Removing Vinyl Coated Wallpaper

The room shown here had a vinyl coated prepasted wallcovering that was stuck fast.

Removing vinyl coated wallpaper.

Hgtv expert steve watson shows how to remove vinyl wallpaper. On some wall coverings especially vinyl coated styles the outer layer may simply pull away from the paper backing leaving only the paper and glue to be removed. Washable vinyl wallpaper is a durable and easy to clean wall covering found in many homes. Vinyl coated paper is the most similar to traditional wallpaper and the hardest to remove.

All three products are manufactured by wm. Once the paper is soaked you can scrape it away from the wall. Unfortunately wallpapering over vinyl wallpaper is not an option. You should make every effort to remove the vinyl wallpaper first before trying to cover anything.

Rent a steamer instead of purchasing one since this is not a job you will do very often. The stripper called dif 13 per gallon is nontoxic and odorless. It s not hard but be prepared for a mess. Wallpaper adhesives stick best on porous surfaces and coated papers are known to not be absorbent whatsoever.

Removing washable vinyl wallpaper. Start by peeling off the vinyl from the paper backing. The most stubborn wallpaper and glue removal method i have found. A steamer uses boiling water to soften the glue between the wallpaper and the wall.

Next spray liquid wallpaper remover onto the remaining paper then use a trowel to spread the liquid over the paper so it soaks in thoroughly. Removing vinyl wallpaper can be a very difficult job if you don t take it off in the correct way. The reason for this is based on the principle of adhesion. It may come away in small strips or the vinyl may become soft making it harder to strip off of the wall.

Utility knives will come in handy when removing wallpaper borders and trim along cabinets. Vinyl wallpaper will often create a big mess when you try and remove it from the wall using conventional methods. If you are removing vinyl coated wallpaper with a steamer you still have to use a scoring tool to punch holes in the paper so the steam can reach the glue. The removal method we chose included a thick bodied gel stripper and two specialized tools.