Where I want to lose my dinner
Owning a home means there is always something that needs to be worked on. Whether it is mowing the lawn, painting a wall, or clearing the gutters, there is always something to be done.
When we purchased our home, we loved the color scheme the previous homeowners painted the walls. They chose warm earth tones throughout the house. Our master bedroom is a tranquil light blue. The living room has a deep, olive green color below a brilliant white chair rail. Each room has it’s own style, and is well complimented by it’s wall color.
Except one room.
There is one place in this house that will stop you in your tracks. Perhaps even force you to shield your eyes, and send you running for Advil.
Because sitting in this room may give you the worst headache of your life.
And sadly, I serve guests meals in there.
This is just a tiny corner of my dining room wall. Don’t get me wrong. I think the toile pattern is actually quite lovely, but perhaps on a place mat, pillow, or a window treatment. Imagine if you will, sitting down at the dinner table, surrounded by this winding, red floral nightmare while trying to enjoy a meal.
Need a moment to close your eyes and refocus? No worries. I understand.
After more than a year of avoiding this room at all costs, I have finally decided to tackle these four walls…and tear down the vomit inducing floral wallpaper myself.
Only problem is… I have never removed wallpaper before, and I’m resorting to the web for instruction. So far everything I have found is rather vague.
So say a little prayer for the plaster walls behind these flowers. I’m not sure how gentle I will be after sitting in this room and staring at the walls for more than 20 minutes.
Anyone have some tips to offer?
I have a wallpaper scoring tool, scraper, spray bottle, face mask, and a bottle of DIF.
Oh yes, and a barf bag.
So it was you who bought great aunt Matilda’s house!
BusyDad’s last blog post..How to Completely Remodel Your Home in 30 days and 12 Easy Steps
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Ohhhh….I wish I had a photo of the wallpaper in my previous rental. It’s got this one beat! Even my friend’s two year old said, “these walls are terrible!” GOOD LUCK!
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July 2nd, 2009 at 11:23 pm
That so did NOT improve my headache! Good luck getting the wallpaper off, that doesn’t sound like fun.
dysfunctional mom’s last blog post..You can’t take them with you….
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:26 pm
wallpaper removal is of the devil, good luck. btdt
kontan’s last blog post..Out and about
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Well you don’t want my advice — I am NOT handy. But, I wish you well, and don’t forget the Pepto!
Chris’s last blog post..Photostory Friday: Happy Birthday Emma
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:45 pm
I did it ONCE and swore I would NEVER EVER EVER do it again. And I haven’t. I’ll be sending happy thoughts your way… Good luck!!
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July 3rd, 2009 at 12:14 am
Having removed TONS of wallpaper in my day, I have some suggestions. First, don’t score it, wet it, or put anything else on it until you try to remove it dry. Some papers, especially when put onto plaster walls, will just peel right off, especially if they were not put on with too much paste. Find a corner where two seams meet, slip a putty knife or something under the corner, and trying tearing the paper off. You want to pull the paper straight out, rather than trying to pull up or down. Sometimes the top will come off without the backing. That’s fine. It helps to get down to the backing. If that happens, then try making up a bucket of HOT HOT HOT water with a little DIF in it, putting on rubber gloves, and sponging the water onto the paper. You want the paper to be soaked but not dripping. Let it sit for ten minutes or so, then gently try to peel off the backing.
Here’s the thing: depending on the kind of paste that was used, the amount, and when the wallpaper was put on, getting the paper off the wall can be very easy or a nightmare. Hot water works better than any chemical I’ve ever tried. Those paper scoring things are pretty useless. Once you get the surface paper off, if you need to scrub or scrape to get the backing paper off, use one of those puffy plastic things made for scrubbing junk out of non-stick pans.
You say you have plaster walls. If you do, you are in luck because they won’t be damaged by water. However, they are pretty easy to nick, so be careful with a putty knife or those other wallpaper scraper tools they sell. Hot water and elbow grease were my best friends in removing miles of wallpaper from our old house with plaster walls.
The absolutely most important thing is to get ALL the paste off the wall once you’ve got the paper off. For that reason, I recommend peeling off all the paper you can get off while still dry. Then move to the soaking and peeling in sections. Then start the scrubbing before you move on to the next section. If you wet the paper, get most of it off, but let little bits harden onto the walls before you clean all the paste off, they just get more stuck. Use buckets of clean water to scrub the walls with a plastic scrubby; then more clean water and a clean sponge to wipe them down thoroughly. They should feel smooth, cool, not at all sticky, and have no sheen when all the paste is gone.
