Interior wall been painted, then papered, then painted again

[Campervick]

Hi guys! First post, had a look through other posts and it looks like this is the right place to ask my question, first of many I'm sure.

I have a rental to prepare for tenancy and the interior walls of two bedrooms has been painted, then papered, then painted again. Both of them have/had borders half way up the wall too. The paper is partially off where someone has had a go at it and it's an awful mess. I believe from reading posts that it's very difficult to removed painted wallpaper. Also, some of the first layer of paint has come off with the wallpaper that's been picked off, but not all, so there's patches of bare plaster and patches of painted plaster.

What's my best solution? I don't want to strip, it's quicker to cover over given my time frame. How do I do that? Embossed wallpaper, paint with wall decals to cover the worst bits? I'm really stuck!

 

[dcdec]

If you have rooms with stripped patches all you can really do is get on and strip the rest. Sometimes they can be difficult, sometimes not, its just a case of getting stuck in.
Once stripped size or prime if required and i'd apply an embossed paper or even woodchip.

I've got a garden spray thing, you fill it with water, pump air in and away you go, it saves hours. Be sensible though and sheet up to catch the water that runs down the walls. Try zinsser dif and also puncturing the paint so the water gets through helps, but i usually find once i've got a piece lifted working from that area you can usually remove the paper because your getting the water in behind.

 

[vibrobullit407]

I would go the way of puncturing the paper as dcdec states. I tend to score using a stripping knife but take care not to score to hard as you can cut into the plaster and these marks will need filled afterwards. You can however buy a wheel that will puncture the paper as well. What I have done in the past is add a little washing up liquid in the water I use for stripping. It seems to work but not sure why!

 

[TheDec]

I think your best option here would be to remove the wallpaper, sand the paper in order to breakthrough the existing paint film and use a steamer, as dcdec said once you get it started it should not be to difficult a task.

Dec

 

[oldgreymouse]

Same as you dcdec, I use an old garden sprayer to wet the walls, with a rolled up outdoor painting sheet on the floor to trap the water.

Vibro, adding washing up liquid is a good wetting agent so makes the paper stay wetter for longer. It's a hell of a job getting the bubbles to stay in the garden sprayer but once you get the lid on it's ok.

I use the very sharp paint scraper's, the one with the angled blade. I keep it sharp by drawing it backwards over some sandpaper. A dull blade will not get the paper off.
Tried the roller with spikes but could never quite get on with it.

 

[Campervick]

Thanks guys, would have been so stuck without you. I bought a garden sprayer and also a basic bottle sprayer, and used a little bit of washing up liquid in the water. My son and I were having a good go one wall this evening (had planned a whole day of it tomorrow but thought I'd make a start) and tried scraping with the side of the scraper and soaking. It was hard work, we achieved half of one wall in one evenings work with two of us, but the paint and all is coming off in most places. I hope to get all of the paint off as well as the wallpaper off as that will give a bare plaster that, once any dings are filled, could potentially be painted with a matt paint. Wish me luck!

 

[Campervick]

Well the whole house is done now...very pleased with the result. Here's some before and after pics

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