Blue Bedroom - Part 1 of 7 - Wallpaper Border Removal

Fig.1 Wallpaper boarder

By Gary Boutin

Supplies and Tools:    
Bug sprayer (hand pump) 

CHOMP® wallpaper stripper 
Dry towels 
Fan-Standard 12-inch 
Ladder 6-foot or kitchen ladder 
9x12 tarp 
Masking tape-2-inch 
Scraper-3 inch rubber handle 
Scorer (wallpaper cutter)
Large sponge
Warm water in a pail

My new ad on the internet's "Craigslist-free services offered," advertised my handyman skills. Tyler Zowat, noticed the listing and called me to come to his home in Perris, California. He had a little girl's room with childish wallpaper needing to be removed since his daughter had grown up and moved to private school. The wallpaper was about 12 inches wide and the room perimeter measured 9 feet by 7 feet.

Step 1: Fig.1 shows the wallpaper boarder that needed to be removed.
Step 2: A 6-foot ladder was needed to reach the ceiling easily, but better yet, use a kitchen ladder, the attached tray should be big enough to handle a water pail.
Step 3: Fig.2 shows both the large 9 by 12 gray tarp and the bug sprayer to spray water on the ceiling.

 Fig.2 Gray tarp and 
hand pump water pray

Step 4: Fig.3 shows wallpaper remover to remove the wallpaper glue.

Fig.3 Wallpaper Remover

Step 5: The paper was first removed from a corner seam area were the solution had a chance to take affect. This wallpaper was vinyl and needed to be scored. Meaning that little holes were scored into the paper to create a space for the Choomp® wallpaper spray to work. Fig.4 shows some of the wallpaper has been removed.

Fig.4 Wallpaper 
being removed

Step 6: Fig.5 shows a sheetrock scraper was used to help pull the paper from the wall. Fig.6 shows a large piece of paper came down at one time.

Fig.5 Scraping edges

Fig.6 Ripping wallpaper

Step 7: Fig.7 through fig.9 where the wallpaper has completely been removed. The walls were wet but there was no wallpaper on them any longer. Now the wall just needed a gently blowing fan to dry the room's walls. Used a dry towel to pick up the worst of the water on the tarp.

Fig.7 Removing paper

Fig.8 Wallpaper removed

Fig.9 Drying the walls

Anyone can do this job. It required lots of water and patience not to rip the wallpaper off the walls. Ripped off wallpaper can damage the wall board underneath and then walls needs to be repaired before the room can be painted. Do not be fooled by this post: Wallpaper removal is hard work! 


Blue Bedroom:

• Part 1 of 7 - Wallpaper Border Removal
• Part 2 of 7 - Acoustic Ceiling Removal
• Part 3 of 7 - Sanding and Priming the Ceiling
• Part 4 of 7 - Ceiling Painting
• Part 5 of 7 - How to Paint a Closet Blue
• Part 6 of 7 - Painting the Walls Blue
• Part 7 of 7 - How To Paint White Baseboard

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