removing Novamura

[Marionnette]

What is the best way of removing novamura wallpaper? Can it be steamed off?

 

[breezer]

yes, but you have to score it first to allow water penetration. I think it was designed so that you lift two corners and it "peels off."

 

[Babsie]

I put Novamura (I believe made by Vymura, in turn made by ?ICI?) on my attic wall many moons ago. I was used to both types of covering. Vymura was a paper covered with film of vinyl. The vinyl could peel off the paper when stripping, leaving the paper to be removed with water as normal. The Novamura was a completely different kettle of fish. It was simply a roll of delicate vinyl which was instructed to be applied to a pasted wall. It looked beautiful. Many years on, being just a workroom, now trying to strip it off has thrown up a number of issues. Thin, tapering strips come away and in parts, crumble. It's hard to scrape but I think that's the only very time-consuming way to do it. The other issue is that, being plastic, it was airless and sealed - I can see where some areas were unable to dry effectively for some time, leaving occasional mould patches underneath. This has cautioned me to carefully consider any new (2024) papers on the market specified as "paste the wall". It also means I need to consider whether to treat the wall before repapering