How to Remove Wallpaper With a Steamer
Learn how to remove wallpaper the easy way using a steamer.
Overview
If your home's walls are covered in funky 1970’s wallpaper, getting rid of it is the first step in bringing your walls into the 21st century. Removing wallpaper can be a painful, messy and time consuming project, but it doesn't have to be that way. With the Wagner 725 power steamer you'll get the job done way faster and without using any harsh chemical strippers. Here’s how to remove wallpaper using a wallpaper steamer.
Before
After
Heat up Your Steamer
Start by gathering your materials to complete this project.
Fill up your steamer with water, plug it in, and let it warm up.
Score the Wallpaper
While the steamer is heating up, use a wallpaper scoring tool in a circular motion to score the wallpaper. This allows steam to get through the paper to the glue on the wall. Don't press too hard, however, or you could damage the wall.
Apply Steam to the Wallpaper & Scrape
The 725 Steamer comes with both a big steam plate for large walls and a small steam plate for smaller areas like around a bathroom sink or toilet. To remove the wallpaper, hold the steam plate over the paper for 1-2 minutes then scrape the wallpaper off with a wide putty knife. Don't push too hard or you can potentially damage the drywall beneath.
If the wallpaper doesn't come off easily, put the plate back on the wallpaper for another 1-2 minutes and try scraping again. After a few passes, you'll get a feel for how long you should hold the plate on the wall each time before scraping.
Apply Steam to the Smaller Areas
For removing wallpaper from smaller areas like behind a sink or near trim, use the small steam plate following the same steps you did with the large steam plate.
Use the Steamer to Remove the Glue Layer
Once all of the wallpaper is removed, it's time to remove any remaining glue from the wall. If it's too dry and hard to wipe off, put the steam plate back over the glue to soften it again. After 1 minute of applying steam, wipe the glue off with a warm, damp rag. Make sure to remove all remaining pieces of glue to create an ideal surface for repainting or applying a new layer of wallpaper.
Repair and Refinish
Finally, apply spackle or joint compounds to any gouges in the wall. Now you're ready to paint or put up new wallpaper!
Materials
Wagner 725 Wallpaper Steamer
Pitcher to pour water into the tank
Wallpaper scoring tool that perforates the wallpaper so steam can penetrate
Four to six inch wide putty knife to scrape the wallpaper off
Rags or a sponge to wipe the excess glue
Drop cloths to protect your furniture and floors
Spackle or joint compound to touch up any gouges in the wall
Gloves and safety goggles
Download project steps & shopping list
We'll never share your email with anyone else.
suggested other projects
