How to strip wallpaper and prepare walls before wallpapering
Stripping wallpaper and preparing the walls for papering is not exactly a pleasant job, but when it is all over, it can be very satisfying to look back at the transformation!
Stage 1 – plan of action
This is the system I work to, so it should point you in the right direction and keep you on track! Available as FREE DOWNLOAD (pdf)
- Check the walls for potential issues – before you start stripping
- Lay down protection on the floors. As part of a 5 star total redecorating job I would mask up the floors. Occasionally I get asked to do the stripping job only, so I tend to use a mix of plastic sheeting and a plastic backed cotton dust sheet.
- Peel off the top layer of paper, and use the larger pieces to protect the floor
- Soak the backing paper with water with a dash of fairy liquid or Zinsser DIF.
- Strip wallpaper, scraping off all the paste too.
- Sand the walls thoroughly to remove traces of paper or beads of paste.
- Fill cracks in plaster. There are different options for filler, and generally, decent trade quality poly type filla is fine.
- Sand filler smooth with a vacuum extractor. Then do a second fill and repeat the sanding and cleaning operations!
- Seal walls with Beeline Primer Sealer
- Cross line with 1400 grade lining paper. I paste the wall along the joint lines with a heavy duty tub paste.
First tool required for stripping wallpaper is a hammer!
It never hurts to do a quick “survey” of the walls you are about to strip. Tapping means you can be forewarned and forearmed.
How to strip wallpaper
The task is not so daunting when you know how a pro would do it. In a nutshell, you need plenty of water applied in the right quantity, plus time, patience and a sharp blade on the end of a long-handled scraper…
Preparing walls after the wallpaper has been removed
Bear in mind, once the paper has been stripped off, there is still more preparation work to do. So, don’t jump the gun straight onto lining and painting, lining and wallpapering… read about the How to prepare walls before wallpapering ie the filling, sanding, and sizing still to do.
Managing expectations can sometimes be harder than stripping wallpaper!
Lining paper or wallpaper cannot make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear plastered wall
I can’t face it, please, how much does it cost to employ a pro to strip, prepare and hang lining or wallpaper?
Each job obviously has to be evaluated on its own merit, but timing and pricing is pretty consistent from job to job.
I also offer one-on-one tuition where I come to your home and show you how I would tackle a task, demonstrate and help you get the knack. Also I suggest the best tools for the job and where to get the best deal. Half and full days.
If you have any other questions or can’t face a Bank holiday sweating over wallpaper stripping, contact me, I am here to help.
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One comment to “How to strip wallpaper and prepare walls before wallpapering”
A reference for the whole process of stripping wallpaper and preparing walls before wallpapering – via #twitoaster