Painting over old vinyl wallpaper or removing?

9 years ago

For starters, how do I assess which way to go? Or inother words, how can I figure out how easy the wallpaper is to remove before I start the project and realize that I'm way over my head? Is it going to a lot of work, no matter what?

Considerations:

First, it's a rental, and will rent only for one year.

Vinyl paper has been in the room for decades. As far as I can tell, it's rock solid and tightly attached.

Walls are plaster.

Wallpaper has small light pattern but also some small dotted texture.

Worries:

If removing, apart from the time effort, will I destroy the wall?

If painting, will it bubble, or will the paint slide off?

I've read up on it, and removing vinyl seems more of an issue because chemical removers can't easily soak through.

Also, even if I could pull the vinyl off in large sheets, what's the wall underneath going to look like?

If painting, it seems that oil based primer and paint (?) is the way to go.

But then, do I need to worry about the seams?

Or, just live with it?

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Comments (6)

PRO
Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
If the walls are actual plaster then you should have no problem removing it. Prime with Gardz after removing the residual paste and then paint.

http://www.wallpaperinstaller.com/wallpaper_stripping.html

http://www.safeandsimple.com/
nosoccermom
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The house is 100 years old. So,
1. Make sure walls are indeed plaster. (peek behind outlet cover?)
2. See if vinyl wallpaper can be pulled off (I'm sure it's decades old).
If not, do I go to steps 3. scoring the paper, using gel stripper, etc.
3. Best case scenario, how much time are we talking?

Remember that it's a rental, and rental time is only one year. I'm scared that I start and then reach the point of no return... and end up with a wall that needs skim coating.

Now, my impression is that it's very thick vinyl wallpaper, probably installed in the 70s, 80s. It feels plasticky, with a texture, and definitely scrubbable. Because it's heavier than normal wallpaper, I'd assume that it's been attached with a heavier paste.

