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Let me start by saying, I know very little about this stuff, so excuse the ignorance.
I started removing some wall paper. When I remove the printed layer, there's also a thinner backing that comes off with it. Behind it is a smooth white wall. It doesn't seem to be drywall (this is a house built in the 1800s). However, there are a few areas like shown in the second picture. The white layer has flaked off. It does not seem like the rest of it is going to come off easily.
Can I paint over this with a primer and then a couple layers of paint? Or do I need to go back and get the entire wall down to that brown layer?
The biggest thing- Consider yourself extremely lucky that there was only ONE LAYER of wallpaper.
Regardless of the paper layer- it all has to come off. Then the walls will probably require a skimcoat of plaster (to retain the original look) or you maybe able to do a coat of drywall compound depending on how clean AND smooth the walls are after removing all the paper.
Whatever the skimcoat is, it will need some sanding to smooth then sealed with an oil-based primer/sealer. A light sanding, and you're ready for paint.
The wallpaper in my kitchen HAS to go. I've lived with it for far too long. I called a painting contractor and left a message about the job and he hasn't even returned my call and it's been nearly a week so I think he does not want the job (and who could blame him). There are no painting contractors in Floyd County so anyone I can hire will be coming from one of the bigger towns, maybe I will call some others but this guy was recommended. The main reason I want to hire it out is the time factor. At my age and stamina it will be hard for me to put in more than a couple of hours a day and that means a disfunctional, messy kitchen for a big chunk of time. Theoretically a pro would get it done in much less time.
It's been 30 years since I last removed wp and that was in a house built in 1928 so the walls were lathe and plaster and it doesn't seem like it was a hugely miserable job but it was a small breakfast room and perhaps time has dulled the memory of the pain.
Current house is much newer and has drywall and I am sure that the former owner did not do the proper prep of the walls and he did a poor job of putting it up - every single seam shows!
So my question is what do I need to know about removing this ugly stuff without damaging the drywall too much. I think he papered the walls before doing the cabinet installation because otherwise I am sure there would be little gaps around the cabinets and there are not any, the way there are around the window frame and doorway molding.
Any help or tips are much appreciated. Tea and sympathy too.
Just because ONE won't call you back doesn't mean they all won't.
Besides, it sounds like if you do attempt this yourself you will be 3-4yrs in completion.
Just because ONE won't call you back doesn't mean they all won't.
Besides, it sounds like if you do attempt this yourself you will be 3-4yrs in completion.
finally heard back from the first guy I called and he says he's working 7 days a week and is booked solid until late October. Someone recommended two other local general contractors from this county and I called both on 7/7/15. Haven't heard back from either one of those guys yet. A common expression around here is:
"Runnin' on Floyd time". Which means that maybe I'll get a return call by the end of the month.
Our first house had wallpaper in every room, but my husband and I were up to the task. Until we moved in and got to work. Then we discovered that some rooms actually had 5-6 layers of wallpaper - including layers that had been painted over. It took us a year to get entire house wallpaper-free and repainted.
We swore we'd NEVER buy another house with even a speck of wallpaper on the walls.
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