DIY Home Projects
Stripping Wallpaper


BLACK+DECKER B+D Contributor 120 Projects
Newer vinyl wallpaper is designed to be “strippable,” which means it can be removed by hand. All you have to do is find a loose edge and pull upward. Some other wallpapers leave a layer of paper that can be scraped off easily when it’s dampened with water. Still others can be removed only with a fair amount of time and effort. If wallpaper is hung over unsealed drywall, it’s virtually impossible to remove it without destroying the drywall. You may be able to paint or hang new wallpaper directly over the old, but you have to make sure the surface is smooth and prime it with an alkyd drywall primer. The only way to find out what’s lurking beneath your wallpaper is to grab an edge and pull!