Damage when stripping wallpaper

forgottendreams77

I've started stripping some wallpaper for the first time, using warm soapy water and a scraper. So far that has worked fine, but when removing one section, bits of the outer layer of the wall have flaked off quite significantly:



Is there any way to avoid more of that happening? E.g. more/less water, more/less soaking time, try a steamer? Or is some damage inevitable/ unavoidable? The wallpaper has been in place for over 20 years and I'm not sure what kind of wall it is.

Also, what is the best way to repair that damage in preparation for painting? Should the wall ideally be skimmed? Thank you.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

perhaps a heavy lining paper would do, then emulsion over.

Eldi_Dos

You can get a wallpaper scoring tool which perforates the paper and makes it easier to wet, this can save wall surface  getting damaged.

35har1old

forgottendreams77 said:

I've started stripping some wallpaper for the first time, using warm soapy water and a scraper. So far that has worked fine, but when removing one section, bits of the outer layer of the wall have flaked off quite significantly:



Is there any way to avoid more of that happening? E.g. more/less water, more/less soaking time, try a steamer? Or is some damage inevitable/ unavoidable? The wallpaper has been in place for over 20 years and I'm not sure what kind of wall it is.

Also, what is the best way to repair that damage in preparation for painting? Should the wall ideally be skimmed? Thank you.

A painter would just use a filler and sand if necessary 

FreeBear

More water, and let it soak in - I use a squirty bottle that originally contained disinfectant surface cleaner. You may find the top layer of the wallpaper will peal off dry, in whcih case, give the base layer a good soak. Leave it for five minutes or so, and it will change colour noticeably. At which point, it should almost slide off the wall with minimal effort.

ashe

The way that the paint underneath is coming away like that seems like what my walls are like where the previous owner didn't mist coat the plaster 

ThisIsWeird

It might be that the plaster skim in that area was poorer quality - such as it has begun to set as it was applied, so it's both weaker and less well adhered. If most of the paper has come off ok, then it sounds as tho' you're doing things fine.

As said above, see if the paper has a peelable top decorative layer that can be pulled off. Lift an edge, and pull it slowly back on itself, pulling it 'flat' over the rest of the paper, and not 'away' from the wall. Make sense?

If that works, then the remaining layer should be easy to soften with water and remove. Give it time to soak in. 

Anyhoo, what to do about the resulting finish? Depends on how extensive it is. If they are isolated gaps with good surfaces either side, then filler can be spread on using a wide trowel or blade, and the surface will be levelled accordingly. Once dry, a light sanding using a large sanding block should sort it.

FreeBear

ThisIsWeird said: Anyhoo, what to do about the resulting finish? Depends on how extensive it is. If they are isolated gaps with good surfaces either side, then filler can be spread on using a wide trowel or blade, and the surface will be levelled accordingly. Once dry, a light sanding using a large sanding block should sort it.

Lightly mist the area with water. Slap the filler on, and then scrape it off with the trowel or filling knife held at 80-90° to the surface - Just like buttering a piece of toast.

twopenny

See how much area this happens to once at least one wall is done.
Decide if you want to deal with one at a time or the whole lot.

A decorator of the old school once told me to use undercoat layers to fill. Worked but never again.
Use some polyfiller, soft, scrape gently leaving proud of the wall and sand with a flat based sander once really dry.

Slinky

Our walls were like that in our previous home. Too much of it to fill and sand. We had a decorator in to hang a heavyweight lining paper which we then emulsioned over the top.

I'd like some wallpaper in our current home, but having had that happen before, I'm reluctant to paper again knowing what a mess it makes when taking it off. We've had most walls in the house reskimmed, so paint only from now on.

FFHillbilly

I'd say wherever the walls are excessively marked after paper has been removed, the paper wasn't soaked enough before removal. 
the picture doesn't actually look too bad to be honest, It's a bit unrealistic to expect to reveal a perfectly smooth wall ready for a single lick of paint after removing the paper.
but if you want to do as little damage to the wall, remove the shiny top coat of paper, and soak it until blisters appear and it almost falls off the wall
use one of these, with warm water. I've tried soap myself and didn't notice a difference but warm water definitely speeds up the glue softening
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=5l+pressure+sparayer&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_odkw=garmin+530&_osacat=0