Conference 7.286::home_work

There are several products made that are intended to be used over 
battered or irregular walls. It comes in various textures/styles/colors 
and I believe any reputable/large wallcovering store can point you off 
to the product. I suggest you stop in at a Sherwin-Williams store and 
see what they've got.

My guess is that if you don't fill in those 1/16" grooves with spackle 
anything you paste over it will be subject to damage in that area...even 
this heavy-duty stuff I mentioned...

Good luck...

		Chris

    Yes, there is some sort of underlayment paper - I've never used
    it and don't know how well it works.  You might try taking some
    joint compound and going over the score marks with that to fill
    them in, then using the underlayment paper.  Since you don't need
    a super-finished job, filling in the cracks with goop should go
    pretty quickly.  
    
    Steve

    The underlaying paper mentioned in the previous note does work.
    My brother used it in a bathroom to cover a horrible textured
    paint job (by the previous owner) before he papered.  Most wall
    covering stores carry it but I don't remember what it is called.
    
    Steve
    

    	I agree the paper that has been mentioned does work, And rather
    well. I have used it to cover kitchen paneling as you describe.
    The paper is somewaht stiff, kinda reminds me of paper bags. But
    it does the job. The only pain is having to paper twice....
    
    			Steve
    

         Another vote for the successful use of the underlying paper
    on damaged walls.  I used it to do a bathroom which had walls that
    were half wainscotting and half cracking plaster.  I did (and would
    recommend) joint the seams of the wainscotting with compound and the
    resulting finish came out great.  I got it at a wallcovering store.
    Its texture is very much like raw paper that has just been produced
    from pulp.  I used a heavy coat of wallpaper paste to apply it.  It
    comes wider than your average roll of wallpaper but you should still
    be careful not to let the seams of the final wallpaper fall on the
    seams of the underlying paper.
    
                                                 Kevin
    

    I'm not sure if this is of value, but *someone* used some sort of
    'underlayment' paper on a couple of my ceilings, then painted (or
    something) over it. In any event, IT IS PEELING in strips; looks
    like heck; and I'm not *ready* for this mess yet ! (ie doing ceilings).
    
    I think before doing over the walls , be sure all will adhere ok.
    Is there an "Adherance Test" for walls/ceilings before doing them
    over ?  IN my case, the Old House Journal recommends washing all
    calcimined wash from the Older house ceilings/walls.
    
    Did you say Wallboard ... as in sheetrock ? If so, I would think
    that ordinary spacklng compound would fill in very nicely.
    
    I have some very old sheetrock (actually ... I think .. beaverboard),
    to finish off in one of the bedrooms. Whatever it was called, it is now
    called sheetrock (plaster/paper sandwich).

    bob
    

              < Removing Wallpaper from Sheetrock? >

Does anyone know if you can steam/scrape wallpaper off a wall of
sheetrock?  (It seems to me like the paper covering of the 
sheetrock would come off, too....)

If you can't remove it, does anyone have suggestions about 
papering or painting over it?

Thanks.

If the sheetrock was sealed and painted (as it should have been) before the 
paper was hung, you ought to have not problem.  If it was applied directly to 
the sheetrock, you're out of luck.  Try taking off a small corner and see what 
happens.

Paul

    I've steamed wallpaper off sheetrock.  It doesn't remove the backing
    from the sheetrock.  The wallpaper came off very easily, except
    at the seams.  The seams had to be steamed a little longer.  But
    no matter how long I held the steamer on it, it didn't hurt the
    sheetrock.
    Also, the room I did had paint over the wallpaper.  The paint
    (which was latex) came off in sheets.  Once you steam an area you
    can pull the paint off as if it was a thin sheet of plastic over
    the wall, which I suppose latex really is.
    

	Arghhh...Don't steam, by all means don't steam. What a mess it can
be and heaven forbid if you've calcimine (sp.) ceilings, it will flake like
a midwinter blizzard. 

	The thing to do is mix a 40-60 % mixture of vinegar and water and 
put it in a spray bottle. Spray the wallpaper until the paper is so saturated
that the solution runs down the wall. Wait 3 minutes and spray it again and 
maybe on more time after that. Then get a putty knife and go right to a seam
and start to peel. Keep a garbage bag handy to put the old paper in. I just 
did all of the paper in my kitchen in about 2 hours. But there was only one 
layer.


						Robert

    re:-1, agree, with the 'chemical' approach.  I used a commercial
    product (don't remember the name) after trying a steamer.  The chemical
    method was quicker, cleaner, and much less 'danger'.
    
    good luck........

    I steamed the wallpaper off the walls of four rooms a few years
    ago.  We rented a heavy duty steamer from a rental shop.  It was
    a breeze!  I did all four rooms in less then a day.  I would 
    recommend a steamer.
    
    Regards,
    Denis

Thanks for all the info.  I have had good luck with rented 
steamers in the past and I'm inclined to go that route, but I'll 
try the vinegar/water trick before I lay out the dough for the 
steamer.

    
    	Has anyone ever had stucco walls in an old house?
    I would like to smooth them out so they can be wallpappered.
    what would be the best way to do this?
    thanks for any suggestions.

