Renovation

So here it is folks….I officially HATE wallpaper! I was never a big fan of it anyways, more like a I don't really know you/can't really judge you relationship - but that has all changed! (Also, I just personally don't like the way it looks - I prefer the look of paint.) But now that my husband and I spent 5 hours working to remove wallpaper and only getting ¾ of the way done with our dining room I can honestly say it is the worst thing ever invented!!! I said it was invented by the devil, T. says the French - well who ever invented it SUCKS!!!

We first used the great little gadget above to put little holes all over the wallpaper (that is a task within its self). Then we sprayed on 2 coats of wallpaper remover * per directions * that we got from Sherwin Williams. Soon after we actually began scrapping we realized that the wall paper they used was extremely thick! It was almost like two separate pieces of wallpaper on top of each other! We basically peeled off the top layer and then had to go back in and spray the bottom "layer" with more remover and then scrap that off, thus soaking our walls and creating tons of extra work! It was taking me forever! So T. went out to get another scrapper so he could help and instead came back with the greatest invention ever! A steamer! (Insert choir of angels singing)

This steamer was awesome and for only $50 it is well worth the investment! My Husband used the steamer and I continued the old fashion way of removing with the wallpaper remover (why, b/c we figured both of us working is better than one and I have more patience to do the scrapping and he likes playing with new toys) so it worked out! The steamer still took awhile, especially b/c this seemed like the thickest wallpaper ever invented but it came off very easily and a lot quicker than my way. (T. got 8 panels of wallpaper to my 3 1/2). The steamer saved a lot of time and may have even prevented common husband/wife bickering due to frustrations of removing the wallpaper!

So one room down, one and a half left!


So do you have any tips for removing wallpaper? Or maybe a "fun" story about having to remove wallpaper?



TIP: Not that I have much experience to speak of but I would say it is well worth the investment to use better products like a steamer. A steamer isn't that expensive, doesn't use chemicals, doesn’t damage the walls and makes the job so much faster and easier! If you have the time, patience, a smaller space (or maybe just thinner wallpaper) and want to use the chemicals I say go for it – but for us and our situation the steamer is da’ bomb!