woodchip wallpaper

dbriggs

Is there an easier way to remove woodchip wallpaper other than using a steam wallpaper stripper and elbow grease?

I think this stuff has been on the wall for many years and painted over time and time again.

I've been sweating buckets trying to get this stuff off the walls in one of the bedrooms and I'm now dreading the next job; the hall, landing and staircase!

Any tips or tricks to get this stuff off easier? I told the missus the bedroom would be done by the time she gets home from work today. Starting to regret saying that now!

DoctorFoster

There ain't an easy way. That's why people hate it so much.

LEJC

Score the paper first to hopfully allow as much steam in as possible especially if its been painted several times...


sorry no easy way really other than to do small sections at a time....our last house had every wall covered in the stuff and numerous layers of paint on top

dbriggs

LEJC wrote: »

Score the paper first to hopfully allow as much steam in as possible especially if its been painted several times...

That sounds like a good idea, thanks LEJC!

They should ban the sale of woodchip wallpaper - it looks terrible and is a right headache to remove.

Ruski

Sometimes - if you're lucky this kinda thing helps to let the steam/soapy water soak in - just don't used it too aggressively or you'll end up scoring the plaster too...


http://www.diy.com/departments/tools-equipment/hand-tools/wallpapering-tools/wallpaper-scorers/DIY779653.cat


Russ

firefox1956

Score it well but not so deep you mark the plaster below.
Then wet the walls & leave for an hour or so then use the steam stripper.

Lancastrian

I've had my share of woodchip and finally found the best way is to use one of these (toolstation.com/shop/Painting+Decorating/d150/Decorators+Tools/sd160/Prep+Heavy+Duty+Scraper+/p29412)
Sorry - can't do linky links.
Use the scraper to take the bumpy top off the paper then the steamer has a better chance of penetrating through to the plaster.
Still flaming hard work though !

Good luck

onomatopoeia99

Scrape it dry to get the top layer of paint and chips off. This is very very hard work. It will fly off like shrapnel. Once this is removed there is just a pulp layer that steams off easily.

Even with scoring and spiked rollers, steaming is pretty ineffective. My house is covered in the stuff, every single room apart from the bathroom, including on some of the ceilings (the ceilings that aren't artexed, anyway). I've done two rooms and the hall so far, and each time I curse myself for not considering how much work it would be when I bought the house!

Figure on having a skim of plaster put on once the walls are bare.

Slinky

Keep the door and window shut in the room you're working in if you can, the steam escaping from your steamer will soak into the paper in the rest of the room making it easier to shift the later stuff than the first bits.

Mind_the_Gap

I did know one fellow dec who used to turn the steam stripper on and leave it for an hour (with door and windows shut), blasting out steam in the room - then come back and peel it off.

trailingspouse

Wood chip? Don't talk to me about wood chip!! On one wall of our house the wood chip had been papered over - with more wood chip!!!!

The way that works the best for me is first of all to knock the tops off the chips using a razor scraper. Don't score it as you risk damaging the plaster underneath. Then wipe the surface with a fairly wet cloth. Then use the steam stripper.

It still takes forever, but at least scraping the tops off and wiping the walls gives you something to do while you're waiting for the steamer to heat up...