HOW TO GUIDES
How to Remove Wallpaper
Learn how to remove wallpaper easily and effectively when you read our five simple steps to success.
Whether a decorating expert or beginner, almost everyone will at some stage experience the headache of removing wallpaper and we can think of few things worse for the budding DIYer to have to deal with. Rest assured, our experts are on hand to turn trauma into triumph with our trips for removing wallpaper the stress-free way.
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Step 1: Lay down dustsheets
The process of removing wallpaper should always begin with the right preparation. Use a Seriously Good Dust Sheet to protect your floor or carpet from water, paste and mess caused by wallpaper stripping. Next, secure your dust sheet in place with our Essentials Masking Tape to ensure that no damage or mess is caused. Be ready to clean as you go with bin bags at the ready to dispose of any debris and take the stress out of wallpaper removal.
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Step 2: Score the wallpaper
For those wondering how to remove old wallpaper, be sure to use the Seriously Good Paperhanging Knife to lightly score your wallpaper ahead of removal. If you have a laminated wallpaper, this scoring can allow you to peel the laminated plastic off with far less effort. Work on one roll of paper at a time to ensure the best possible results and trust us; this methodical approach will seriously pay off later on.
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Step 3: Protect the plugs & soak the wallpaper with a sponge
Once your wallpaper has been correctly scored, apply some Seriously Good Masking Tape and cover up any plug sockets to prevent water from reaching them. Next, take the Seriously Good Paperhanging Sponge and fully soak the paper with warm water. The warm water seeps into the paper and melts the adhesive paste, holding the paper to the wall to ensure the process goes smoothly. This is what a wallpaper steamer does and although this manual method is slower, it is far kinder to the wall. After several soakings, your paper should be almost falling off and ready to peel.
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Step 4: Scrape off the wallpaper
To peel off the wallpaper in seamless motions, take the Ultimate Stripping Knife or Seriously Good Super Stripper. If the paper is resistant to peeling away easily, repeat the soaking process once more try removing the wallpaper again. You may find just the front of the paper peels off; if this happens, simply revisit step 3 and soak the area again.
As you progress, stop periodically to clean up the paper you have already removed. This will save a big clear up at the end and help you finish the task faster as there will be less mess to fight through.
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Step 5: Clean & sand the walls
With the old wallpaper removed and cleaned away into plastic bags, you can quickly finish the wall ready for painting. Use your hand to feel for any spots where the adhesive is still on the wall and buff this away with sugar soap and a Seriously Good Microfibre Cloth.
For the finishing touch, take our Seriously Good Fine Sanding Block and smooth any areas where the Ultimate Stripping Knife may have caused minor dents. Should more obvious damage be revealed by the removal of the wallpaper don’t worry; we have detailed guides on how to fix a crack and how to fix a hole in no time at all so you can always achieve a flawless surface ready for painting.
Discover a range of comprehensive guides and Harris Brushes-approved DIY tips and craft the home you’ve always dreamed of.
Protection & Preparation
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