    I seem to remember someone once mentioning taking a brick and rubbing
    the surface with it to get rid of the real high spots.  A layer of that
    thick paper mentioned elsewhere in this conference might then be in
    order.  Never tried it myself.  Next?
    
    -joet 

    
    My next Question is ...How many people out there have stucco walls?
    

    	I've got textured plaster walls in my 125 year old Victorian.  
    They look like someone took a broom or a comb and brushed it from
    the celing to the floor through the wet plaster.  At first I *hated*
    the look of it but after investigating the alternatives I decided
    that it is not that bad at all....now if I can only convince my
    wife.
    					=Ralph=

    
    The master bedroom in my house has stucco walls. The people we bought
    the house from saw it in a Vermont chalet and loved it so they came
    home and did it to their bedroom. We thought it looked terrible
    with their bedroom furniture (basic dark bulky furniture), but it
    doesn't look too bad with our furniture (teak scandinavian design).
    When we eventually put a second floor on our house we will remove
    the stucco by replacing the wallboards.
    
    Patty
    
    P.S. In one small spot we saw the color of the walls before the
    stucco....PINK!! Now we don't mind the stucco at all.

      I'm planning on wallpapering a few rooms in my house.  The walls
    are sheetrock and have been skim-coated and painted with latex paint.
    Since I've never wallpapered before what type of wallpaper is
    recommended and should the walls be prepared with anything before
    I start papering?  The wallpaper that we want to put up is scrubbable
    and is prepasted also.   Thanks for any tips.
    
                      -- Phil Royal 

    Well from my past experience with wall papering, most walls need
    some preparation.  Wallcoverings will not adhere to dirt,soap or
    grease.  Clean the walls with household soap powder or ammonia and
    rinse with clean water.  Always apply SIZING to the wall.  Sizing
    assures an even surface for the wallcovering to adhere to making
    it easier to hang and easier to remove later on.  It's inexpensive
    and easy to apply with a paint roller and it dries quickly.  Remove
    switchplates and wall brackets before you start.
    
    Things you will need before you start:
    STEPLADDER, YARDSTICK, STRING, CHALK, PENCIL, RAZOR KNIFE, SINGLE
    EDGE BLADES, TACK, WALLSCRAPER OR BROAD KNIFE, SCREWDRIVER, SPONGE,
    BUCKET OF CLEAN WATER, SMOOTHING BRUSH, SEAM ROLLER AND WATER TRAY.
    
    Definitely prepasted wallpaper is the easiest to work with.  If
    you are wallpapering the bathroom though, you will want to put extra
    paste on the wall paper because of the humidity. (A MUST).
    
    HAPPY WALLPAPERING!!!!!!!!! AND HAVE PATIENCE!!!!!!!
    

    Wallpapering is the only job that I have stated unequivocally that
    I have retired from.  I just plain HATE wallpapering.  

    	There are tips on Wallpapering in this months 'Practical Homeowner'
    (New Shelter). 
    						=Ralph=

    the list of tools in .1 looks complete -- let me add one additional
    caution.  have LOTS of razor blades on hand and change them frequently,
    especially if you will be working around a lot of doors/windows,
    cabinets or whatever.  Once the blade gets a little bit dull, you'll
    start tearing the wallpaper where you don't want to.
    
    as far as .2 goes, personally I disagree -- I'd rather paper than
    paint, but to each his/her own :-)
    It gets easier each time.
    
    Good Luck!!
    

I agree with .-1 about lots of razor blades.  I usually go through 1 blade for
about every 2 or 3 strips.

An earlier note rasied an interesting point about prepasted pepers.  I had
once been told one should ALWAYS use your own paste even if prepasted (just
add extra water to the paste formula since the paste on the paper absorbs more
water).  Furthermore, reading prepasting instructions I got the impression that
one simply dips the paper in the water and then hangs it.  I didn't see anything
about "booking" the paper (folding it on itself to let it relax).  Is this 
indeed the case?  I can't imagine haning paper that wasn't properly relaxed.

The other thing that has always perplexed me about wallpapering is that when
the paper relaxes, it expands!  I have noticed that a 27" wide paper will grow
to about 27-1/4" in around 5 minutes.  Why doesn't it shrink back down when it
dries?

One final note, if you're a beginner, stay away from papers with complex matches
in them (particularly horizontal lines).  I've tried hanging a plaid and found
that some lines would match and other wouldn't!  The best I could figure is that
during the "growing" phenominon that I described earlier, the paper may not
grow uniformly.

-mark

    YES, you *must* book prepasted paper.
    
    I have never found the need to add extra paste to pre-pasted paper
    (even in the 3 bathrooms I've done.)  Some batches of wallpaper
    (even from the same manufacturer) have more paste on them than
    others, and my experience is that sometimes they put *too much*
    on.  This will not hurt anything, but it takes longer to get all
    the bubbles out and you have to be more careful about keeping the
    floor covered, because the excess paste has to go somewhere (!).
    
    As far as stretching goes -- some stretching is normal, *but* watch 
    out for real cheap wallpaper, because sometimes it stretches 
    unevenly. 
    

