Tools: 

  •   Chapin Spray bottle (small jobs or just a bedroom) 
  •   Pump Sprayer (larger jobs) 
  •   1.5 inch flexible blade drywall knife 
  •   6 inch drywall knife
  •   Gloves 
  •   Utility knife or box cutter
  •   Sponge 
  •   5 gallon bucket 
  •   Drywall Steamer 
  •   Set up pop up garbage with bag

Materials: 

  •   DIF wall paper remover/stripper liquid 
  •   Hot water 
  •   Construction garbage bags 
  •   .3 mil 12ft poly 
  •   Absorbent rags (Glue removal) 

Step 1 (Job site prep) 

  •  Organize tools and materials  
  •  Cover floors with drop clothes 
  •  Cover items in room with .3 mil 12 foot poly 
  •  Remove switch plates and vent covers 
  •  Setup pop up garbage with bag 

Step 2 (Evaluate best wallpaper removal strategy)  

Evaluate which method of removal is best before moving forward.  You can either remove vinyl top and then paper backing.  Or, if vinyl top doesn’t easily remove you can use a wallpaper removal steamer.

Step 3 (Remove Wallpaper)

If vinyl removes relatively easily.  This is the fastest method of removal so you always try this method first. 

  • Using utility knife score wallpaper along baseboard, around cabinets etc. 
  • Find edge of wall paper and scrape with 3 inch drywall blade or wallpaper remover blade to get it started. Using your hands, carefully pull paper attempting to pull off in largest chunk possible.  Start from top and work your way to baseboard. 
  • Mix Diff remover with 1 part hot water to 2 parts diff.
  • Mist wall, wait 2 minutes and possible mist again.  Do not mist too far ahead of yourself because you will need time to scrape glue backing off. If glue paper backing sits too long after remover has been applied it will re-adhere and glue will become attached again.
  • As you are misting wipe baseboards with rag to prevent damage to baseboard and flooring. 
  • Using 6 inch drywall knife scrape paper backing for removal.  DO NOT scrape at a steep angle or with too much pressure.  You want to cause the least amount of drywall damage possible. Use sponge to clean off as much glue residue as possible and wipe walls with rag.  Dispose materials in garbage. 

Video coming soon

If vinyl does not remove easily or comes off in slivers you will need to steam paper for removal. 

  • Fill wall paper steamer with water and plug into electrical outlet. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for it to heat up. 
  • Starting at highest point on wall, hold steam pan over section for 20-30 seconds.  After 30 seconds wall paper will release.  Move pan to next section as you pull wall paper off with opposite hand.
  • Mix Diff remover 1 part hot water to 2 parts diff.
  • Mist wall, wait 2 minutes and possible mist again.  Do not mist too far ahead of yourself because you will need time to scrape glue backing off. If glue paper backing sits too long after remover has been applied it will re-adhere and glue will become attached again.
  • Use 6 inch knife and sponge to remove remaining glue and paper.
  • As you are misting wipe baseboards with rag to prevent damage to baseboard and flooring.

Step 4 (Scuff Sand)

  • Using 360 sander and 120 grit installed, sand walls lightly

Full Video Tutorial

Possible Next Steps