Wallpaper paste removal tips

[tim2]

Hi there. First post. Just bought a house this week. The walls were replastered in recent years and "papered" over directly onto the plaster. The paper peeled off very easily without the need for steaming or sponging down etc. The problem is it has left alot of glue all over the walls. What's a good way of getting this glue off easily. I've tried B&Q's Wallpaper remover (orange liquid). I've been spraying it on, leaving it and it sort of flakes up around the edge of the glue area. It works ok but is very slow progress. Soapy water doesn't do much turning it into a mush that won't come off. Would sugar soap be better? Or has anyone else got a better ideas?
Thanks in advance

 

[tim2]

just to add, the glue is on raw plaster so normal scrubbing with soap and water won't work as it is well and truly stuck to the plaster.

 

[mildmanneredjanitor]

Hi Tim and welcome,

when I've had to paint walls that have previously papered, I usualy sand the walls down with 80 or 100 grit glasspaper (decent quality stuff) and this is usually sufficient, however - have you considered putting up lining paper?

It makes the room feel much warmer and covers all manner of imperfections.

Also, lining paper is quite easy to put up (if it is your first effort at papering!)

Good luck.

 

[tim2]

Thank you for the reply. I've had a bash at it with a sander with a coarse grit. It makes progress but very slowly. The problem is that there is so much surface area with glue on. While I've been working on other things I've noticed it's beginning to peel off a little which I think is down to humidty. I'm now thinking of having a go with a wallpaper steamer. What do you think?

 

[masona]

AdamW found this link, see this,

 

[tim2]

cheers for the link. Might have to try that. Had another bash at it last night trying various methods and was very slow progress . . . .

 

[waran]

I've had a similar problem before and as I recall I used the wallpaper steamer initially to get most of it off. Then used a hot air paint stripper for more stubborn areas and then sanded down the bits that were left. This was for cork tile glue that was on bare plaster. Can't say that it was easy but definitely worth the effort though.

 

[tim2]

Had a bash with the wall paper steamer and it got some off but was long hard work (not my favourite type). I guess I was looking for some miracle method or product that would save me hours of steaming, scraping, sanding etc etc