My wallpaper removal project turned into a 12 hour nightmare

I was stripping old wallpaper in my kitchen last Saturday and found out the previous owner painted directly over it without any primer. That little detail cost me 4 extra hours of steaming and scraping. I finally got it all off using a Zinsser DIF gel remover but my shoulders are still sore. Has anyone else dealt with painted-over wallpaper and found a faster way to get it off?

2 comments

2 Comments

jesseb2023h ago

Did you try scoring the painted layer before steaming? Makes a huge difference.

evanfox20h ago

Scored my last batch and it made a world of difference, seriously. I was getting ready to give up on the whole process before I tried it. Made sure to cut deep enough to get through the paint and just barely into the wood underneath. Steam peeled everything right off after that, like a hot knife through butter. Your mileage may vary depending on the type of paint, but for me it was the missing piece.