MamaV Posted September 23 Share Posted September 23 Hi everyone, I'm trying to determine if I've sanded enough to wallpaper yet. Clearly it isn't pristine but I'm so tired of sanding...am I being lazy, or is it good enough? The old wallpaper is on good and tight so I think I won't have a choice in terms of leaving it where it is - it seems like more damage, time, and effort to get it off. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 23 Share Posted September 23 Try wetting the old wallpaper with a 10% solution of white vinegar in water and leave it on for an hour or so and then scrape it off with a metal putty knife and let the wood dry thoroughly, then give it another sand, wipe it down with tack cloth and give it a coat of primer. If it isn't smooth when the primer is dry, give it a thin coat of spackle or joint compound and when that's good & dry, sand it lightly, finishing it off with a crumpled piece of brown paper bag. Wallpapering over old wallpaper could loosen the old wallpaper and make the new paper look messy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FurMama Posted September 23 Share Posted September 23 (edited) Fabric softener and water is my go to. Mix equally in a spray bottle then score the paper (make marks in the paper with something sharp so the softener mix penetrates the surface of the paper and gets to the glue) then spray enough to wet the paper but don't over do it to mess up the wood underneath. Works quickly but longer you let set easier it is to get off. You can pull it up by hand it works so well but I use a narrow putty knife (anything similar would work) being careful not to gouge the wood. Wiping with a damp cloth and a final sand when dry should remove any softener residue. Edited September 23 by FurMama Spelling 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaV Posted September 23 Author Share Posted September 23 Good to know, from both of you! I have enough pieces I can try both methods, and now I know what my next steps are. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaV Posted Wednesday at 01:22 AM Author Share Posted Wednesday at 01:22 AM And I'm back! I sanded it and cleaned it off as ya'll recommended, but now comes the papering part. I bought a whole bunch of scrapbooking paper to use as wallpapers, so I'm trying to figure out if it can withstand wallpaper paste, or if I need to use some other adhesive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted Wednesday at 06:15 AM Share Posted Wednesday at 06:15 AM I use wallpaper paste with whatever wall covering I use; 1:1 wallpaper, dollhouse wallpaper, scrapbook paper or giftwrap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaV Posted Wednesday at 08:40 PM Author Share Posted Wednesday at 08:40 PM 14 hours ago, havanaholly said: I use wallpaper paste with whatever wall covering I use; 1:1 wallpaper, dollhouse wallpaper, scrapbook paper or giftwrap. Cool; second question, have you ever made DIY paste? Apparently it's an option, but I worry that it's one of those sounds-easy hacks that ends up failing over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted Wednesday at 09:50 PM Share Posted Wednesday at 09:50 PM Unless you live somewhere that no bugs of any kind inhabit your world, I would go with premixed wallpaper paste. The flour & water paste of our grandparents' era (or however many greats, for most of y'all) makes a terrific stickum for wallpaper and smorgasbrod for the bugs. I think paperhangers of yore actulaly mixed some powerful insecticides into their flour & water mixture, but that was before OSHA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaV Posted 5 hours ago Author Share Posted 5 hours ago 20 hours ago, havanaholly said: Unless you live somewhere that no bugs of any kind inhabit your world, I would go with premixed wallpaper paste. The flour & water paste of our grandparents' era (or however many greats, for most of y'all) makes a terrific stickum for wallpaper and smorgasbrod for the bugs. I think paperhangers of yore actulaly mixed some powerful insecticides into their flour & water mixture, but that was before OSHA. I did worry about the bugs; fiiiiiinneeeee I'll find some proper store paste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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