Peeling wallpaper can be tough work!
One of the most dreaded tasks when it comes to preparing a room for re-decoration is removing the old wallpaper. Years ago, this would have involved several buckets of warm water, a scraper, and good old elbow grease. Now, however, there are tools available to make it a lot easier, and they can be picked up at your local Home DIY store or hired at very reasonable cost.
Wallpaper can be stripped in a number of ways; the first, as outlined above, involves soaking the paper with warm water, allowing it to soak in, then removing it with a special tool for scraping. This is hard work, not always that effective, and very messy. If the paper is particularly difficult to remove, it may also cause damage to the plaster underneath.
One tool available now is a device which scores the wallpaper for you; the scoring leaves lots of tiny holes. Sheets, which are impregnated with a special solution, are then placed on top of the scored paper, and the solution is allowed to soak in through the tiny holes; this softens the adhesive underneath and allows the paper to be peeled off the walls. As with all wallpaper stripping, this is still somewhat messy, but involves far less effort and does not damage the surface of the wall. This device comes in kit form with different types to tackle different types of paper, including vinyl, which can be very difficult to remove in the conventional way.
Another tool, which is perfect for removing the heavier types of paper, or several layers at once, is the steamer, also known as a wallpaper stripper. It has a reservoir into which water is poured; a heating element heats the water, which is forced along a hose and into a flat vented plate; it is the plate which is applied against the surface of the paper, and the steam soaks into it, softening the adhesive. Again this is messy, and extra care must be taken due to the risks of scalds from the steam. All these methods produce a lot of water, so floor-coverings and furniture must be either removed from the room completely, if possible, or covered with protective sheets. Wear old clothes, too, and prepare to get wet whilst working.
The tools available today make a tiresome job so much easier and ensure that, once you have decided to decorate, it won’t be too long before you are enjoying the fruits of your labour.
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hi,
Basically, to have a wallpaper in your room is a nice plan, but later time, the thing is when its ruined or stripped off, the hard part is to scrape it off making sure that no more left. but nowadays, there are tools which will help you easily do it in lesser time.
Joyce Anne Dela Victoria