    TIP:  To butt 2 pieces against each other when one of the pieces
    (or both) aren't the original straight edge of a roll:
    
    Put up the first sheet.  Then put up the second sheet overlapping
    the first along the edge by about an inch or so.  Then take a razer
    blade and straight edge and cut thru both thicknesses.  Remove the
    one inch you cut off from each piece and you'll end up with two
    pieces butted up against each other perfectly.
    

    I've found that a long, thin metal straightedge very helpful in
    guiding the razor along the ceiling line.
    
    Don't pick a bathroom as your first room to learn wallpapering on.
    It may be a small area but there are so many funny corners and joints
    in usually such a small, tight space that your four letter vocabulary
    will become seriously overworked.
    
    Nick

yes on the straightedge!

I had bought one of those wallpapering kits (you know the kind with the brushes,
knives and straightedges).  Well worth it, but immediately though away the
straightedge.  At less than a foot, it's worthless.

I bought something called (I think) a Superguide that is basically a 24 inch
straightedge and as in the previous note, it's great for trimming against the
ceiling, baseboard or as in .-2 when butting uneven edges!

-mark

    I'm with whoever it was that mentioned don't do the bathroom first.
    
    I hung prepasted wallpaper in my bathroom about a year ago.  This
    bathroom has about 6 hot showers taken in it daily.  The paper is
    still up there fine.
    
    If I were you I would start with a paper that requires very little
    in the matching catagory.  Work up to the matches.
    
    Make sure you get one of those water trays to dip the paper in.
     They are a mess saver.
    
    A Helpful hint from the October Better Homes and Gardens.
    
    Paint a strip at the top of the wall up by the ceiling with white
    paint.  Then if you make an uneven cut up by the ceiling it won't
    be noticeable.  This will be extremely important if you have one
    of those sprayed ceilings.  It is almost impossible to make straight
    cuts there.
    
    As far as tools don't forget a drop cloth preferably plastic to
    place under your work table and under your water tray.  A spray
    bottle also comes in handy especially on your first attempt at
    papering.
    
    On every wallpapering attempt I have taken about twice the time
    I had allotted for the job so allow lots of time and don't rush
    or you will end up with a mess.
    
    Judie
    
    

    1)	Have a surface to work on.  I ripped a sheet of plywood into 2
    	2'x8' pieces and made a table out of one of them and a pair of
    	sawhorses.
    
    2)	If you're doing it with your spouse, call the divorce lawyers
    	BEFORE you start so you'll be a bit more rational.
    
    -joet 

  I agree that wallpapering is the test of a good marrage. We share
  the responsibility by having our own specialities, i.e. I snap
  the chalk line to start the first strip, apply paper and trim,
  wifemate, cuts from roll and applies paste.
  
  The handiest tool is my metal staight edge that is 36" long.
  Use lots of sharp blades to cut. Also, when applying stips of
  wall paper, the best match seems to be as follows:
  
  	1. Measure, cut and apply 1st strip,
  	2. Measure and cut 2nd, set aside.
  	3. measure, cut and apply 3rd strip next to 1st,
  	4. Measure, cut next strip, set aside,
  	5. Apply 2nd cut next to 3rd, and so on.
  
  The idea is to abut each strip with alternate strips of paper.
  It seems to generate less waste.
  

    re .12
    
     The paste-one-set-one-aside method is an alternative to the
     alternate-between-two-rolls-for-successive-strips method. Both
     methode do indeed produce less waste when you are pattern matching,
     especially in long pattern drops.
    
    Favorite method for working around intricate molding, etc:
    
     Get the paper flat onto the wall, as close to the obstruction as
     possible, by cutting slits in the excess almost to the point where
     it will be trimmed. Using a #3 pencil, press the paper into the
     corner between the wall and the obstruction. If this is done carefully,
     you can pull the paper slightly away from the wall and see a
     near-perfect tracing of the obstruction on the paper. Trim with
     sharp scissors on the wall-side of the pencil line and press the paper
     back into place. 
    

    
       Thank you for all 13 responses.  I'll be wallpapering soon and
    am sure all of your advice will make life easier.
    
                   -- Phil
    

    Some other important (???) warnings/notes:
    
    1. Stay away from foil type paper  for your first job.
    2. Stay away from foil type paper for your second job.
    3. Stay away from foil type paper for your third job.
    4. Stay away from foil type paper for your fourth job.
    ....
    N. Stay away from foil type paper for your n'th job.
        
    I've papered many rooms in many houses, originally using unpasted
    paper, then trying prepasted despite many (early) negative comments
    about the stuff. The prepasted is GREAT! I roll it into a tight
    roll, paste side in, stick it in the tray, reroll it underwater
    so it's paste side out, and pull it up to the wall. Tip (I forget
    if anyone else mentioned it): move the tray around the room so that
    it's right below the wall you're hanging the paper on.
    
