The short answer
We identify the paper type, test a small area, then steam, score or soak it off while protecting the drywall. Greenacres homeowners get clean, repaired, primed walls ready for paint or new wallpaper.
Old wallpaper tends to show up in Greenacres homes in familiar places: a floral border in the kitchen, a vinyl print in a guest bath, a whole hallway papered decades ago and painted over since. Getting it off without tearing the drywall underneath takes patience and the right method for the paper you have. WallEdge Installation comes up from Boynton Beach, about 8 miles southeast of Greenacres, to strip wallpaper in houses and condos throughout ZIP code 33463 and leave walls ready for paint or new paper.
First, find out what is on the wall
Removal starts with a test patch, usually behind where a piece of furniture will sit. We lift a corner and see how the layers behave. Strippable papers peel away in whole sheets and leave a thin backing. Peelable vinyls release their top layer but leave the paper backing stuck to the wall. Older pulp papers soak through and come off in pieces. Painted-over wallpaper is the slowest, because the paint seals out water.
We also check whether the drywall was primed before the paper was hung. If it was not, the paste bonded directly to the drywall face paper, and pulling too hard will tear that face. Knowing this up front tells us how carefully to work and how much repair to plan.
Methods we use
No single technique fits every wall, so we match the method to what the test patch shows.
- Dry stripping for modern strippable and nonwoven papers
- Warm water with a removal solution to soften paste behind porous paper
- Steam for stubborn layers, multiple layers or painted-over paper
- Light scoring with a perforation tool so moisture can reach the paste, used gently to avoid gouging
- Plastic putty knives and wide scrapers that lift paper without digging into drywall
Protecting your home during the work
Removal is wet work. We cover floors with plastic and absorbent drop cloths, tape off baseboards, and shut off power to outlets on the wall we are soaking when needed, with covers removed and openings taped. Wet paper is bagged as we go rather than left piled on the floor.
The climate plays a part as well. On a sticky summer afternoon, a wall soaked with solution dries slowly, while the air conditioning pulls moisture out of the room. We keep the AC running and give the walls time to dry fully before any patching or priming, since sealing in dampness can lead to mildew behind the new finish.
After the paper comes off
Getting the paper off is only half the job. Paste residue left on the wall will crack paint and cause bubbles under new wallpaper, so we wash the walls until the surface no longer feels slick. Then we inspect the drywall closely under a work light.
Torn face paper gets sealed with a shellac-based or oil-based primer so it does not bubble when mud goes over it. Gouges and dents are filled and sanded. Corners, outlets and the area along the ceiling get extra attention, because that is where old paper usually clings hardest. The finish is a coat of primer suited to what comes next: a standard primer for paint, or a wallpaper primer if you plan to hang new paper.
Common Greenacres removal jobs
Many homes in the area were updated in waves, so we often find more than one layer: a border over a full wall of paper, or vinyl over an earlier print. Kitchens and bathrooms in older ranch homes often have vinyl that has held up well and gripped hard. Condo owners repainting before a sale frequently ask us to clear out dated papers in halls and baths so the unit shows fresh.
If you plan to repaint or re-paper right after removal, we can schedule both stages together so the walls are not left bare for long. We handle removal in Greenacres and nearby Atlantis, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Worth Beach, Lantana and South Palm Beach.
More services in Greenacres
- Wallpaper Installation in Greenacres
- Accent Wall Installation in Greenacres
- Mural Installation in Greenacres
- Grasscloth Wallpaper Installation in Greenacres
