Once the wallpaper was the flagship of a house furnished with style and good taste. Although wallpaper has made a comeback in recent years, the temptation to remove the old one to renew the space or possibly repaint the wall with a new wallpaper, like the vinyl one, is strong. For this reason, today we explain how to remove the old wallpaper, with a few simple steps.
How to remove wallpaper in a few steps
Removing old wallpaper can seem like a complex task. On the contrary, it is a rather easy procedure, which requires a few simple tricks. In fact, precisely by virtue of its simplicity, it falls within the type of domestic interventions that can be carried out independently, without the need for a technician. So let’s see how to remove the old wallpaper.
READ ALSO: 2020 WALLPAPER, ALL THE MOST GLAM TRENDS OF THE MOMENT
1. Clear the space
First of all, it is good to move the furniture and furnishings from the wallpapered wall, leaving at least one meter or one and a half meters for the easy passage of a person. Once the space has been cleared, it is essential to disconnect the room from electricity. For this reason, we advise you to carry out the operation during sunny hours, or to equip yourself with a battery-powered light source.
2. Disconnect the power
After disconnecting the power, it is advisable to remove all the switches from the electrical sockets on the wall, from which you want to remove the wallpaper, using a screwdriver. At this point, it is necessary to cover the sockets with an adhesive paper tape to protect them from liquids that will be used later to remove the wallpaper. To remove the wallpaper at the intersection between the wall and the ceiling, a cut must be made between the wallpaper on the wall and the ceiling. To do this, you need a simple cutter.
3. Cover the power outlets
Old wallpapers tend to be paper based. To remove them correctly, you can use a solution of boiling water and detergent, or a special liquid, available in DIY stores, which will always be mixed with hot water. The water must be very hot in order to quickly dissolve the adhesive that holds the wallpaper attached to the wall. Once the solution has been prepared, impregnate the wallpaper from top to bottom, using a painter’s brush, sponge or spray.
READ ALSO: MURALSWALLPAPER, THE WALLPAPER COLLECTION OF THE ENGLISH BRAND
4. Remove the wallpaper with a spatula
After wetting the wallpaper, you can proceed by carefully inserting the spatula behind the edge of the wallpaper, trying to remove it gently, without damaging the wall. The waiting time before removal varies according to the number of layers of glue and paper that have been previously applied to the wall. A valid alternative to boiling water is the use of a steam device that allows you to vaporize the surface after having lightly sanded it with a medium-grain sandpaper.
5. Remove the glue residue from the wall
Once the wallpaper is removed, you may find yourself struggling with the glue remaining on the opinion. To remove the glue residues, you have to scrape them with a spatula and, if necessary, sand them with medium or coarse sandpaper, trying not to damage the underlying wall. Once finished, proceed to carefully clean the wall with a cloth. Your walls are finally ready to be painted or wallpapered with trendy wallpapers.
Once the wallpaper was the flagship of a house furnished with style and good taste. Although wallpaper has made a comeback in recent years, the temptation to remove the old one to renew the space or possibly repaint the wall with a new wallpaper, like the vinyl one, is strong. For this reason, today we explain how to remove the old wallpaper, with a few simple steps.
How to remove wallpaper in a few steps
Removing old wallpaper can seem like a complex task. On the contrary, it is a rather easy procedure, which requires a few simple tricks. In fact, precisely by virtue of its simplicity, it falls within the type of domestic interventions that can be carried out independently, without the need for a technician. So let’s see how to remove the old wallpaper.
READ ALSO: 2020 WALLPAPER, ALL THE MOST GLAM TRENDS OF THE MOMENT
1. Clear the space
First of all, it is good to move the furniture and furnishings from the wallpapered wall, leaving at least one meter or one and a half meters for the easy passage of a person. Once the space has been cleared, it is essential to disconnect the room from electricity. For this reason, we advise you to carry out the operation during sunny hours, or to equip yourself with a battery-powered light source.
2. Disconnect the power
After disconnecting the power, it is advisable to remove all the switches from the electrical sockets on the wall, from which you want to remove the wallpaper, using a screwdriver. At this point, it is necessary to cover the sockets with an adhesive paper tape to protect them from liquids that will be used later to remove the wallpaper. To remove the wallpaper at the intersection between the wall and the ceiling, a cut must be made between the wallpaper on the wall and the ceiling. To do this, you need a simple cutter.
3. Cover the power outlets
Old wallpapers tend to be paper based. To remove them correctly, you can use a solution of boiling water and detergent, or a special liquid, available in DIY stores, which will always be mixed with hot water. The water must be very hot in order to quickly dissolve the adhesive that holds the wallpaper attached to the wall. Once the solution has been prepared, impregnate the wallpaper from top to bottom, using a painter’s brush, sponge or spray.
READ ALSO: MURALSWALLPAPER, THE WALLPAPER COLLECTION OF THE ENGLISH BRAND
4. Remove the wallpaper with a spatula
After wetting the wallpaper, you can proceed by carefully inserting the spatula behind the edge of the wallpaper, trying to remove it gently, without damaging the wall. The waiting time before removal varies according to the number of layers of glue and paper that have been previously applied to the wall. A valid alternative to boiling water is the use of a steam device that allows you to vaporize the surface after having lightly sanded it with a medium-grain sandpaper.
5. Remove the glue residue from the wall
Once the wallpaper is removed, you may find yourself struggling with the glue remaining on the opinion. To remove the glue residues, you have to scrape them with a spatula and, if necessary, sand them with medium or coarse sandpaper, trying not to damage the underlying wall. Once finished, proceed to carefully clean the wall with a cloth. Your walls are finally ready to be painted or wallpapered with trendy wallpapers.