    Booking? I always used to do it. In this house (7 years occup),
    I didn't and I have had NO problems. 
                                                      
    The ONLY real negative? Hanging slick foils on any surface that
    isn't perfect P-E-R-F-E-C-T will make any imperfections, blemishes,
    dimples, tiny bumps and so forth STICK OUT. It never looks right,
    is hard to hang and hard to maintain. NEVER AGAIN.
                                                   

    
    
      well, being an expert on wallpapering, i haven't seen anything
    wrong here but i would like to add to the tool list a Level. the
    only other tools i use are razor blades, wide putty knife, ruler,
    pencil,scissors,two sponges,wallpapering table and a good water
    tray.
    
    paul

    Hi all:
    I am interested to find a wallpaper store in the Southern New Hampshire
    area that has good prices and  good selection. Anybody have any
    favorite places? I've been using Nashua Paint and Wallpaper Co.,
    and have been pleased with their selection but feel their prices are
    high. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
    -Barbara

    There is a place in the millyard (can't recall the name) that sells
    wallpaper. It's in Nashua. There are several outlet stores in this
    building. Hopefully someone out there has the name. If not I'll
    get it for you tonight. We bought quite a bit there. BUT, check
    the rolls. They will allow you to unroll them in the store. We went
    through 12 double rolls to find 6 without flaws. Then they gave
    us 2 that were partially flawed for free in case more was needed.
    
    
    Gary

    
    Go to the largest wallpaper store you can find and pick out what
    you want.  Then buy a home magazine (HOME, HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, ETC.).
    Listed in the back of these magazines are wholesale, mailorder
    wallpaper outlets (usually in New Jersey and Penn.).  When you call
    them, you need the name of the manufacturer, the name of the book,
    the name of the pattern, and the pattern #.  You can get this info.
    when you choose your wallpaper at your local store (the pattern
    name and # are on the back of the sample).  The outlets usually
    give anywhere from 25-40% off.  I've save a lot of $$ this way.
    The outlets are reliable.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Bonnie
    
    

    Thanks for the suggestion. I'll look into the outlets.
    
    As far as the store at the Millyard Mall, I've checked that before,
    and was not impressed.  In my opinion, they're selection was quite
    limited (extremely limited when it came to prepasted, vinyl paper)
    and their service was atrocious (the yound woman working there almost
    fell asleep while listening to my questions, then admitted she didn't
    know what prepasted paper was). I didn't even find that they had
    better prices. I'm glad to hear that someone had a good experience with
    this place; it gives me a reason to try them once more.
    
    Again, thanks for the advise.   -barbara

Try the Sherwin-Williams store on Daniel Webster Hiway in Nashua. They 
have a reasonably large selection of in-stock wallcoverings. They also 
have a large selection of custom wallpaper which is sometimes on sale.

    If you own a VCR check out your local video rental store.  They
    often carry HOW-TO ...  videos and I'm sure wallpapering is included.
    

    Along the lines of the previous reply, I noticed that Somerville
    Lumber in Westboro has FREE rentals of how-to tapes.  They have
    a whole collection of various topics, and a 2-day rental is free
    with a $50 deposit.
    
    Never tried 'em, but it looks interesting.
    
    -Steve
    

    Just a warning about ordering wallpaper thru the toll free 800 #
    that you see in magazines "30 to 50% off".  Some of the rolls are
    seconds and have lots of flaws.  Make sure to check each individual
    roll when you get them.  I have ordered thru them and found flaws.
    Granted you can send them back at no charge and reorder but it's
    a pain if you are in a hurry to wallpaper.  Definetly good savings.
    

    
    	Just for a reference, the October OHJ has an article on how
    to remove textured finishes from plaster walls.
    						=Ralph=
    

    
    
      Anyone got an ieda how to get bubbles from behind wallpaper after
    it's dried?
     
     Short of steaming it to get it wet again then injecting paste under
    it I've got no ideas. I may even resort to this if the worst comes
    to the worst but I'd like a few inputs before I get OTT about it.
    
    I must say that I'm a little puzzled about why they are there as
    it is. It seems to be down to the way I hung it (since 1 drop is
    OK then the next is quite bad on the same bit of wall) but I can't
    recall doing anything different from 1 peice to another.                   
            
    Finally, how do I avoid it happening next time folks?
    Was it too wet, too dry, paste too thick or thin? 		
    
         Chris (Who's-paper-doesn't-look-as-bad-as-it-sounds.....Honest)

    I used a syringe.  Fill it with paste and inject into the bubble. This
    works great and leaves a hole too small to notice.  It is *very*
    difficult to get the syringes, though.  You'll have to be creative.
    
    Chris 

    
    Preventative trick:
    
    Use plenty of light, and have one light very close the the work
    surface and off to one side (so that the light hits the wall paper
    at a very low angle). Bubbles will be _extremely_ visible.
    

    Syringe is the best but if you can't get one then cut with a razor
    blade an "X", fold the four corners back, apply paste, and press
    the corners back down.  Unless it's a tremendous bubble the repair
    job won't show.
    
    When I put up paper I check it our very carefully just before it's
    dry and if I see any bubbles I poke them with a pin (to let the
    air or paste out) and flatten with a wet sponge.  I have never had
    a bubble problem.
    
    Pete

    One source of syringes -  
    
    If you have a friend with diabetes who injects him/herself with
    insulin, you might be able to get a syringe from him/her, if you state
    you purpose for the same.  The needle is usually *VERY* fine, so glue
    might not go through one, but it might be worth a try. If the paper was
    pre-pasted (I don't recall what was said in .0), a little water might
    do the trick.
    
