A recent project I came across was with a client asking me to remove wallpaper which had been painted over 3 coats and sealed to the wall. He asked for the least expensive solution. Asking me to price new drywall over the top, removing the painted over wallpaper, and skim coat over the existing surface of painted wallpaper. We went over the heavily patterned wallpaper again and at a cost much greater than if he had spend the extra money initially to remove the wallpaper and then paint. This can not be done all the time.
So addressing the question, which is more cost effective? Remove wallpaper or paint over it?
When faced with this decision as a homeowner, the best money spent, one time, is to remove the wallpaper, with one caveat. Be prepared to allow the contractor to do a test area of 2 or 3 pieces wide by the hour to make sure the paper will come down without pulling the paper off the drywall. This would only take 1 hour if the wallpaper comes down without a problem.
When not installed correctly, wallpaper will become one with drywall. Even the best wallpaper removal concentrate and most skilled tradesmen, may have problems. You also run into the problems if the paper starts to fall off in some areas. You may also trap mold behind the wallpaper. This could cause health problems later.
Once I remove wallpaper, I use Gardz Problem Surface Sealer. It is a low odor water clean-up product. But you do have to allow it to dry completely before the next step. This will seal ripped drywall paper, and wallpaper glue you may have missed, without having to use an oil base offensive product like Kilz or Cover Stain. It can also be used as a primer. Last time I used this was as an initial primer, I skim coated walls, and primed with it again to lock the drywall mud to the first coat of sealer. I finished the walls with 2 finish coats of a no VOC flat wall paint to help hide imperfections.
DIY Alert: Save wallpaper removal for the professionals. You can do the prep and painting yourself, but let a pro remove the wallpaper and handle the intial removal of glue before applying a skim coat and a sealer.
Removing wallpaper can become ovewhelming as a DIY project. Painting that wall area later, once you let a professional remove and prep the area is easy. Hire a professional to do it for you.
Spoiler Alert: While removing the wallpaper- have the crew take down that nasty, smelly popcorn ceiling too! This is the easiest time to do it and chances are, in that space, they will do it for half the normal cost because they are already in there working on the walls, and the floors should already be covered and prepared in the work space.
Next Topic: Removing textured ceilings.......... wait until you see the difference!
Remember: IF you've got a SHABBY WALL, GIVE ME A CALL!
Dave Cook
843-298-3412
