Changing the wallpaper in your house every once in a while is a great idea if you are looking for a cost-effective way to renovate your house. Changing the wallpaper will completely change the way that your house looks and feels and will add a unique touch to your house. However, changing the wallpaper is not as easy as it might seem. A very strong solution is applied to the walls before applying the wallpaper in order to ensure that it sticks firmly. As a result, removing the wallpaper is not an easy task by any means. If you want to remove the wallpaper without causing excessive damage to the walls of your house, here are a few tips that you should follow.
Determine the Type of Wall
Before you think about removing the old wallpaper from your house, you have to determine the type of walls in your house. Most houses throughout the United States usually contain plaster or drywall. Plaster was generally the material of choice in houses that are older than 50 years and are still standing. It is made using wood lathe that is nailed to the wood-framed walls and is covered with a couple of layers of plaster. These walls are generally pretty solid and will sound dull when you knock on them.
Drywall has been used for the past five decades or so and is basically made from a chalk-like substance that is layered with a very lightweight cardboard. The sheets are made in different sizes, are generally nailed to the wood-framed walls, and usually make a hollow sound when you tap on them. Keep in mind that drywall is generally very delicate so you can tear through it if you aren’t careful.
Prepping
Before you start mixing the solution, you have to remove all the furniture and carpets from the area. You can then start stripping the wallpaper from the walls. If the surface of the drywall is also removed, it’s probably because the surface was not sealed with adequate paint. You will need to call a maintenance company in order to repair the drywall before you can apply the new wallpaper.
All modern wallpapers are generally strippable so you can easily remove them without having to use any kind of water or chemicals. If the wallpaper was installed only recently, you might be in luck. In order to remove the wallpaper, all you have to do is hold the strip firmly and then pull it in a uniform manner. Strippable wallpapers are very easy to remove as long as you are careful when removing the strip. Do not pull on the strip with a sudden lurch as you might end up tearing it off. Once all the wallpaper has been removed, you will then need to clean the walls properly in order to get rid of the previous glue and solution before you start preparing the walls for the new wallpaper to be installed.