Once upon a time, wallpaper was all the rage in interior design. Homeowners and designers alike plastered it on walls in every room of the house in colors and patterns most of us would avoid at all costs today. Maybe you’ve lived in a home with wallpaper you don’t love for years, or maybe you recently purchased a property where the wallpaper needs to go. If you want to start the wallpaper removal process, here are 5 important things you’ll need to know. 

Looking for professional help with your wallpaper removal job? If you’re in MIddle Tennessee, our Protek Professional Painting Services team would love to help! Reach out to us right here.

Always do wallpaper removal before painting

Whenever possible, you should always try to completely remove your wallpaper before painting your space. This will give you smoother, more professional-looking results that last for longer. Wallpaper under the paint can cause it to bubble and detach from the wall. Wallpaper that has been painted over is also extremely hard to remove later on. Even if there are a lot of layers of wallpaper or you’re facing a generally tough job, it will always be worth it to remove the wallpaper completely first.

Test your wallpaper

If you’ve spent any time researching beforehand, you’ll know there are a handful of different methods for removing wallpaper. To test the initial ease of your wallpaper removal, we recommend using a great utility knife to pry the paper up in an area that’s not easily noticeable. Can you pull the paper down the surface of the wall? This is great news! You most likely will not have to soak, steam or dry-strip the walls. If you have a tough time pulling the paper off by hand, you’ll want to look into soaking, steaming or dry-stripping instead. 

Know your walls

So your wallpaper isn’t budging by hand. How do you know which method to try next? First, find out if your walls are plaster or drywall. Homes that are 50+ years old typically have plaster walls, while newer homes use drywall. Drywall is much more delicate, so keep in mind that you won’t want to soak or steam-strip it and you’ll need to consider other options. 

Make sure you have the correct tools for the job

With the right tools, a wallpaper removal job can be relatively easy, even though it is time-consuming. Once you know if your wallpaper is easily peelable and if you have plaster or drywall, you can choose the best tools to get the job done right the first time. If your wallpaper can be stripped, all you’ll need is a great utility or putty knife and your hands! If you have plaster walls and decided to use a soaking method, grab a liquid stripper concentrate from your local home improvement store and a large brush or sprayer. You can find more in-depth instructions for this method right here. For a steam removal, you’ll need a steamer, scoring tool, gloves, and goggles. You’ll also want some extra help from a friend. You can find more instructions on this method here. 

Hit a dead end? Don’t be afraid to reach out to the experts.

Sometimes in the wallpaper removal process, you may encounter damage or unexpected complications. In those cases, it’s always best to reach out to a professional for help before moving forward. Our ProTek team is licensed and insured and has expansive experience with the wallpaper removal process. If you’re in Middle Tennessee, specifically Williamson or Davidson County, we’d love to help you with your job!

Fill out a contact form right here and we’ll have a member of our team get back with you as soon as possible.