wallpaper, again....

[Cumberland]

I just started stripping wallpaper in the last wallpapered area of our house. I am desperately regretting it now. I got the whole top layer off, but the bottom layer is coming off in little teeny tiny pieces and the wall is covered with rough glue remnants.

I think I am going to wallpaper over it. Is it so out? Are there any good websites I could go to for cute wallpaper? It is a guest bedroom and I am looking for something very neutral.

[DCJenn]

Use Luanne's tried and true method...

Jenn

ps fabric softener

Sadly the only wallpapers I've ever seen that I'd even dream of doing are CRAZY expensive.

Rent a steamer. Rent a steamer. Rent a steamer. It is to stripping wallpaper what an epidural is to childbirth: it doesn't take away all the pain, but it makes it bearable.

Did I suggest renting a steamer?

[Vanquisher]

Fabric softener and warm water in a spray bottle with plastic putty knives to scrape it off worked really, really well for us.

[Meenah]

Yep, Liquid Downey and water. I mixed it 50/50, but with the tougher rooms I used more fabric softener, maybe 75/25. I'm having terrible flashbacks now.

Sadly the only wallpapers I've ever seen that I'd even dream of doing are CRAZY expensive.

Same here.

Try the Downy or the steamer. Wallpaper sucks.

[Cumberland]

I have been at it for several hours with downy and water with horrible results. I think they pasted it on with superglue. In the last year I have stripped two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and this one is the worst yet. I am peeling off pieces the size of a penny each time. But I do smell like a mountain fresh spring which is the only benefit. I borrowed a steamer in the past and found the downy works better. But for this, I may have to throw in the towel and learn to wallpaper.

[DCJenn]

The problem is that often even if you wallpaper over it, you'll see the lumps.

It's one of those once you start you've got to get to the finish line projects. I hate wallpaper. I worked at a wallpaper store one summer in grad school- nightmare.

Never. Again. Ever.

Jenn

[Michele]

Our guest bathroom was wallpapered without proper prepping of the walls. So the glue is stuck to the drywall. It won't budge with a steamer or soaking of any mixture we tried....ok really Russ tried.

We (again really Russ) found an online DIY help site that said in these sucky cases, pull the paper off. Sand down the glue/etc. Spread a light coat of joint compound over the walls.....very thin....smooth. And then you can go from there to prime and paint.

So that is what is supposed to be happening in our guest bathroom on Russ' days off.

But so far the sanding is working.

[Meenah]

In my worst room, which happened to be a powder room, I finally sanded what I could and then applied texture paint. Good luck to the next owners if they want to remove the textured paint!!!!!!!!!!!!!!