I need some help with removing wallpaper from paneling. The plans are to paint the paneling so it does not have to have a perfect finish. I am looking for a quick, good way to remove it. Please give me some ideas. Can I wet it with a solution to dissolve the glue or can I use a heat gun?
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I am no expert but I know how I remove it. I don’t buy those expensive glue removers. I just use a spray bottle with 1/2 vinegar and half warm water. Most wall papers have a plastic coating on them so they are washable, if you can get a seam started start tearing it away. It will leave a paper and glue trail under it and you can spray this with your spray bottle and then it comes off pretty easy with a putty knife. If you don’t want to risk gouging the paneling I would suggest that you use a plastic putty knife vs metal. If you can’t get
a seam loose to start with you can use anything that will score the outer layer of wallpaper eg: straight pin or needle would work, anything that can break the plastic outer seal. It isn’t particularly easy and it makes a large mess but it works.
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Thanks for the help on the wallpaper removal. The contractor is leaning toward cutting out the bad spots in the paneling and smoothing it, then applying a medium heavy sheetrock texture on top of the wallpaper. Then it will have to be primed and painted. Do you think that will work well provided the wallpaper is securely attached? I am told that even IF you remove the wallpaper completely you still have to remove the wallpaper glue residue and that would be labor intensive so that is why the plan to leave the majority of the wallpaper on and texture/prime/paint.
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I have done both, put mud over wallpaper and completely removed wallpaper. Removing was hard and messy. Yes the paper came off in layers, first the plastic top layer then the paper then the glue. It was the original wallpaper, so I guess the builder thought not to prime the walls first. That was in the kitchen. In the bathroom I put mud over our old metallic looking wallpaper. It was so easy. I made the texture look like old plaster walls. The only problem I’m having, six or seven years later is the tape is lifting. I put drywall tape on the seams, now it’s coming up. That’s probably because of the slick surface of the paper. I will pull those off and mud over those areas.