THEN you can spackle little holes, primer and paint.
Take heart, removing paper from plaster walls is much easier than removing from drywall, since the plaster is more forgiving of moisture. Good luck! It’s a very empowering project.
MommyTime’s last blog post..Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:43 am
Wow, I got dizzy just looking at the picture…
krystal’s last blog post..Heartache
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:58 am
I removed wallpaper for the first time a few months ago and it wasn’t too bad. I scored it well, sprayed it with the gel stuff that’s supposed to loosen it, waited, and then started peeling away. I actually found the scraper tool unnecessary. It was easier to just use my fingers. Just spray a small area at a time because the peeling part is very time consuming.
Melissa’s last blog post..Sand!
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:12 am
I believe in learning via the internet – but go to you tube and try to find a video to watch ! Or the DIY channel is also a good tip.
Good luck
Elle’s last blog post..The Mystery of the Missing Frying Pan
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:51 am
Oh my gosh, I got wiped out just reading MommyTime’s comment!!
Hopefully you can get someone to help you with that project! It does sound like alot of work.
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July 3rd, 2009 at 3:39 am
Good luck on that project. Maybe you could keep a portion of the flowery goodness just for remembrance? He he! Kidding!
ceemee’s last blog post..Inside My Bag Of Beans
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:41 am
Removing wallpaper is a nightmare! In my mother’s old house, there was a vomit-inducing flower wallpaper in the kitchen and she just painted over it. It turned out really nice!
Lauren’s last blog post..PSF – Slower than snail mail
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:40 am
Hmmm I know nothing about removing wallpaper, but if you need help, I’m so there
Alana @ The Good Girl Gone Blog’s last blog post..Pink Thursday in the Park
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:59 am
make a big batch of margaritas and get all your friends drunk. Then sit back and get them to do it!
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:43 am
Good Luck! Removing wallpaper is no fun! We did about three rooms in my parents old house a few years ago, and it took FOREVER! I have seen a few home improvement shows that use steamers to get the wallpaper off, and they seem to have a pretty easy time with it!
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July 3rd, 2009 at 8:45 am
Hey, that kind of looks like fireworks going off in your dining room! Don’t hurt yourself.
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July 3rd, 2009 at 9:00 am
I think the only thing you’ll need that’s not on your list is alcohol…and I don’t mean rubbing alcohol!
Employee No. 3699’s last blog post..On A Wing and a Prayer…
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:44 am
Haha–I think you are making the right choice. You are right: it’s pretty, but NOT in those quantities! Phew.
Good luck. I’ve never removed wallpaper before, so I can’t offer you any advice.
Allison’s last blog post..Slides Are Intimidating
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
Good luck to you…we are rehabbing this weekend as well. I am all out or sorts:P
Nap Warden’s last blog post..Living Through Rehab
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:13 am
Wow, honey…you are BRAVE!!! Good luck!
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July 3rd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
I agree with whoever likened it to the devil’s work. But Mommytime may have come to the rescue. On the plus side – filling in the cracks is a cinch, so no matter how many chunks of the plaster you tear out, it won’t be hard to fix later.
I hope it goes well!
Jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Local Love Fridays: Finding Good Books at Motte and Bailey Booksellers
July 3rd, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Wait a minute….you’re going to tear that down!?! I love it! Sike! I’m with you…a little bit of toile is OK, but that much is heinous. Don’t you wonder what prompted the previous owners to think that it looked good?! We had a few LAYERS of hideous wallpaper in our house when we moved in. I did hire a guy to do our kitchen but I did the dining room myself…I rented a steamer from HD and it pretty much came off. It was easy actually. I’ve heard this is not always the case, but hopefully it will be for you.
Emily’s last blog post..PSF – What’s missing from this picture?
July 3rd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
I’ve never removed wallpaper. Although, I’ve got a border in my kitchen (from the previous owners) that I’d love to have removed. So, after you finish this project, care to come to NY and help me with mine?
Joyce-Anne’s last blog post..Vacation is all I ever wanted
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Use a clothes steamer or rent a wallpaper steamer…worth it. And I’d buy some vodka…you’ll need it.
Dejoni’s last blog post..Because someone thinks I’m a “national treasure”
July 3rd, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Good luck! You can do it.
Asianmommy’s last blog post..Happy Fourth of July Fruit Flag
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
I have never done one myself. But good luck!!!
