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Paint Remodeling DIY

Wallpaper removal problems - repairing drywall damage

5 years ago

I'm working on removing wallpaper from my kitchen, but it was unfortunately applied to non-primed drywall, so removal is causing massive damage. The top layer of the drywall is peeling off with the wallpaper backing, despite my best efforts and use of commercial glue stripper (WP Chomp), and leaving behind a severely damaged brown paper drywall surface. I plan to skim coat over this, but my question is whether joint compound will adhere to this surface? Do I prime it first? I was thinking of using Kilz oil based primer.

Moving forward, the top layer of the wallpaper comes off relatively well, leaving behind a mostly intact wallpaper backing layer. Can I prime over the backing instead of removing it (to avoid damaging the drywall), apply skim coat, then paint? Will the backing material bubble? Would putting adhesive or shellac on the backing layer prevent bubbling?

What about not even removing the wallpaper at all? I've heard of priming over paper, skim coating, then priming and painting again, but I'm not sure if, for one, the wallpaper is strong enough to hold up a new surface, and two, if this is an option over my particular wallpaper, which is textured. I'm not sure what the material is, but it is very porous and dates to 1992.

Good advice is appreciated! Please and thank you!

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Comments (4)

PRO
Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Get as much off as you can, sand it with 80 or even 60 grit sandpaper prime

with Gardz, maybe even twice. Skim coat and sand as needed prime again and paint.
Alex Branch thanked Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
Alex Branch
Original Author
5 years ago
Would it be better to let the wallpaper backing dry after removal of the top layer, then sand it off instead of scraping it wet (which is when I've been having trouble with it taking the top layer of the drywall with it)?
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I am losing my religion over getting wallpaper off the wall before priming/painting. The top/print layer came off very easily, but what I thought was just residual glue on the wall is some of the paper backing as well. I've used 3 bottles of Dif and scraped but it is a bathroom with very high cathedral ceiling and I'm getting discouraged about ever finishing! Now for my question - I read lots on the internet and this board and went to buy a Wagner wallpaper steamer yesterday, but then was told it was only for plastered walls and not good for drywall. What is the bottom line? Can I end this nightmare by using a steamer on drywall, or should I continue the scrubarama? Thanks for your help and suggestions!
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I taught myself to repair drywall with the assistance of people on the gardenweb forums. It is a DIY project, but there are a couple tricks you need to know about, especially since you are going to be painting. First, paint the damaged drywall with oil based primer. Then skim coat with drywall mud, sand, skim again, sand again, and maybe even a third time. Once it is smooth and the way you want it, prime again with oil based primer. It would be a good idea to do a google search for skim coating so you know what equipment you need and learn some techniques. But most of the on-line advice fail to tell you about the importance of using the oil based primer, and using it twice. It acts as a shield, first between the damaged drywall and the drywall mud, and then the second time as a shield between the drywall mud and your latex paint. If you don't use it, you can end up with the repaired area having a slightly different sheen from the rest of the wall. This is the best tip I ever got off gardenweb. I have read that Zinsser Garz works the same as the oil based primer, but I haven't used it.
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If you are re wallpapering,I would apply a coat of Gardz,sand everything as smooth a possible( does not have to be perfect) apply a coat of Shields and paper.
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The problem is if you have dry wall underneath the paper. You wind up taking the drywall outer paper off. If it is too hard to remove. The allturnative can be to use a special paint to seal the paper that is there and then prime and prepare the wall properly for new paper ...or paint. That's what I did in my bathroom. The paper that won't come off thus become part of the drywall. If you have a plastered wall you can steem it off. or use ziff. Good Luck Scott
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User
5 years ago
It’s far far easier to just remove all of the drywall with wallpaper and then call in a Sheetrock crew and have them hang and tape new rock.
Alex Branch thanked User
paintguy22
5 years ago
You won't be able to sand off the backing.
Alex Branch thanked paintguy22

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