Wall paper has made a comeback in recent years. While the patterns tend to be more chic and modern, they are still very taste specific. You may not be as enamored with the wall covering in your home as the previous owners were. Or, perhaps you have just grown tired of the wall covering that you chose and want something fresh and new. In either case you will need to strip the paper before you can repaint or repaper the area. Wall paper removal is not a difficult process, but it is one that requires a great deal of time and patience. Even the most hardcore do-it-yourselfers often hire a company in Phoenix to strip their wallpaper.
Pros and Cons of Wall Paper Removal Methods
The first thing you will need to do is determine which removal method is best: steaming, stripping dry or spraying with chemicals. This will depend on how the wall paper was hung and can sometimes be difficult for a novice to decide. If you choose the wrong method, you could end up damaging the wall.
Steaming
Using an electric steamer to remove wall paper is usually an effective method. If you aren’t careful, however, you can end up scalding your hands. It also takes longer than other methods.
Dry Stripping
You won’t have to worry about scalding your hands with steam or breathing chemicals when you dry strip wall paper, but this method has the largest potential for damaging walls. Sometimes only the top layer of the wall paper will come off and it can require additional time to soak the backing with water and scrape it off.
Chemical Solution
This is probably the most popular method used by professionals and do-it-yourselfers alike. The chemical solution dissolves the backing on the wall covering and allows it to easily be peeled off the wall. Determining which way to peel the paper off can be tricky, as the grain can run vertically or horizontally.
The Bottom Line
There really is no one best method for wall paper removal. What works in one room of the house might not work in another room of the house—the grain could run differently, the adhesive could be different, etc. Removing wall paper requires a little bit of know-how and a lot of preparation to protect floor coverings and furnishings in the room from the glue and chemicals. Most people to not have the time or patience to remove wall paper properly and after trying a small area decide to hire a wall paper company in Phoenix to complete the job. You may want to save yourself the frustration and call a professional to do the job from start to finish!
