Wallpaper Woes. Remove it or paint over it?

[metro]

We finally did it! We finally found our first home! Besides a few cosmetic changes, the house is perfect! EEK! I''m super excited! We close on 23 July

So the biggest of changes will be changing the wallpaper. We have wallpaper in the master bath and kitchen. My first thought was to paint over the wallpaper, but my husband says no way.

Anyone have any thoughts or personal experiance they''d like to share on how to handle wallpaper?

 

[metro]

Here''s a pic of the kitchen and the floral wallpaper.

 

[belle]

your house looks lovely metro! congrats!

definitely remove the wallpaper. it's a huge pita, but in order to get a good result you need a good preparation. do it right the first time

eta: oh wow....that wallpaper in the kitchen is..... commanding! and it's everywhere....bummer.

 

[metro]

I''m thinking of painting the kitchen red. Of course, if you have any thoughts on color, please share!

 

[metro]

Thanks Belle!
Are there any product(s) or technique that you recommend for removing wallpaper? What about just putting up wallpaper over top - would that work?
My husband will be out of town working so I plan to conquer this project while he''s away and before our furniture arrives. I have one week to paint all the rooms.

 

[belle]

the only thing that works for removing wallpaper is lots of elbow grease and time. seriously, it is a lot of work. i am totally not trying to discourage you (because i think that wallpaper needs to go!) but i want you to know what you''re up against. of course, i''ve heard that using liquid fabric softener works well. i didn''t know about that technique the last time i removed wallpaper but i would definitely give that a try. maybe you could try the liquid fabric softener in the master bath first to see how easy it will be?

yes, you can wallpaper over wallpaper but if you want to change things in the future you will either bet stuck with wallpaper AGAIN or you will have to just peel off more layers of wallpaper if you decide to do something else.

 

[happilyeverafter]

Congrats on your new house metro! It''s really nice!

I just renovated an old house to sell that was COVERED in wallpaper - all different kinds - but all of it was stuck on the walls like cement! What we used worked really well. We got this tool from the wallpaper section of the hardware store that rolled over the wallpaper making little holes in it. It''s a Zinsser Paper Tiger (seen here). Then we used this wallpaper remover called Zinsser DIF Wallpaper Stripper. After that the wallpaper was easy in most spots to come off (just peeled it off) but some still required a little scraping. At first I just tried a water/vinegar solution, but for the money the wallpaper remover was WELL worth it!

Good luck with ur new house!

 

[Ellen]

Your house is BEAUITIFUL!!! How exciting!

Now, for the paper, yes, I''d remove it. The thing is, and trust me on this, it''s not THAT horrible, you could live with it a bit. Then do it at your leisure, so it''s not such an overwhelming job. As belle mentioned, a concoction of fabric softner and water in a spray bottle, and this tool they make are you friends. I can''t think of the name of it, but you roll it all over the paper, and it scores little holes in it, then spray and let sit a bit, then peel.

However, if it''s vinyl, and not true paper, it will/should peel right off without having to score. Test an inconspicuous spot to see.

I lived with FAR FAR worse than that in my kitchen after we moved in this house. Wish I had pics, she even had horrid curtains to match.

 

[Ellen]

happily and I posted at same time, but that''s the tool I was talking about.

 

[Ellen]

p.s. I''d personally go with a lighter color in the kitcken, as it''s long and somewhat narrow, with only 1 window that I can see. Red will close it in and make it look smaller, where a lighter color will open it up. But, it''s all personal preference.

 

[metro]

Thanks for the input Ellen!

Fabric softener, eh? Who knew?!

The kitchen also has a connecting breakfast area. I''ll attach a pic. The size of the kitchen is 14 X 10.

I can''t think of another color that would go with the tavertine flooring, granite counter tops, new white applicances and light oak cabinets.

Thoughts on color?

 

[metro]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU, happilyeverafter !
THIS IS JUST THE SORT OF TIP I WAS LOOKING FOR!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 7/5/2007 10:18:33 AM
Author: metro
Thanks for the input Ellen!

