# Removing old thick wallpaper past



## PiersonPainting (Aug 15, 2011)

Doing a bathroom remodel and I had to tear off vinyl wallpaper, no problem. I got all the paper off but I've never seen glue that thick before. It has almost a fabric texture to it and in some places it has flaked or crumbled off. The stuff is hard even after I had soaked the paper to remove it. I had a sharp scraper, but that didn't seem to remove any of the glue. How do I get that glue off without messing up the paper surface of the drywall?


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

Get a mister or garden sprayer- a sponge will also do. 
It is most probably a brown paste- clay based. Get it wet to almost dripping, let soak, do again. use a 6" & 4" putty knife when soft to scrape most off- rewet as needed.
Sponge off any residue after scraping.
Let dry, sand to get any roughness and most definitely prime with Zinsser Gardz- an oil prime will also work but this is easier and faster. this will seal in any paste residue left and give a good base for either paint or reapplying paper.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

If it's a clay based wallpaper adhesive, it is indeed a nightmare removing it from the walls. As Brushjockey said, wet it with a garden sprayer and keep wetting it! It will basically turn into mud. Follow BJ's advice to a "T" and you will have new walls once again. The only other option is to sand it with a palm sander but the dust you will create will be awful!


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## PiersonPainting (Aug 15, 2011)

When you say brown paste, clay based, are you also saying that the appearance would be brown in appearance? If so, this paste is white and when I would wipe with a sponge, white would come off on the sponge. Thanks for the replies.


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

If it's white it is what is called a clear- much easier but still follow my instructions. Really the hard part will be seeing it. But it will soften easier.


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## Windy Painters (Sep 7, 2011)

*Spray and scrape*

Use garden pump and hot water. Spray two times with 10 interval. Use 8-10 in trowel to gently scrape the glue. After that wash the walls with pretty hard sponge. 2-3 times. Change the water. Next day when the drywall is dry - prime it - I would use Zinsser Oil-based - Cover stain. I trust more to oil.
And now you are read to skim coat :laughing:
Chicago painter
house painter
exterior painter


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Green 3M scouring pads are also helpful. I did a house with clay throughout. No fun. Good luck.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Windy Painters said:


> Use garden pump and hot water. Spray two times with 10 interval. Use 8-10 in trowel to gently scrape the glue. After that wash the walls with pretty hard sponge. 2-3 times. Change the water. Next day when the drywall is dry - prime it - I would use Zinsser Oil-based - Cover stain. I trust more to oil.
> And now you are read to skim coat :laughing:
> Chicago painter
> house painter
> exterior painter


I know you do not know the language well so let this be a lesson for you

It is* ADHESIVE* or PASTE , not glue. Do NOT make this mistake again or the paste police will show up at your'e door and take you away:yes:


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

To the OP

http://www.wallpaperinstaller.com/wallpaper_stripping.html

http://www.safeandsimple.com/


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## PiersonPainting (Aug 15, 2011)

Everyone thanks for the input. Chrisn I PROMISE I will never refer to wallpaper ADHESIVE-PASTE as glue, maybe.:whistling2:


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## Mr. Paint (Nov 10, 2011)

When you put hot water into your garden sprayer (Hot, not warm) add DIF Wallpaper Remover Solution to the water. This will make the adhesive easier to remove. Wash the walls (Twice is good advice) using the same DIF and hot water mixture and rinse thouroughly with clear water. When the wall is dry, moisten your finger and touch the wall. If you did a good job, you will feel no "tack." If there is a tack, wash and rinse again


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

Mr. Paint, welcome to the forum. Your experience will be a benefit here. I would make two clarifications to your input. If we're talking clay ADHESIVE (keeps the cop away), I don't think DIF will be useful. There is a reverse tack as well. If Roman 35 (?someone correct me if wrong) was used, the walls will feel tacky on dry touch, but not tacky on wet touch. I had been experiencing that Roman product for years, but never knew what it was. I only knew that whatever it was, it wasn't coming off and I just oiled over it. That was discussed on a thread a short time back.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Pierson Paint said:


> Everyone thanks for the input. Chrisn I PROMISE I will never refer to wallpaper ADHESIVE-PASTE as glue, maybe.:whistling2:


Well thats good but I was actually referring to" windy":laughing:


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

Chris has everyone askerd.:laughing:


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## PiersonPainting (Aug 15, 2011)

Ok, I got the walls cleaned this morning. I ended up not using any of the suggest remedies except hot water and added one cup of BIZ laundry brightener per one gal. of water. Talked to a person locally and she said she had tried many of different methods of removing adhesive and she preferred Biz. She said spray it on wait about three minutes, not much longer because it could affect the paper on the drywall. Well it worked for me. So here's another way to remove paper adhesive. Thanks all!


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Brushjockey said:


> Chris has everyone askerd.:laughing:


 
:confused1:


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

sound it out..sloow.youll get it..:laughing:


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

not gettin it, must be dense:yes:


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

askerd=afraid-scared


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

Elementary, my dear Watson.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Ahh, the light comes on, darn site will not let me post a pic


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## LivingOnABudget (Nov 14, 2011)

My husband and I just did this within the last month. It was terrible. My three pieces of advice--1)Water and vinegar. 2) A very good, sharp putty knife. 3) A very good sense of humor and strong liquor.

You won't get everything off. You can try, but you will drive yourself insane. The only part we had problems getting it off of was near the ceiling. We decided to throw up some crown molding. Problem solved.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

I have said it before and I will keep on saying it as long as I am alive.
If the paper was PROPERLY applied, it can be removed easily. It is only when it is IMPROPERLY installed that it becomes a problem.:wallbash::cursing::cursing:


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