Drywall over wallpaper

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Drywall over wallpaper

Posted: 5/29/2015 11:08:58 AM EDT

In my recently-purchased house, I have a wall that has painted-over wallpaper.

The seller said that they had removed the wallpaper in one one of the bathrooms, but it was so well-glued that it damaged the drywall underneath.

For that reason, they opted to paint over the wall in question, since it was reasonable to assume that the wallpaper was installed the same as in the bathroom.

So I'm wondering if the most effective way to overcome this wouldn't be 1/4 inch drywall right on top of the wallpaper.

Is there any reason to NOT do this?

Posted: 5/29/2015 11:57:42 AM EDT

[#1]

If you are covering it, then yes 1/4" drywall would be a sufficient method.

Personally, I would at least try to remove the wallpaper first.
Vinegar mixed with hot water has worked well for me in the past.

Posted: 5/29/2015 12:14:14 PM EDT

[#2]

Wallpaper is evil.

Posted: 5/29/2015 12:43:37 PM EDT

[#3]

Wallpaper is miserable. Go to home depot and buy the wallpaper removal stuff. Piranha, I think. It works. You have to buy that little tool to score it, then spray the crap out of it. Putting drywall over it will work, but might mess up places like where it meets tile, door jambs, molding will have to be redone.

Posted: 5/29/2015 12:52:18 PM EDT

[#4]

Spray texture on the walls that have the paper on them, then paint. Less work.

Posted: 5/29/2015 12:58:07 PM EDT

[#5]

Yep. Wallpaper sucks. Sure, it may look good when it's new but when you want to change it you can have problems.

Get a paper tiger. It's got serrated teeth and kind of looks like a biscuit cutter. Run that on the wallpaper in question in all sorts of different directions.
Get a spray bottle. Mix water and some vinegar and a bit of fabric softener (not a lot of softener).
Spray it on the wallpaper.
Get a putty knife or plastic scraper. Use it to worry the wallpaper off of the wall once it's been sprayed.
Get a green scrubbie to scrub the left over adhesive off of the wall.
Get some sheetrock compound and use it to repair the gouges and tears on the paper that you may run into.

You'll get the hang of things the longer you do it.

Or

Get 1/4" drywall.
Install over wall.
Cut outlets and switch covers in.
Mud and tape.

It's whatever is easiest to you.

Posted: 5/29/2015 1:00:38 PM EDT

[#6]

If you are adding drywall, why not replace the drywall altogether?

Posted: 5/29/2015 1:06:25 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
If you are adding drywall, why not replace the drywall altogether?

View Quote

A. You don't have to demo the old stuff.
B. 1/4" is cheaper than 1/2" or 5/8".

Posted: 5/31/2015 10:42:19 AM EDT

[#8]

Just do it right.

Remove the old wallboard and install new.

In the long run it will takes less time than trying to fix all the trim that will get bedded in the new layer.

Posted: 5/31/2015 10:57:10 AM EDT

[#9]

Unless some rube used something other than wallpaper paste to install wallpaper it'll come off. Wallpaper paste is water soluble. I've removed lots of the stuff in a couple different houses. The biscuit cutter shaped tool works by punching tiny holes all over the surface so water can get to the paste. That tool helps a lot, especially if you have a vinyl faced wallpaper.

Lots of warm water, elbow tease, and determination will get it off. The paint over it will make it harder, but it will come off. Those dobie kitchen scouring pads do pretty good at scrubbing off the glue.

Posted: 5/31/2015 12:05:15 PM EDT

[#10]

If it absolutely won't come off, we have skim coated over it with drywall mud. We thin out the mud a lot and roll it on the walls and skim coat everything.

Posted: 5/31/2015 1:33:47 PM EDT

[#11]

If the wall was primed before the paper went on it often can be stripped with minimal damage.

If the paper went on new fresh drywall it is liable to produce so much damage trying to soak it off the drywall is about wrecked.
Even with DIF (enzyme glue softener).

About the only thing even worse is wallpaper with oil based paint on it.
At least on actual plaster you can use a 5 inch razor knife.

Skimming a small room is a PITA, and still buries molding details.

It is often faster to strip molding, strip the drywall, replace it, mud it and put the molding and details back up.

Posted: 6/1/2015 10:59:14 AM EDT

[#12]

I was going to do the exact thing, but decided that the 1/4" would throw off door trim, switch plates and the outlet that was already in the corner. I would have had to trim the side of the cover off the 1/4" to make it fit.

Said "Fuck it!" and ripped out the old sheet rock and started over.

Posted: 6/1/2015 1:52:52 PM EDT

[#13]

Use the hottest water you can, and maybe some DIF. Soak the walls/wallpaper with it. Soak it once or twice then start peeling. The top layer will come off and leave the base layer. Soak the base layer and use a putty knive or 5n1 tool to scrape the base layer off. Water should be running down the walls so much you should put towels down to keep the floor dry. I'd stay away from the scoring tools because the paper will only come off in small pieces instead of larger sheets. I was a painter in high school and college and had to remove tons of wallpaper so i'm well versed. Keep the water hot and soak the walls.

Posted: 6/1/2015 4:22:33 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
I was going to do the exact thing, but decided that the 1/4" would throw off door trim, switch plates and the outlet that was already in the corner. I would have had to trim the side of the cover off the 1/4" to make it fit.

Said "Fuck it!" and ripped out the old sheet rock and started over.

View Quote

It really is a 'pay me now or pay me latter' problem.

I can skim really fast using an actual full size flat square trowel (the large diameter handle is required).
You can sweep from side to side rotating the tool so the leading edge is 'up.'

I still tear it out, especially if it has been painted.

The last one was a rental house with textured wallpaper and multiple cots of latex paint.
One day of tear out, one day of hanging, two days of finishing.
Setting compound (90 minute) lets you put up multiple coats in a single day on a smaller job.

And NO sanding.

My well behaved tenants stayed for another few years.

Posted: 6/2/2015 7:14:25 PM EDT

[#15]

I had a house with 5 layers of wallpaper in a couple of rooms. Ended up renting a steamer and taking it off that way.

Posted: 6/2/2015 7:52:14 PM EDT

[#16]

Buy one of these.

Takes time, but works. Then your trim isn't all jacked up.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Drywall over wallpaper

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