How to remove old wallpaper from the walls with your own hands: selected methods and tools

Preparing to remove wallpaper

Before starting dismantling, it is important to prepare the workplace. The old coating does not always come off easily - tools should be at hand. Safety precautions are equally important.

Observance of precautions

It will not be possible to remove the old coating in absolute cleanliness. Plaster, old paint, dust may come off along with the wallpaper. To preserve furniture or floors, you need to prepare the room.

Room preparation:

• Completely turn off the electricity in the room.
• Cover the sockets and switches with masking or stationery tape.
• Take out the furniture.
• Lay tape or newspapers on the floor.
• Cover the skirting boards.
• If there is any furniture left, move it to the center and cover.
• Leave a wet rag at the entrance - it retains dust.

What tools are needed for dismantling?

Different implements are used to remove the old coating. The material matters - some wallpapers can be removed easily, others need to be wetted or treated with a special compound. But there is a list of basic tools.

You will need:

• Gloves.
• Putty knife.
• A bucket of warm water.
• Dishwashing liquid.
• Roller.
• Sponge.
• brush with metal bristles.
• Wallpaper wash.
• Iron.

Basic methods and tools for removing old wallpaper

Each material has its own characteristics. How to shoot depends on the type of old canvases.

With water

The simplest and most obvious method. You can easily remove old self-adhesive, non-woven, paper and even vinyl wallpaper by wetting.

Instruments:

• A bucket of water at room temperature.
• Roller.
• Construction trowel.
• Stationery knife.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Pour dish detergent into the water, stir.
2. Moisten a roller, roll several strips of wallpaper with it.
   

   

3. Wait - the material should soften. Pry the cloth at the junction with a spatula, remove.
4. Use a knife to clean the wall from small pieces.
   

   

Video

You can watch the complete process in the video.

Mechanical method (steam and needle roller)

Almost any old coating can be easily removed with this method. The presence of a steam generator is a great bonus in the work. An alternative is an iron, but you need a sheet or a piece of cotton cloth.

For which wallpaper is it better to use?

Suitable for paper, non-woven, vinyl wallpaper.

Inventory:

• Steam generator or iron with sheet.
• A container with water.
• A wallpaper tiger (aka a needle roller), but a clerical knife will do.
• Putty knife.

How to remove wallpaper by ferry:

1. Go over the canvases with a needle roller.
   

   

2. Moisten the sheet, squeeze out and lean against the wall.
3. Set the maximum temperature on the iron.
4. Iron the sheet several times.
   

   

5. Pry off with a spatula and remove quickly.

Video

A life hack for removing wallpaper with a steam generator, as well as comments can be viewed on the video.

Special chemicals

If the wallpaper is tight, it is difficult to remove it using traditional methods. To save time and achieve the best results, special chemical solutions are often used. They are sold in building supermarkets, they help to quickly remove old canvases.

For which wallpaper is it better to use?

It is used for non-woven, paper, washable, textile wallpapers.

Required inventory:

• Roller.
• Rubberized gloves.
• A basin of water.
• Wallpaper tiger (if not, you can use a knife).
• Putty knife.

Step-by-step instruction

1. Dilute the substance with water according to the instructions.
2. Roll the walls with a wallpaper tiger or poke them with a knife.
3. Apply the composition to the walls with a roller.
4. Leave the wallpaper to soak (see the exact time on the package).
5. It is enough to pry the canvas with a spatula and tear off.

Video

See the video for details.

Removing old Soviet wallpaper takes effort. Often they are glued to a layer of newspaper, under which there is old plaster. To begin with, you can try the traditional method - soak with water and tear off. If it doesn't work, use a liquid.

Removal features depending on the base and material

Different coverage has its own characteristics. This must be taken into account when choosing a removal method.

• Vinyl... Leave easily. It is enough to soak them with water and remove them after 20-30 minutes.
• Paper... They come off easily if glued to high-quality glue (universal "Methylane"). They are removed with a knife or spatula. If they do not come off, soak with water or steam with an iron.
• Non-woven... They have two layers, the top layer is removed. Ideally, it is better to steam old canvases or use a wallpaper remover.
• Liquid... They are afraid of moisture. To "peel off" them, it is enough to soak the wall, after a while the coating will begin to lag behind the walls.
• Washable... Treated with a moisture-resistant protective compound. It is necessary to roll the walls with a needle roller, apply wallpaper remover, remove after a while.
• Glass fiber... Removable easily. It is necessary to tear the sheets, fill the space under them with water. After 45 minutes, they will start to lag behind. Or immediately fill it with a special liquid and peel it off easily.
• Self-adhesive... Old sheets come off easily; to speed up the process, you can moisten them with boiling water or use a construction hair dryer.