    -Bob 

    Syringes are no problem, since my mother is a diabetic. As stated
    however getting the paste down a needle .001" thick is like trying
    to get a worm back down the hole. I like the razor blade idea, I'll
    try this on an inconspicuous spot and see how it goes.
    
    What I still want to know is how the hell the damn things get there in
    the first place!

    
>    What I still want to know is how the hell the damn things get there in
>    the first place!

They were always there, you just didn't get them out.  We use a pliable
plastic squeege which we use to migrate all the air and paste pockets to the
edge of the paper.  The secret to getting all the bubbles out is to be
meticulous - there is no secret here.  If you take your time, sight the paper
carefully (from an oblique angle with light on it) you will be able to see
every imperfection in the paper and wall.  If you can see it you can 
squeege it out.

Good luck!

peter

    When wallpapering, it's possible to be TOO thorough trying to get
    the bubbles out.  If you lean on it too much and spend too much
    time going over and over it with the squeegee, you run the risk
    of squeezing all of the paste out.  Thus, rather than bubbles, you
    have peeling wallpaper.
    
    Practice makes perfect!
    
    -joet

    The bubbles may have been formed by applying the paper to the wall
    too quickly. After the paper gets wet... it starts to expand! This
    is one of the reasons some papers should be "booked" and set aside.
    If you put the paper on the wall too soon.... it will expand on
    the wall and form bubbles and wrinkles. 
    
    As the paper dries, it also shrinks, but not necesarily back to
    the original size. The last time I hung paper, I happen to check
    the width before and after wetting it. There was about 1/4 to 1/2
    inch difference.
    
    The best rule is too carefully follow the directions that come with
    the paper because different papers behave differently. But if you
    are having a problem with wrinkles... try waiting an extra minute
    or two before you apply the paper to the wall.
    
    Cut twice and it's still too short!?
                                        

    I do use a paper brush to force the bubbles out, I suspect that
    .7 & .8 have the answer. I'll be more careful next time. 
    
        Thanks for the advice all,
                    Chris H
    

    Another suggestion.
    
    If you ever want to strip the wallpaper, get all vinyl.  It requires
    no steamer to strip.  You just peel a corner and pull.  No muss,
    no fuss.

    re: .19 "peel the corner and pull" - say! would anyone like to hire
    a 2-year-old paper puller!?!?!
    
    	RMM
    

    
    re .19
    
    >> If you ever want to strip the wallpaper, get all vinyl it requires
    >> no steamer to strip.  you just peel a corner and pull. No muss,
    >> no fuss.
    
    All I'm gonna say on this is see note 147.40
                                
    
            Chris H

    Someone mentioned about DYI video tapes.  This struck home in that
    I'm going to attempt to wallpaper and I have NO idea where to start/
    how to start/what to do/what questions to ask.  I've started with
    the notes on wallpapering, but I'm rather dense and need pictures
    and/or someone nearby to help me along the first couple of rools.
    
    Anyway, while I lived in California (San Jose), Orchard Supply
    Hardware had a collection for rental.  Now I'm in Southern New Hampshire.
    Anyone know where I can find some?  I know, check your local
    video store.  With their poliferation, I'd like to narrow my 
    searching down.  Any help?
    
    						Pete

    I've seen tapes for rent (actually you place a deposit with them
    and get it back when you bring the tape back) at the Somerville
    Lumber in Westboro, MA.  I imagine they'd be available in the store
    in NH too.  I don't know if there was one on wallpapering or not.
    
    Rich

    the groton country store on rt 119 (about 4 miles north of LKO)
    has a wallpaper video. it is ok, but my wife got a book on wallcovering
    that was much more complete.
    
    john

    Or if you'd like to buy a tape...
    
    In the latest Leichtung catalog I got they offer a set of video
    tapes on various DIY subjects. There are 5 tapes, each between 40
    and 57 minutes long, for $19.95 each. They are on: Interior Paint
    and Wallpaper, Finish Carpentry, Kitchens, Bathrooms, and Drywall.
    If you have the catalog it includes a coupon for $10 off each tape
    that you order. You can request a free catalog by writing to:
    
    Leichtung, Inc.
    4944 Commerce Parkway
    Cleveland, Ohio 44128
    
    Disclaimer: I have not yet ordered anything from these folks, so
    I don't know how good their service is. I expect I may order a couple
    of these tapes, but since I haven't seen them yet I have no idea
    of how good (or bad :-) they may be. This information is presented
    because it may help somebody out.
    
    Dan

    Anyone have any good advice about getting Caryon off wall
    paper ?
    
    My 2 year old took a little adventure through the house with
    a White Caryon in hand and signed the wall paper all the way.
    White shows up real good on dark Blue wall paper.
    
    We called a Wall Paper place, and they stated that there is
    nothing out to remove it, with out damage to the wall paper.
                                          
    I put alot of elbow and hot/soapy water on it to no avail.
    
    Any ideas ??

    Give us some more details.  Is the wallpaper vinyl, paper, washable?

