The 3 Techniques To Use When Stripping Wallpaper

If you don’t know how to strip wallpaper properly, you may cause avoidable damage to your walls and create unnecessary work for yourself. Fortunately, here at TA Industrial paints, we've compiled this list of techniques to help you learn how to strip wallpaper from walls correctly and quickly.

We’ll cover everything from the consequences of stripping your wallpaper incorrectly to answering the question: how long does it take to strip wallpaper? And our recommendations for stripping your wallpaper.

What are the Consequences of not Knowing how to Strip Wallpaper?

If you don’t know how to strip wallpaper from walls, the sharp tools and steamers you use to lift the paper could inadvertently damage the plaster on your walls. Although these tools are necessary, using them wrong can cause your plaster to become chipped and damp. You could find yourself replastering or waiting extended periods for your plaster to dry before you paint, which is not time efficient. 

Speaking of time efficiency, not knowing how to strip wallpaper can extend the time you spend doing it exponentially. So, before you begin, you should educate yourself to save time. But how long does it take to strip wallpaper?

How Long Should Stripping Wallpaper Take?

There are no rights or wrongs when it comes to stripping wallpaper, not concerning the time it should take. Certainly, there are things you can do to decrease the time you spend working. But the time you spend stripping wallpaper is completely dependent on not only the size of your room but the adherence level of your wallpaper. 

If you, or the previous owner of your property, used particularly strong glue to adhere the wallpaper to your wall, you will find extra difficulty in removing it. Extra glue will require extra steam, force, and time to remove. So, you shouldn’t be concerned if stripping your wallpaper takes several days. But, there’s always a way to cut down that time and make the process a little faster. 

Our 3 Recommended Techniques

These three recommended techniques will tell you how to strip wallpaper efficiently in terms of time and lessen potential damage. 

• Use a Steamer

A steamer does exactly what it says on the tin. It sprays hot, vapourised water directly onto your wallpaper to help loosen the glue and allow the wallpaper to fall away seamlessly. Steamers tend to negate the necessity of using scrapers, which could damage the plaster on your walls, and simply allow you to pull the wallpaper away. 

• Use a Scraper

This is the most common method of stripping wallpaper, as it proves the most effective. All you need to do to remove the wallpaper from your walls with a scraper is to wet the wall (whether with a steamer or hot water), angle your scraper, and gently but firmly push upwards to lift the wallpaper from the wall. It is important to be careful, though, as using a scraper can cause dents or chips in the wall when not used properly. 

• Apply a Chemical Stripping Solution

Chemical solutions can help to quickly dissolve the glue under your wallpaper and make it far easier to remove. You can make your solution at home, but we recommend you use pre-made solutions which are proven to work without damaging your walls. 

TA Industrial Paints

Now you know how to strip wallpaper, what’s next? Painting your walls instead of re-papering them is a far cheaper, less time-consuming, and easily-removable method of revamping the walls in your home. Any colour, any paint, here at TA Industrial Paints, we have it all. Browse our selection of products today to revitalise your commercial or domestic property.

Looking for advice or inspiration? Contact us today to speak to the experts.