How to peel wallpaper depending on the type of surface?

To remove old coating from walls, it is worth considering the type of surface. This will simplify the work and save you from additional manipulations after.

Drywall

The material is not resistant to moisture. Using water or chemical composition will not work, as it will lead to deformation of the drywall. You can remove the old coating with steam (iron) or rip it off by hand using a knife. Work carefully so that the knife does not scratch the drywall.

Concrete walls

Concrete is not afraid of water and high temperatures. You can remove the old coating in any way, you need to push off from the material of the canvases. Paper can be easily removed with water, washable, textile, vinyl and others - remove mechanically or by chemical composition.

Wooden surface (plywood, chipboard, fiberboard, gvl)

Wood and plywood are afraid of moisture, and if the surface was not additionally processed before pasting with wallpaper, it will not work to remove the canvases by soaking. Steam can be removed from painted walls. A win-win option is a composition for removing old wallpaper. It does not deform the wood surface and will help to remove the coating with a minimum waste of time. Or, gently peel off the wallpaper with a knife or spatula.

The best way to shoot quickly and easily at home

To remove the coating quickly and effortlessly, it is recommended to use a wallpaper remover. Chemicals are a convenient option for the home - they are harmless to health, suitable for all surfaces (wood, drywall), a minimum of dirt and dust during work. You can remove old canvases and steam - the result is good, but if there is no steam generator, laborious work awaits.

How to remove old ceiling wallpaper?

Removing old wallpaper from the ceiling depends on the material.It is inconvenient to work with an iron on the ceiling, the option of soaking with water or a chemical solution remains.

You will need:

• Stepladder or table.
• Capacity for water.
• Putty knife.
• Roller.
• Masking tape.
• Film.

Prepare glasses, gloves, hat, old clothes from equipment.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Take out the furniture.
2. Turn off the electricity, remove the chandelier (preferably).
3. Tape up the sockets, skirting boards.
4. Cover the floor.
5. Soak the roller in water or a special water-based solution.
6. Blot the ceiling.
7. Wait 25-40 minutes until the canvases are soaked.
8. Gently pry the sheet with a spatula, remove.
9. Do not turn on electricity, wait for the ceiling to dry.

What to do if the wallpaper is glued on PVA or bustilate glue?

If the old coating is glued to PVA glue, it will not work to peel it off with a spatula or scraper. Ideally, you need a device - a sander or grinder with sandpaper nozzles. The process is dusty, but the result is worth it.

If there are no such devices in the arsenal, a needle roller will help out. It takes a long time to scratch the old wallpaper. At the end, treat the walls with a wallpaper remover, tear them off.

To remove the old wallpaper pasted on the bustilate, you need to work for a long time with a scraper, a metal brush, and sandpaper.

• If there is putty under the wallpaper, this method is not recommended, so that you do not have to re-finish the walls.
• The steaming method is suitable for paper sheets.
• It is better to treat washable, vinyl and textile wallpapers with a chemical composition, and then calmly remove.

How to rip off in problem areas?

It will take more time and patience to get to work. This applies to peeling old wallpaper in a room with a stretch ceiling and behind radiators.

From under a stretch ceiling

You will need:

• Sharp knife.
• Wide spatula (preferred).
• Water or adhesive thinner.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Place the trowel vertically on the ceiling.
2. Use a knife to cut the blade along the edge of the trowel.
3. Attach the spatula again by moving it.
4. In this order, trim the wallpaper at the border with the ceiling around the entire perimeter.
5. Moisten wallpaper with water or solution, remove.

Behind the battery

If the radiator can be dismantled, there will be no problems. For a stationary battery, you will have to wield a small spatula or knife. The result depends on the size of the radiator and how far the hand reaches.

Removing old wallpaper with your own hands without the involvement of masters should not be difficult. Manufacturers offer special chemical compositions that cope even with tightly glued old sheets. The main thing is to decide in advance on the method of removal, prepare the inventory and the room.