    The wall paper is a Paper Washable type, not a vinyl.
    
    I just called home to find out the type and it seems that he did
    it again. This time on a plexiglass(sp?) Window. any ideas on that
    too ?
    
    I know what they mean now by the Terrible TWO's.

    For the wall paper you might want to try some type of a blotter
    material and a warm iron. The idea is to melt the crayon and have
    the blotter material soak it up. Of course this process might set
    the crayon in even deeper. :-( Test in an inconspicuous place first.
    
    For a non-pourous surface try a solvent such a turpentine. Again,
    test in an inconspicuous spot first for any negative side effectives.
    
    We are going to wall paper our house in about two years... that's
    when Katie (our 2 year old) will be 4 :-)
    
    Charly

    Another thing that was recommended to my wife, which appears to
    work, is hairspray.  (Note that this was on a painted wall, not
    wallpaper.)  It might be worth trying.
    
    - Mark

    Seems to me, I used 409 spray (pump bottle) last time that happened,
    wuth good results. Always test in an inconspicuous area.

    I've had luck on vinyl wallpaper with a marvelous concoction called
    "Spray 19" (give or take an integer ;^).  It's sort of a super-duper
    409/Fantastik type spray.  I have only found it in hardware and
    paint stores.
    
    bd

	My two year old colored on a stained window sash and sill.  Anybody
have an idea how to get that off??

Brad.

      the same thing happen to us, my two year old used the caryon on
    the bedroom wall.(a mix color wallpaper) My wife tried everything
    from soap and water to 409. when i was planning to replace the wall-
    paper she tried a white eraser and all the caryon marks came off.
    thank god we went to Mcdonalds(yes MCDONALDS) the kids got the eraser
    in a happy meal.
    
    btw. she went over the area very carefully with the eraser. 
         I hope this will help.

    My two year old got the fireplace hearth, which is made of some
    kind of porous unsealed stone (sandstone?).  I've tried everything
    short of sandblasting.
    
    What's the difference between a crayon and a "caryon"?  Does the
    latter stain worse?
    

I got a product called 'Goof-Off' from a paint store that is reported to 
remove, among other things, crayon from various surfaces. I've tried it 
on *DRIED* latex paint on the woodwork and it removes it with a little 
elbow grease, leaving behind the original finish.

It's inexpensive ($.79/can) so it don't cost much to try...

	I guess the easy way is to keep crayons away from small fingers.
Next joke.

Brad.

    Thanks for all the info., I have enough options to try here.
    The wife said that if it doesn't come off plan on repapering it.
    I don't want to do that...It was just put up 1 1/2 year ago,
    and that was a big enough pain. ( the worst wall is on the stairway
    with 13 stairs.)
    
    I heard somewhere else about hair spray being able to take it
    off. Seems a little strange to me, god knows what's in that stuff
    though.         
    
    If you get Caryon on Plexiglass, don't worry, it'll come right off
    with a little elbow greese.
    
    Thanks again Mark

They sell devices to keep this sort of thing from happening.  45 calibre 
and up are considered the most effective. :-)

If the paper is a shiny surface, then amonia and a coarse rag ( like a 
washcloth) might gradually break down the wax.  If it's a mat finish, 
then you'll probably never really get the wax up.

On a window sill, you can try more powerful solvents like alcohol or 
fingernail polish remover.  But don't slop it on, or you can drive the 
disolved wax further into the wood.  And of course, test for safty 
first.
					>>>==>PStJTT

    RE: 'Idle hands are the devil's workshop' ;)
    
    Then again, you might want to try this:
    
    Go out and buy the extra-large box of Crayola Crayons, you know,
    the one with 'burnt sienna' and 'ostrich grey'. Place a smock on
    little junior and tell him to go to town. Then, whenever anyone
    comes over and remarks about your ?wallpaper? you can simply
    state with a _matter_of_fact_ look on your face that it's very
    chic' and all the rage. You might want to throw in the fact that
    you had to hire a local artiste' to capture just the right effect.
    And drop a remark or two of how costly it was. That should do it!

    What do you think?
    Charlie

    RE.10.. "Goof Off" is indeed good.  The spray can I have in front
    of me says it's "The Ultimate Remover: Safely removes dried latex
    paint, drips and splatters, glude from 'stick ons', chewing gum,
    and more."  On the back it lists crayon.  I got mine at Osco about
    a year ago.  Cost was $3.99.  Even so, it's worth it when nothing
    else works.

    I just put an addition on my house, and I'm in the process of priming
    the sheetrock for wallpapering.  I've been using an oil-based wall
    primer.   I've also been told that you can use latex based ceiling
    paint as a primer also.  Which is the best to use to insure easy
    removal of wallpaper a few years down the road ? 
                                                    
    Is one coat sufficient, or is it necessary to apply two coats ?
    
    Thanks.

    I would stick with the oil-base primer made for sheetrock. I used
    two coats, with a light sanding  in-between, on a room last year.
    It makes a nice surface to paper on. I'll let you know how the paper
    strips off later, in about 5-10 years. :-)
    
    Charly

	The Reader's Digest 'Home Improvements Manual' suggests a coat
	or two of Varnish prior to papering a new wall.

