Wallpaper Removal

Wallpaper removal means taking off the paper and its paste so the wall can be painted. Safe Choice Painting removes wallpaper and borders, washes off the adhesive, repairs torn drywall paper, then seals, primes and paints the walls. We remove and prep only; we do not hang new wallpaper. Painting over paper usually shows seams.

How is wallpaper removed without damaging the drywall?

The goal is to take the paper off and leave the drywall face intact. The steps depend on the paper:

1. Find out what it is. Vinyl-coated paper peels its top layer off dry, leaving a backing. Plain paper and the backing need to be soaked.
2. Score and soak. The surface is lightly scored so a remover solution can reach the paste, then wetted and given time to work.
3. Scrape gently. Softened paper comes off with a wide scraper held flat, not dug in.
4. Wash off the paste. Leftover adhesive is washed from the wall and rinsed with clean water.
5. Dry. The wall dries fully before any repair.

Floors and trim are covered, outlets are taped off, and the room is kept as dry as the job allows.

Testing a corner first

Every wallpaper job starts with a test patch in a corner or behind a door. It tells us whether the paper peels dry, how fast the paste softens and whether the drywall underneath was primed. That test sets the method for the whole room and shows you, before work starts, whether repairs are likely. Steamers are used only where soaking will not release the paste, since steam can soften drywall paper too.

What happens when the drywall paper tears?

If wallpaper was hung on drywall that was never primed, the paste can grab the drywall's face paper and tear it during removal. Torn paper bubbles if you paint or skim right over it. Zinsser's Gardz sealer is made for exactly this: it soaks into damaged facing paper and hardens it so it can be skimmed and painted. After sealing, torn areas get a thin coat of joint compound, are sanded smooth and are sealed again. For bigger damage, our drywall repair service covers holes, cracks and loose tape.

Why leftover paste causes paint to fail

Even after washing, a thin film of paste stays on the wall. Rust-Oleum's data sheet for Gardz says water-based coatings will reactivate old wallpaper adhesive, which leads to cracking and peeling, and that its sealer is made to lock that residue in. That is why a wall that looks clean still gets a sealer made for adhesive residue before the primer and paint. Skipping it is the most common reason fresh paint cracks on an old wallpapered wall.

Can you paint over wallpaper instead?

You can, and sometimes it is the only practical choice on a wall where the paper will not release. The risks are seams that show through the paint, edges that lift and bubbles where the paste lets go. If the paper is well stuck and smooth, sealing it and painting can work. In most rooms, removing it gives the better wall.

Borders, baths and kitchens

• Borders. Narrow paper borders at the ceiling or chair rail come off the same way. The band of wall under them was never painted, so it gets primer before the finish coats.
• Bathrooms. Paper here often has mildew behind it. Mildew is treated and the wall dried before sealing.
• Kitchens. Paper near the stove can hold grease, which is washed off before priming.

Wallpaper in older homes

Wallpaper turns up most in older houses, and it is often layered, with paint over paper or paper over paper. In Gainesville about 68 percent of homes were built before 1980, and in Ardmore about 63 percent, by Census estimates. See interior painting in Gainesville and interior painting in Ardmore.

Painting after removal

Once the wall is sealed and primed, it is painted like any other wall. A matte or eggshell finish hides small flaws left after removal better than a shiny sheen, and our paint sheen guide covers each room. Our guide on how to prepare for interior painting explains what to move before the crew arrives.

Nearby

• Interior painting
• Drywall repair
• Interior painting in Gainesville, TX