Is wallpaper totally out?

Does anyone wallpaper anymore? DH and I go to lots of open houses and I noticed that very few, if any, of the homes have wallpaper. Was that an 80's thing?

There are such beautiful shades of paint nowadays that I bet choosing your paint color is just as time-consuming as choosing a wallpaper pattern. We've just been renters, so we haven't had the opportunity to paint.

I think it is mostly out. I have seen some really beautiful (and expensive!) wallpaper in home magazines.

Between seeing my mom put it up and me removing it from our last house, I'm not going to run out and buy any.

We had some funky Oregon Trail or pioneer theme wallpaper in this house. I wish I took a photo.

Oregon Trail wallpaper ... that would be lovely!

It's pretty out. Nearly every 20 year old house we looked at had WAY too much of it. We did put wallpaper in the nursery in Cleveland, just a sweet little pattern of ladybugs, bees and blue flowers - but I don't even think I'd do that again.

Nellie is right - the pain of removing wallpaper will put you off of the stuff for life.

[Stella]

Removing wallpaper... ugh. *shudder* It's horrible.

When my dad moved into his house, the kitchen was covered in mini Pillsbury dough boys. It was rediculous (and a huge PITA since that was only the top layer of 10 wallpapers.)

[poky]

We so totally lucked out with this house. It was built in the late 70's, so you can imagine the horrendous icky wallpaper. It was on part of the kitchen, the downstairs hallway, and the guest bathroom (thankfully, those were the only places!). We hated it all, but were too lazy to do anything about it, after hearing the horror stories about how hard it is to get off, etc.

About 5 years after we moved in, someone happened to see a tiny corner starting to peel in the kitchen, picked at it....and...it came off in *sheets*. We had it all down in about 15 minutes. It had been put down on top of semi-gloss paint, as it turns out. The next day we started pulling it off of the downstairs hallway. Same thing. Ripped right off, no bother at all.

I think we're probably not going to be quite so lucky with the guest bathroom; there's one seam that's been picked at till it's lifted, and pulling on it is not having nearly the same effect. Oh, well. One area out of three isn't so bad.

I'd never buy the stuff myself, though. No way. Paint's much more versitile and forgiving.

[Vanquisher]

How apropos this question is. I have spent the past two days removing the wallpaper from my kitchen. Can you believe the house came with it??? It did, because underneath that wallpaper, is drywall with the original quick contractor spray paint. I mean, it was never even fully painted!

So, yesterday, I was stading on top of a stool on top of a chair.


I fell. I thought I probably broke my toe. It is swollen and hurts very badly, but my orthopaedic husband says, "Doesn't matter if it is broken, there is nothing we do for a broken toe anyway. You treat it the same as a sprain."

So, I would like to know if it is broken anyway. Silly me. So, I make him take me to the E.R. and flouro my foot. It isn't broken. Well, it feels that way. Oh, and yes, I helped remove the rest of the wallpaper. It seems that unless my pelvis or femur is shattered, what fun am I to baby and care for and give attention and TLC to? Suck it up, you wussy wife!

Down with wallpaper!!!!

ouch

[Stella]

Hehe. I'm sorry, Heidi. Wallpaper sure can be a bitch, no?


Rachel, if you DO decide you ever want the stuff and then realize you DON'T, get a wallpaper steamer and a porer. That combination has always worked the best for me. (Although you have to be careful not to steam too long b/c you can pull off drywall.)

[Vanquisher]

Hehe. I'm sorry, Heidi. Wallpaper sure can be a bitch, no?


Rachel, if you DO decide you ever want the stuff and then realize you DON'T, get a wallpaper steamer and a porer. That combination has always worked the best for me. (Although you have to be careful not to steam too long b/c you can pull off drywall.)

We are using a combo of fabric softener and water, and it is coming off really fairly easily for all my griping. I'm just annoyed because I hurt my toe.

I think in most cases you don't need a steamer, and I have heard that the wallpaper remover is awful! Really, I would try fabric softener and water (using a putty knife to help peel it away) before running out and getting a bunch of new tools. Peel up the paper, spray with fabric softener/water, scrape off. No biggie.

[SuzySunshine]

When we moved into our house several of the rooms had wallpaper border. I got a big bowl of hot water with a minor amount of dish soap in in - soaked a sponge and then soaked the wallpaper. In one room the wallpaper came off in two pieces - easy as pie.

I'll never put it up in my house, if I want a border I'll have it stenciled.

I think in most cases you don't need a steamer, and I have heard that the wallpaper remover is awful! Really, I would try fabric softener and water (using a putty knife to help peel it away) before running out and getting a bunch of new tools. Peel up the paper, spray with fabric softener/water, scrape off. No biggie.

Steamers are a godsend and can be rented. I'd suggest trying Heidi's method (since you probably have the stuff on hand), and then rent a steamer, or do a combo of the fabric softener / water AND the steamer. It totally depends on what kind of glue was used -- some of that stuff sticks like a ...

I've often said that using a steamer is to wallpaper removal what an epidural is to childbirth. It doesn't take away all of the pain, but it makes it a whole lot more bearable.

I realize this thread was not about wallpaper removal but it's an impassioned subject for me.

[Stella]

Our steamer was only $20. Cheaper than renting!

I think the new thing is putting fabric up on the wall. Well, I mean, it's not new... that's the original wall-paper from like the 18th century. Supposedly all you need to get it up there is a spray bottle and some starchy water. Then it peels right off when you want to get rid of it.

[PrincessFiona]

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HAHA. 42. I just posted on the Grey's thread too