	Russ

	I was told to use wallpaper "sizing" when I papered my bathroom.
	Sizing is a white powder that you mix with water to a paint-like
	consistency and brush on the wall.  It comes out clear and you
	paper over it very easily.  Seems to have done a good job so far
	...two years.  I haven't tried to take the paper down tho.....

	-gary

they also sell liquid premixed sizing, pretty cheap too

    My daughter once decorated the side of our cast-iron wood stove
    with a very nice picture of the sun and two cows grazing in long
    green grass -- fortunately it was summer. We got that out with a
    mixture of vinegar and salt, the old-fashioned metal cleaner. Also
    a lot of elbow grease.
    
    An art eraser (the kind that stretches like silly putty) often
    pulls things like crayon off of even quite absorbent surfaces without
    marring the surface. You might want to try that on the sandstone
    and the wallpaper. (The eraser actually absorbs the material it
    removes, so it can "pull" wax bits or whatever out of the pores.)
    
    Chlorine bleach sometimes helps. I don't think it actually removes
    anything, but if it takes the color out, it makes it less conspicuous.
    
    And often good old nail polish remover will get rid of things you
    thought had become permanent parts of the decor. Use caution, though--
    it can remove the decor, too!
    
    A solution of white vinegar and water often helps on delicate surfaces.
        
    With something waxy like crayons or candle drippings, you can sometimes
    improve the situation by gently scraping off the layer of wax using
    a razor blade or something like that.
    
    --bonnie

    
    	There is a product on the market today called  SHIELDZ.
    It is made specifically for wallpaper.  What this product does
    is, It seals the wall surface and sizes the wall at the same time.
    Later when you decide to change wallpaper, this stuff makes it easy
    to remove the old paper.
    
    Cost???  You can expect to pay around $17 a gallon but its well
    worth it in the long run.
    
    P.S.  If you have brand new walls, I would recommend an oil base
    primer first.  Its always best to seal the sheetrock with paint
    first.  

    re .13's suggestion of benzene:
    
    Please be *very* careful around that stuff.  It's among the chemicals
    regulated by OSHA as either a carcinogen, a mutagen, or both.  I
    don't know the details, but I can ask my local chemist if there's
    any interest.
    
    Dick
    

    The Fair department store ran an ad for this weekend for
    Hometime video tapes (pretty sure that was the name) and
    said that they came from the PBS series.  Normally $9.99
    on sale for $7.99.
    

    re: .3
    
    I have always used the "Wallpaper Remover" solutions and a putty
    knife, but always applied it using a sponge.  That was my least
    favorite part, the junk running down your arm, and the splatter
    all over the floors.  This weekend I was helping a friend strip
    two layers of hostile paper.  We tried the spray bottle idea, and
    it's GREAT!!!  No drips down the arms, no huge drips on the floor.
    And Fast?  We got twice the area done in the same time we usually
    spend on the project (it's a huge area).  And it's great for the
    arm muscles, too!  :-)
    
    But seriously, as additional advice:  If you have a large area to
    do (we're doing the living room, front hall, up the stairs and upstairs
    hall), it works well with two people.  One can spray and the other
    follow by 3 to 5 minutes.  When it soaks in, it scrapes right off!
    The scaper-person goes faster than the sprayer-person, so they usually
    have time to clean up the scraps and clean the wall while waiting.
    
    Elaine
    

      Even better especially for larger areas is a pump-up garden sprayer.
    Just set it for a spray pattern, go around the room spraying the
    walls a couple of times or as needed, then just strip it all off.
    
    					Kenny

	re. mailorder wallpaper...

	How long does it take for them to mail the paper to you?  I wouldn't
	mind saving 30-50% but not if I have to wait a month for it.

	thanks    

    If you're looking for wallpaper in southern N.H., you should try
    Hancock Paint and Wallpaper. They charge you 10% more than they
    have to pay for everything in the store. I would hate to order
    wallpaper mailorder and get a defective roll. Putting up wallpaper
    is nerve racking enough without added aggravation. They also have
    a bunch of paper right in the store that they mark down quite a
    bit. They are in Nashua off exit 6E right on the right hand side
    of the road.
    
    My .02 cents worth
    
    Tim
    

    Check out Fletcher's (good grief, I _think_ that's the name) in Milford, NH.
Just past the center (heading west) on 101A.  Ugly white brick building about
five feet off the road.  Good prices.  Good selection.

    When hanging two papers on a wall, to be separated by a border,
    or chair rail, or whatever, at what height do you split the paper?
    I know it probably depends on the overall wall height... is there
    a ratio, or rule-of-thumb for "typical" walls?

    I believe the heighth of a chairrail ought to be at 39"  from the
    floor.  Don't really know where that came from.  However thats what
    I've been told and am redoing my family room accordingly.   pt

    It ought to be the height of the backs of your chairs!  I'm more
    or less serious about that; after all, the purpose of the chair
    rail is to keep the backs of the chairs from scuffing the wall.
    However, for aesthetics it may be desirable to put it at some
    other height.

