Wallpaper removal and painting
Wallpaper removal is slow, wet work that decides how the paint looks afterward. Absolut scores and steams the paper off, strips the paste with a remover and a wash, seals any torn drywall paper and skims the wall where the surface is damaged. Only then does the wall get primed and two coats of paint. Rushing the paste off is why painted-over wallpaper walls look blotchy.
Concept imageryOn the quote, from the start.
- 01A test strip in a hidden corner to see how many layers there are and how the wall underneath is holding
- 02Floors and trim covered with plastic and paper, since removal involves water and paste
- 03Paper scored, steamed or soaked, and stripped down to the wall, including borders and layered paper
- 04Paste residue removed with a stripper solution and washed off, then the wall left to dry
- 05Torn drywall paper and gouges sealed and skimmed with compound, sanded and sealed again
- 06A primer suited to the wall, then two coats of paint rolled and cut by hand
No figures published. The drivers, in order.
| Driver | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Number of layers and age of the paper | One strippable modern paper comes off fast. Several layers of old paper, or paper that was painted over, come off in pieces. |
| What is under it | Primed drywall releases cleanly. Unprimed drywall tears, and plaster can crumble, both of which mean sealing and skimming. |
| Room size and height | A powder room is a day. A stairwell with high walls and a two-storey wall of paper is several. |
| Repainting scope | Once the walls are stripped and skimmed they must be painted. Whether the trim and ceiling come with them changes the quote. |
The test strip at the walkthrough tells us most of what we need. A wall that was primed before the paper went up strips in hours. One that was not can take days, and the quote is written to what the test shows. Read the cost guide.
John peels a corner in a closet or behind a door to see the layers and the wall beneath. The written quote names the removal method, the repairs we expect, the primer and the paint, and gives a day count with drying built in.
Floors and trim are covered in plastic because removal is wet. Paper is scored and steamed or soaked and pulled, then the paste is stripped with a remover and washed until the wall no longer feels tacky. The wall dries overnight.
Torn or gouged areas are sealed, skimmed and sanded. The whole wall gets a primer that locks down any remaining paste and evens the surface, then two coats of paint with hand-cut edges. A room takes [n] days and ends with a walk-through under a low light.
Questions about wallpaper removal and painting
Can you just paint over the wallpaper?
You can, but it rarely looks right and it makes removal much harder later. Seams telegraph through, paper bubbles when it gets wet from the paint and vinyl papers will not hold paint at all. We will paint over it if the paper is well stuck and smooth, after sealing it, but we say what to expect first.
Will removing the paper damage my walls?
It depends on what is underneath. Drywall that was primed before papering releases cleanly. Unprimed drywall tears, taking its paper face with it. We seal torn areas with a sealer made for the purpose, such as Zinsser Gardz, then skim and sand them, so the finished wall is smooth either way.
Why does paste residue matter?
Any paste left on the wall absorbs paint differently from bare drywall and shows as dull or glossy patches, and in some cases it reactivates under the wet paint and bubbles. We strip, wash and prime with a sealer so the paint sits on one consistent surface.
How long does wallpaper removal take?
A small bathroom or hallway with one layer is about [n] days including painting. A bedroom with old paper and wall repairs is [n] days. Drying between the wash, the skim and the primer is what sets the pace, so we often work two rooms in rotation.
Do you remove borders and painted-over paper?
Yes. Borders are usually vinyl and come off with scoring and a stripper. Paper that has been painted over must be scored heavily so the stripper gets through the paint, and it comes off in small pieces. It is slow but it is the only way to get a clean wall.