You’ve been staring at that ugly wallpaper for years and you’ve finally decided that the flowers have got to go! Wallpaper stripping can require more effort that initially thought and it’s important to take the proper steps to ensure that you will not have problems with your newly painted walls. Fortunately for you, Painting by Paul is up to the task!

Before we start wallpaper stripping, we drape off the perimeter. This is to collect the stripped wallpaper and to protect your property. All floors and runways are protected to ensure that your flooring is protected as well as your furnishings.

Our next step in wallpaper stripping is to steam/spray off wallpaper. The type of paper typically dictates the technique that we will use to strip the wallpaper. Whether the paper is going to be re-hung or going back to a painted surface, the stripping is the same. This is one of the bigger things that we do. The speed of the removal goes in direct correlation with the type of paper and how it was prepped.

Some papers are paper-faced, some vinyl or plastic, foil and heavy commercial grade. The papers that are vinyl, plastic or foil are the hardest/slowest to remove because the facing acts like a “rain coat” making it more difficult to remove. The others strip very well.

If you know you are going back to a painted surface, you must re-prime with a stain blocker primer. Typically we tint the primer to help with coverage. The glue and paint are both water-soluble. If you don’t prime, the two will start to mix together creating a “lumpy cottage cheesy” sensation. By priming with a stain blocking primer, you seal up everything prior to painting.