Fabric softener, eh? Who knew?!

The kitchen also has a connecting breakfast area. I'll attach a pic. The size of the kitchen is 14 X 10.

I can't think of another color that would go with the tavertine flooring, granite counter tops, new white applicances and light oak cabinets.

Thoughts on color?

You're welcome!

Hmmm, you DO have a lot to coordinate with. And it's hard to say just looking at these pics. Off hand, maybe a rich cream, or, a very, very light version of the counter top. But again, it's hard to say. Your best best would be to go to a paint store and get a color sample booklet, bring it home, and just go through it. You never know.

One thing to remember, paint will go on darker than it appears on the sample, while carpet will end up lighter than the sample. I learned this the hard way.

 

[Tali]

I''ve removed wall paper in every home I''ve owned. I HIGHLY recommend getting a wallpaper steamer. The job will go SOO much faster for the large areas you have. I got one at Home Depot for about $50, and it was sooo worth it. I''ve done it with the stripper, but that quite simply takes forever. You can use the steamer, without any other chemicals, and you''ll get the paper off in sheets. You still need the little scoring tool (the Tiger) to poke tiny holes all over the paper so the steam can get in. Just don''t press too hard with the scorer to leave marks on the walls beneath.

I did find that the steamer left a fair amount of adhesive behind (as does the stripper). To wash down the walls after removing the paper, I just used hot water, frequently changed, and a rag. Using rubber gloves allowed me to use much hotter water, and it was worth it. The walls were ready for painting after the wash down.

With the area of wallpaper you have to remove, again, I can''t say strongly enough how much time you''ll save using a steamer.

If you''re like me, you''ll be so glad when the wallpaper''s off! I detest the stuff!

have fun, and congrats on a lovely home.

 

[Skippy123]

Congrats Metro; your house looks beautiful!

It is a huge project to take down wallpaper. I would keep it for now, but we used paper tiger and a removal solution from the Home Depot. If you keep the wall moist w/the solution and pull of strips at a time it helps. We had a smaller section than you and it took all day. Sorry, maybe you can hire someone. We considered that but then went for it ourselves.

 

[chrono]

Metro,
The house is so beautiful. Congratulations!

Even the inside is so beautifully laid out.

As for the wallpaper, it will be a huge task that I would not undertake ALONE. I''d rather take it down than paint over or worse, put another layer of wallpaper over. It''ll have that "ridge" look if the old wallpaper isn''t removed first. I''d repaint in a soft creamy colour. The light colour will brighten up the kitchen making it a happier looking place, but the cream colour will help with the tough kitchen grease stains.

 

[princesss]

What about a peachy or apricot colour? The red could definitely make the kitchen seem really closed in and dark.

Sherman-Williams Colour Theory Try going there and clicking on "Colour Visualizer" to play around. They don''t have a kitchen mock-up, but they do have a somewhat similarly set up dining area that you could use to play around with.

 

[Lorelei]

We have had to remove a ton of this stuff and a steamer is indispensable. Lovely house BTW!

 

[Kaleigh]

Metro,
Congrats on your new home, it''s lovely. I love the red for your kitchen. Good luck with removing the wall paper, I''ve never done that myself.

 

[crown1]

hi! i have not read all of the replies so you may already have the answer. this home is new construction from the picture. the paper is probably stripable. there is also something you put on the paper to help with removal. i would call a local store and get their recommendation or google it. i definately would not paper over it unless you are dealing with an old home with multiple layers of paper.

 

[happilyeverafter]

Date: 7/5/2007 10:24:23 AM
Author: metro
THANK YOU! THANK YOU, happilyeverafter !
THIS IS JUST THE SORT OF TIP I WAS LOOKING FOR!

You''re welcome!

Sorry I can''t think of any good colours for your kitchen tho. I would have said a cream with a hint of taupe but it might not work with your white trim.

