Which wallpaper stripper? HELP!

[Squidgy]

I need to strip an entire house of woodchip. We have a young labourer to help (thank the Lord), and I need to assign him with the best toll for the job. I hear the Black n Decker is good but someone says it damages the plaster. It's £32. The Earlex professional jobby is £145 - does anyone know if it's really any better? HELP! I don't want our labourer to ruin the walls too much, but need the best tool I can get. THANK YOU!

 

[papergirl]

Best thing to do is to hire one. They have nice big steamer plates not like the silly little ones you see in the DIY shops.

You should not damage the plaster if you do not hold them onto the surface for too long. Make sure you keep the plate moving, ask in the hire shop if you are not sure of them, they will give you some tips. Most places cost about £8.oo per day.

 

[Zampa]

What she said!...

 

[Third_Eye]

All depends whether woodchip has been painted over with matt, silk, soft sheen and all oil based paints. If painted with silk, soft sheen and all oil based paints then FORGET soaking the paper. But if only painted with matt emulsion then u can soak it 3 times then leave to soak then strip. However, if painted with silk, soft sheen and all oil based paints then will probably damage the plaster (ASSUMING THE WOODCHIP HAS BEEN WELL HUNG. IF NOT THEN U CAN DRY SCRAPE BEHIND PAPER !). I find best thing to do is get a stanley blade and create zig-zag lines all over the woodchip in order that water can penetrate the surface coating that is above the woodchip whilst soaking the paper (if u see what i mean, though this procedure will damage surface). You will need to soak about 5 to 10 times (allowing each soak to NEARLY DRY), This will allow the water to pass in behind the coatings/woodchip and in doing so will get behind all the paper, Making it stripable. Though this is no guarentee as i have personally spen 5 days stripping one woodchipped room being cieling and walls.