
There are different ways you can remove wallpaper, but this short step-by-step guide will help you remove wallpaper with the most basic tools, saving you money and the unnecessary need of investing in expensive tools you won't be using again.
List of things you will need:
A small spray bottle with tap water
Hammer-end joint knife (6in works great but any size will work. You can find them in the drywall section of a lumber store)
Begin
You've probably already tried to peel the wallpaper off, only to notice that a layer of glue stays behind. The adhesive layer is the most stubborn to remove but it can come off easily with water. Begin by spraying a decent sized area generously with water. This will allow the adhesive to lift off the wall. If you attempt to peel the wallpaper without damping the area, the adhesive will continue to cling to the wall and won't budge.
I personally prefer to begin on the lower section of walls and work my way to the top, but any direction will work. You may give the water a few minutes to penetrate the wallpaper, or you may begin scrapping the wallpaper immediately with a hammer-end joint knife.
If it isn't coming off easily, spray more water. You will notice how the adhesive lifts up when it comes in contact with water. Continue working in sections until you've scrapped the entire wallpaper and adhesive off the wall.
Optional but not necessary:
If the wallpaper is being stubborn, using a blow dryer on high heat can also help, but it is more time consuming.
Your walls might need to be texturized again. Shoot the area with drywall compound to create a new layer of texture, wait for the area to dry and then lightly sand down to your preferred intensity of texture.
You are now ready to paint the walls.
That is all. This is one of the easiest, most cost effective ways of removing wallpaper. It is a tedious process, so expect to spend an extended amount of time scraping and peeling the walls. If you'd rather hire a pro to do it for you, feel free to reach out to us at (509)308-9950 for all your wallpaper removal, drywall texture and paint needs in Richland, WA.