Just wanted to mention after reading Tali''s post that there was no glue left on the wall after I used the stripper. I barely had to wipe the wall! I used the concentrate and rolled it on with a roller. Also, if you use the Tiger, use it GENTLY! They break easy, and if you push too hard you could actually make marks in the drywall. Only press hard enough to go thru the wallpaper. Good luck!

 

[ladyciel]

Metro, I haven't used them myself, but a friend had great results with that tiger thing and remover solution. As for colors, I wouldn't rule out the red completely. I think the right shade of red could be very warm and inviting, especially with the wood cabinets. With the concern about it feeling closed in, perhaps you could mix it up a bit and use red as an accent wall. You can use different shades in the same family to add depth, or totally different colors. Just remember that the 4+ walls do NOT all have to be the same!

This article mentions what I'm getting at towards the end of the page.

 

[Cind11]

My friend''s DH has a wallpapering business and she also recommended the fabric softener in a spray bottle (half and half with water). She said rip off the "skin" of the paper first, then spray about a two by two foot section, leave the water/softener on for 5 minutes and then remove what''s left.

As for colors, I think picking up a paint deck is a greta idea. There may be colors you haven''t thought of that would work. Beautiful home by the way.

 

[Erin]

This is the best technique if you don''t want to bother with removing the wallpaper AT ALL!!!

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_faux_texturizing/article/0,1793,HGTV_3403_4470334,00.html

http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=252291

 

[musey]

Oh my goodness, the exterior is just BEAUTIFUL! I love love it.

Congratulations on your first home

I agree about the wallpaper. The red would be divine, IMO!

 

[swingirl]

Remove the wallpaper or you''ll be dealing with it for years to come. Hire a painter to remove it. They can do it quickly using a steamer and big scrapers, clean up the mess, patch the gouges and prep it for painting. When you remove wallpaper you always damage the surface a little, especially drywall. And you want to be careful around your beautiful cabinetry.

PS Your house is gorgeous!!

 

[Christa]

Date: 7/5/2007 9:59:28 AM
Author: happilyeverafter
Congrats on your new house metro! It's really nice!

I just renovated an old house to sell that was COVERED in wallpaper - all different kinds - but all of it was stuck on the walls like cement! What we used worked really well. We got this tool from the wallpaper section of the hardware store that rolled over the wallpaper making little holes in it. It's a Zinsser Paper Tiger (seen here). Then we used this wallpaper remover called Zinsser DIF Wallpaper Stripper. After that the wallpaper was easy in most spots to come off (just peeled it off) but some still required a little scraping. At first I just tried a water/vinegar solution, but for the money the wallpaper remover was WELL worth it!

Good luck with ur new house!

We used the same things--still a lot of work, but it did the job. You can also rent a steamer that I hear works well, but I don't have personal experience with it. Definitely don't just paint over it. You won't be happy with the results and it will be harder to remove when you decide it has to go.

ETA: Just read the replies and see that I'm late on the steamer rec.

 

[zoebartlett]

Your house is gorgeous!!! I''ve used the Zinsser/Dif stuff too and it worked really well, even for paper that had been on the walls for years and years.

 

[VegasAngel]

Pretty house, congrats!

If I were you, i''d pay to have someone to do it 1) it''s a lot of hard work 2) I wouldn''t have the patience to do it. Also, I may be in the minority but I l

ve the red.

 

[Apsara]

Congrats on your beautiful new home!

I''ve "been there" with the bloody wallpaper many a time--and tried it ALL. I struggled with that razor thing and the spray UNTIL someone tipped me of to the steamer--and it is a GODSEND. It''s about $50 at home depot, and it steams off the wallpaper and the glue--you hold a big "plate" over sections of the wall but it melts it off...It''s still time consuming but at least it comes off for good... Try it! I have loaned my steamer to friends who have literally hugged and kissed me because they were so happy with how much better a method it is over that razor ball and spray stuff!