Is that going to be a problem regarding removal? How can I figure out what paste was used?
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The more time I spend here....the more I can understand why the average consumer is completely confused. It's not your fault (consumer). It's just because there are so many people who proclaim so loudly and boldly their "opinions". They must be right....right? They are "professionals". This is what they do for a living...right? The one truth about the internet is that everyone is 10 feet tall, bulletproof, successful, beautiful, and amazingly intelligent. Who would have ever guessed the power that anonymity and a keyboard could create? I can read the side of a paint can just as well as the next person. If it says it....it must be true....right? Maybe that's why I currently cook every meal with the Magic Bullet...use Oxy Clean daily...the Swivel Sweeper cleans my floors...magic Asian foot pads keep me healthy...which allows me the time to be the next "no money down" real estate millionare.....you'll see. What really matters most to you, pamies, is your project and what you want to achieve. The bad news is that there are several opinions...even more on the web. That's why you are confused (rightfully so). The GOOD news (and isn't that what matters most?) is that with the shape your walls are in (already having wallpaper over them) you can take any one of the offered suggestions and, at the end of the day, you simply won't have a problem. Kilz...not really the best idea only because it's oil base and a pain to work with. Would it work? Probably so. Gardz...not really meant for the job...could "fish eye" if the old paper is vinyl coated...but will actually dry to a film regardless. Would it work? Probably so. Acrylic primer...will wet the surface and then dry to a film. Would it work? Probably so. The bottom line to you is to not get caught up in a confusion of self proclaimed experts (yes...that means me too). You just want your bathroom done and looking good. With the shape it's in...and the fact that the pressure of a top layer of wallpaper caused no failure...you can paint (prime) that space with just about anything and pull off a successful paint job. Don't stress too much, pick something...anything, knock it out and paint it the way you want to see it. Then relax and enjoy it.
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Hi All, Beachlily-Glad to help a fellow GW. Prill-You have incredible taste but you've heard me gush about your kitchen. Love that paint choice. Bee-lol. I love that your DS is in Art school and colored blind. Watch him be the next Picasso! Well not with chasing women but with art. elle3- I am all over the place because I have another bathroom that needs to be updated too. DH realizes how great disappearing wallpaper looks and has encouraged me to tackle that next. I need my fingernails to grow back first. Chris-I checked out the rustoleum. Yes, this a possibility. thank you. Arsy- When I get back from my business trip I will post pics of the space and you will laugh uproariously at the hideous wallpaper. Lukkiirish- I checked out Martha Stewart. Pretty colors. Truly pretty. Now what??? help me I am going to keep the wood as is. Because I have another bathroom with the exact same wood that I am going to stain darker a chocolate color. DH is on board with this. I found an inspiration pic and of course the above pics helped tremendously. Thank you for your photoshop and for your own bath pics. I went to Khols today and found marked down these bath rugs. I have no idea the quality but the fact they are a 100% cotton appealed to me and they were super cheap. I also bought matching towels in the light sea green color. Then after I went to HomeDepot. Light fixtures were butttt ugly. I can not see spending $100 on something I only tolerate. I am going to search on line. What do you think? Which paint looks better with the cabs? (Stupidly I picked the colors up before writing them down... I think it is in this order milk pail ML, rainwater, perfect taupe, winter's day and frozen pond Frozen Pond Behr Winter's Day Martha Stewart Perfect Taupe Behr Rain Water ML Milk Pail ML The cabs look so orange in the pic they are far more yellow. Or should I chuck these all and go back to something more blue and less sea glass. I am thinking for the downstairs bath Black, pale blue and white will be the prevailing them so this bath more beach glass classic cottage look... Any ideas would be awesome. ~boxer
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The sensationalist commercial eyes-at-any-cost media have made people deathly scared of asbestos. I mean that. You're far more likely to die of stress from the fear of asbestos than from asbestos itself. The people who got asbestosis were the ones who worked with it and breathed in the dust for 8 hours or more, 5 or more days a week -- mostly people who manufactured asbestos products, and to a lesser degree, those who installed them. You, as a homeowner handling small quantities of asbestos once or twice in your lifetime, are NOT in any significant danger. If you're still worried, just keep everything wet while you remove the paper. That keeps the fibers out of the air and eliminates even the most microscopic chance of harm.
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Thank you. Christopher - is cleaning unnecessary do you think? Lisa - the wallpaper in the room I want to do first is in in really good condition., The paper in the hallway is not, and there is a bathroom with awful pinkish wallpaper with fans on it, and a bright red rug, I just have no idea right now what to do about that. I doubt I'd bother to paint it as just a little coat of paint won't help it. We just use another bathroom for now because no one can stand to go in that one! Bossy - I get what your saying, but we have major things that need addressed first (we just had a huge retaining wall next to the house fail for instance), spending money and time on a cosmetic fix like drywall just isn't up there in priority right now, especially because it's complicated by really nice woodwork that could potentially be damaged by removing. However, I really don't want to look at the dark ugly wallpaper anymore and my kids really want their room decorated a way they like. This is work and money for a less than perfect solution but when I know the perfect solution is a loooong way off, it's acceptable to me. I don't want to be looking at this paper 5 years from now because we intended to get to it "soon". While I hope we can, I don't want to count on it at this point. When I married my DH the walls the bedroom in his house were painted over wallpaper. I never even noticed until he pointed it out to me, so I do have an idea of what it will look like if I can do it right.
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PRO
Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
9 years ago
It will make no difference what paste was used ( unless for some un godly reason they used VOV). The outer layer of vinyl should peel right off. No way to tell till you try a piece.
nosoccermom
Original Author
9 years ago
I'll give it a try in an inconspicuous place first. Thanks so much!
So, best case scenario is that I peel the thick vinyl off and then "just" have to remove whatever backing and paste is left?
lam702
9 years ago
I've removed a good amount of wallpaper over the years. Its not fun, but can be done. I didn't find the scoring or gel to be very helpful. I've also heard some say use a liquid fabric softener. The thing that worked best for me, was to strip the vinyl layer off, which shouldn't be too hard. It will leave the paper backer on the wall unless you are very lucky and it was properly prepped. To remove the paper backing, I used warm water and a sponge soaked then squeezed out with the water, wipe the paper down, let sit a bit. Then, using a scraper it scraped right off. Not that it was easy and sometimes I did gouge the sheetrock, so there was a fair amount of wall putty needed. If you have plaster walls, you will probably have an easier time of it.
PRO
Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
9 years ago
I'll give it a try in an inconspicuous place first. Thanks so much!
So, best case scenario is that I peel the thick vinyl off and then "just" have to remove whatever backing and paste is left?

You got it.

Painting over old vinyl wallpaper or removing?

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Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting

nosoccermom
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Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting

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Painting over old vinyl wallpaper or removing?

Comments (6)

Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting

nosoccermomOriginal Author

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Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting

nosoccermomOriginal Author

lam702

Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting

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nosoccermom
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nosoccermom
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