Wallpaper stripping NIGHTMARE!!!!

[andy2306]

Just started stripping the hallway in my 1900 house, It has very old wallpaper under what I hoped i was the only wallpaper I was going to have to strip!

Anyway this stuff is like iron, nothing I do really has an impact, Its just taken 1 1/2 hours to strip about 1/12 meters square! Ive scored It, soaked it with hot water and washing up liquid, and then steamed it, then using a hammilton 6 inch blade scraped some off.......... very slowly. I thought the woodchip in my bedroom was tough, but this stuff in ridiculous. Im going to have the room skimmed next week. so really need some help

The wallpaper looks like it has been varnished (above and below the dado rail) although fortunatly it looks like it only got one coat above the dado!!

What im really wondering is.

1. Is the wallpaper stripping solution any good? any better than hot water and washing up liquid?

2. Is a commercial/intustrial steam stripper any better than the ones availiable in B&Q at £30 (that im currently using)

3. Would a blow torch or heat gun burn the stuff off (relativly safely)

Im even considering getting the SDS out and taking it back to brick!! (but unfortunatly cant afford the extra on the plasterers bill)

Andy

 

[confidentincompetent]

Oh dear Is it Lincrusta? thick cardboard like, with a heavy emboss. Or is it merely loads of paper?
A diy steamer Is not completely useless. just a bit slower. You might not find trade any better.

like your doing, soak and soak (after scoring, teasing any loose edges with a filling knife as opposed to a ridgid scraper, Try a smaller scraper. Try Zinsser stripping solution, Presume you tried soaking for at least an hour before straining yourself?
Try, scoring the paper, wet with hot water, apply a thick coat of wallpaper paste, keep this paste wet, best left overnight. then next day should come off. But all methods will involve lots of elbow grease.

ope you get there..

 

[andy2306]

Hi,

Thanks for that advise, It was kind of what my method of attack was going to be this morning!

The wallpaper itself isnt embossed, Its a brown flocked pattern, which appears to have had coats of varnish over the top, different colours top and bottom!...... fashion really does have a lot to answer for!

My plan this morning is to remove all the easy to remove stuff from ontop of it and then using a thick pile roller, keep applying hot stripping solution. for at least an hour before I even attempt to strip any, then every 20 minutes to the rest of the wall im going to attempt to strip today.


Just wondering if some paint/varnish stripper would do anything? Or would it mess the plaster that is going to be skimmed up?

 

[amyboo]

I reackon those cheap £30 type steamers are no way near as good as the industrial sized ones you can rent... We just stripped 3 layers of wallpaper from our lounge and hallways (one of which was woodschip, one was vinyl that has been painted over!!) and the rented steamer was much better than our cheapy bought one. In the end, we just used the rented steamer... I found that scoring it, and then steaming 3 or 4 times, then scraping worked quite well. It f*cks the walls up a bit, but if you're getting them skimmed I guess you're not bothered....

 

[Zampa]

Try softening it with a heat gun and then scrapping while its warm...wear goggles and keep the windows open.