Removing wallpaper is a good example of on-the-job training, because it’s a process you learn as you go around the walls of a room pulling, scraping and tearing off an unwanted wallcovering. The tools and materials you need are inexpensive for this grunt work, which can be tedious, messy and time consuming. That makes it a good job for a wannabe do-it-yourselfer. No skills or previous experience required, and it’s a minimal investment.
The job entails first moving furnishings to the center of the room. Then remove everything off the walls including any nails or picture hangers. Reposition what you can to the center of the room.
If the wallcovering is easily strippable, it’s a simple job of starting at a seam and pulling away the paper from the wall. If not, it’s a bit more of a project. The job gets messy, so first protect the floors below the walls with plastic drop cloths taped to the baseboard. For tools you need a wall scoring tool, a gel-type wallpaper remover, a wallpaper scraper and a paint roller and pan. Large plastic garbage bags are a good way to contain all the removed wallpaper.
To remove paper that is not strippable, roll over the wallpaper with the scoring tool to attack the glue bonding the paper to the wall. The scoring tool makes tiny holes in the paper, so when you apply the remover it can seep behind the paper and break down the old glue and loosen the paper. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for applying the remover. We like to use a paint roller to apply the gel in one section of a wall, and then wait for the gel to loosen the paper before scraping it off.
When all the paper is removed, wash the walls to remove any glue and residue that remains. Then wrap up the scraps in the plastic drop cloth and the job’s done.
A wallpaper contractor will charge $1,184 to remove two layers of wallpaper from the walls of a 10-by-12-foot room. You can do the work for $125 and save a whopping 89 percent for your effort.
To find more DIY project costs and to post comments and questions, visit www.diyornot.com and m.diyornot.com on smartphones.
Pro Cost—DIY Cost—Pro time—DIY Time—DIY Savings—Percent Saved
$1,184—$125—8.2—14.0—$1,059—89 percent