Amy @ The Q Family’s last blog post..Baby Step to Hiking – Backyard Hiking
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:27 pm
How well do I know this nightmare. We had wallpaper all over this house when we moved in, it was AWFUL. I will never put up wallpaper, nor will I ever again move into a house with more than one wall of the stuff. It sounds like you have all of the tools. I bought a steamer and it definitely makes things easier, but not a requirement.
Good luck!
Cara’s last blog post..Step One
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:33 pm
I’m sorry, I have had no such experience so no tips to share. But I hope you get the job done.
louann’s last blog post..As My Year Comes To Another End
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:55 pm
I just hope there aren’t many layers of wallpaper on those walls.
lceel’s last blog post..A bad day for an Anniversary.
July 4th, 2009 at 1:25 am
Dude. I don’t think I could have eaten even one meal looking at those walls. Good for you for digging in. Your spirit and determination will get you through it.
Happy 4th!
Lee of MWOB’s last blog post..We all need Neda
July 4th, 2009 at 2:49 am
I’m pretty sure that’s the SAME pattern we found at our previous house when remodeling. It was behind THREE (yes, 3!) layers of wallpaper.
Peel it off and hopefully you’ll have nice plaster. If not, you can always sponge paint a very nice pattern. Something that hides the flaws yet isn’t so ‘racy’.
sheila’s last blog post..Not exactly ‘bountiful’.
July 4th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I’ve done this several times, and I can tell you that it isn’t fun.
But it’s much easier if you go to Home Depot and buy this pasty stuff that is labeled “Wallpaper Remover.” You paint it on, and the glue just dissolves. A little scraping, and you’re finished.
GREAT project for kids, BTW. Hand ‘em a scraper and set ‘em to work.
The Mother’s last blog post..Pandora’s Legacy (NefHxMotherhood)
July 4th, 2009 at 11:27 am
When we bought our house, we had to remove hideous wallpaper in several rooms… We rented a wallpaper steamer from Home Depot, and felt like we needed to do it all within the time alloted at the basic rental price. Well, we finished all of the removal in half of a day. (It had taken the whole previous day to peel just a couple of square feet). Don’t ask me how long it took us to get around to painting 4 rooms of bare walls, though….
July 4th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Oh wow, that wallpaper is bad. Good luck removing it. Let me know what process you use and how it worked… I have some that needs to be removed.
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July 4th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
My only advice – grab a friend to help, a bottle of good wine and plan to spend ALL day scraping, scrubbing, peeling and cussing.
Good luck!
Beth (A Mom’s Life)’s last blog post..Note to self…
July 4th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Yuk!
We were lazy bums at our first house – we painted over wallpaper in the kitchen! But I am SO glad we did – it was so much easier, and we never really noticed, and we sold it after 5 years anyway!!
But we did have to take down a simple wallpaper BORDER in the guest bedroom, and that alone was a nightmare. So I seriously can’t imagine doing a whole room.
Which is why we didn’t.
I feel for you.
Rachel @ Grasping for Objectivity in my Subjective Life’s last blog post..How To Spend a Non-Holiday Holiday.
July 4th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I actually kind of like it, but not accross the whole room, grin
Nicole’s last blog post..People came armed
July 5th, 2009 at 3:24 am
Wow, just one bottle of DIF?! You’re lucky if you can get away with just one. Good luck! I hope your walls aren’t textured…
Cookie’s last blog post..Happy 4th of July
July 5th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Wow, you are brave. But I understand, better tackle it and just get it over with. Good luck!!!
Mama in Suburbia’s last blog post..Regrets…A mom’s hope for another baby.
July 5th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
You’re brave. I’ve heard romoving wallpaper is pretty tough to do. Good luck, and I hope it goes well!
genny’s last blog post..On Being A Happy Mom…
July 6th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Nothing like blood red with little drippy-looking things to stimulate the appetite! I don’t have any tips, was glad to read the ones left in a comment.
Dot’s last blog post..My Mother Has Passed
July 6th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Oh wow! I agree! That would be rough looking at as one ate, but good luck on the re-do. you are much braver than I. I would be crying for my daddy to come help me.
Luckily our walls are just dull ole’ white.
July 6th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Oh joy! I have never removed wallpaper before, I hope it goes well for you!
July 6th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
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July 6th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I think you are right that it would look nice in small doses instead of the whole room. I have zero advice. My walls are always white. Paint, not wallpaper.
Maggie’s Mind’s last blog post..Friendliness, Toothiness
July 6th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Patterns like this are nice … on throw pillows or in small amounts … not in a huge room. Ugh.
And I don’t have any advice unfortuately … other than rent a steamer as the chemicals never worked for me. Good luck.
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July 7th, 2009 at 9:04 pm