removing embossed borders from coving

carolbee

Hi, we have just bought a house where the previous owners have papered all the plasterboard covings, some borders are embossed, any ideas of how to remove the paper without damaging the coving underneath, which we want to keep?

any experience of doing this, I think some of the embossed ones may have a paper backing.

thanks

nickj_2

use a steamer

andrew-b

What on earth possesses people to do that in the first place!! Steamer should do it but don't hold it too long in any one place. Or sponge it with hot soapy water often is enough to get these borders off...depends what it's been stuck with.
In our hall the previous owner for some reason decided to put a hideous border half way up the wall and then another below the coving. I removed them just with soapy water and a scraper as couldn't stand them...though not decorated hall again yet.

If it doesn't come off easily without damage then it's probably quicker TBH to rip the covings down and replace. You can patch up with polyfilla (or other filler) if necessary as i've done this myself but it does take a while of filling/sanding/refilling/etc to get a decent finish.
In our kitchen the coving was covered with a textured paint..was easier to rip down and plasters fixed up new coving when doing the ceiling.

carolbee

thanks for the tips, why indeed do they do it, not only on the coving, but another border underneath that, thankfully straight onto the plaster wall!