    
    I had the same question before I put my chair rail up! After looking
    at our local library for a information source and not finding anything,
    I finally started checking glossaries in books in my local mall
    (Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua,NH) I did find some general rules
    of thumb and both previous replies fall within the rule. (Sorry
    I don't remember the book that I looked at). This source said that
    anything from 30" to 40" above the floor would do. Mostly it said
    that you should try an elevation that looks pleasing with respect
    to the window sill heights in your home. I lined my chair rail up
    with the bottom molding on my windows (just below the sill). I was
    lucky in that the chair rail width exactly matched the width of
    the window molding. I have also seen other homes where, instead
    of a chair rail, border paper was used. I've seen the border paper
    used where it's top edge runs below the bottom of the window molding
    and I've also seen it where the bottom edge of the border lines
    up with the window sill (not sure if it was top edge of the sill
    or the bottom edge of the sill -i.e. between the sill and the top
    edge of the bottom molding. It always looked great! I really do
    think the difference is your preference along with the window height.
    Hope this helps! (Also, if you can't find any books which give these
    rules of thumb that I found, I might also suggest looking at magazines
    such as Architechtural Digest, Country Home, anything antiquey....).
    That's all for now.
    

    Try the standard architectural reference book called, I believe,
    "Achitectural Graphics Standards". It has details and measurements
    on just about every design issue that you may come across. You can
    find it in the reference section of your local library.
    

I am in the process of wallpapering my hallway and I have figured out
    how many square feet of wall I have.  I multiplied the length times
    the width and came up with 250 sq. feet.  Where do I go from here.
     I am not sure how to figure out how many rolls I need.  The back
    of the paper says the rolls are sold in double metric rolls and
    covers 56 sq. feet.  Does this mean 56 sq. feet per single or double
    roll?  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.
    
    Connie
    

    Don't worry about it.  I had some wallpapering done.  I had the
    "decorator" from the wallpaper place come out and estimate how many
    rolls were needed.  I had three estimates from paper hangers, all 
    different.  I bought too little.  The only approach is to buy too
    much.  Now the question is "how much too much"?  If it is expensive
    paper, just buy a little too much.  If it is cheap paper, buy more
    too much.  {;-)
    
    After you buy too little too much and have too little (you are
    following this, right?) get the dye and lot number off the back
    of the paper and go back to the store and get a little too much
    more.  Of course, you bought the paper a year ago and they no longer
    have any paper from that lot number left.  Get a little too much
    of the color that is not going to exactly match what you already
    have.  Put the pieces that don't match in the dark corner.  Now,
    since you want to make sure you can put the different color in the
    dark corner start working from the well lit corner before you find
    out you have too little too much. {;-)
    
    This is the easy way to estimate how much paper you need.  It is
    the one I will use from now on.
    
    Stan

    This annoys me no end.   You would think that something like paper
    (as opposed to paint) could be easily calculated since you're putting
    something with a fixed number of square feet per roll onto a fixed
    number of sqaure feet of wall.
    
    But no, they make the word "roll" ambiguous by all this double roll
    - triple roll mumbo jumbo.  

    Never just say "roll" when dealing with wallpaper.  You can wind
    up (1) buying three times too much, (2) buying three times too little,
    (3) paying three times what you expected, (4) paying three times
    less than what you expected (so you bought elcheapo paper!).
    
    Jim
    

    re .2
    
    Wallpaper makers also change where they cut the pattern in each
    lot.  So that not only will the colors be different, the pattern
    will be impossible to patch unless you overlap one seam.
    
    One of the old guys at Stan's Paint Store in Manchester figures
    that one single role of paper will cover the same area as a sheet
    of 4X8 paneling.  What I usually do, is to figure out how many sheets
    of paneling would be required (ignoring the presence of doors and
    windows) and divide by 2.  This gives me the number of double rolls
    needed, and then just to lower my stress level (I always worry about
    having enough) I add one more double roll.  (Stan's gives 80% refunds
    on unopened rolls).
    
    Now that I think of it, hanging the wallpaper is not the hardest
    part of the job.  Picking out a pattern drives me over the edge.
    
    BC
    

Depending on how expensive the paper is and how much time you want to spend
saving some $$$, I've been able to do a fairly reasonable job of estimating.
The first step is to determine the amount of repeat in the pattern.  If it's
something like a 12" repeat, you'll probably have to figure a fair amount of 
waste.  If it's a 2"-4" repeat the waste will be much less.

When reading on how to hang paper, I always see where they say to leave 
something like an extra 6" at each end of the paper.  This is nonsense!  I 
usually cut the paper leaving an inch or two max.  It's less to paste, less to
throw out (scrapes can take a lot of space) and obviously less waste.  Naturally
when using this method I have to figure out where the next piece will match at
the top and leave my 1-2 inches from there.

If you have doors and windows, this generates waste if you want full pieces
everywhere.  If you don't mind piecing around them, you can save.  I like to 
finish near a window so that if I'm running short, I can do some piecing and if
I've got extra I've been known to waste a LOT just to save a seam.

Finally, it depends on whether or not my estimate is an even or odd number of
rolls since you cannot return cut rolls.  In other words, if you have a double
roll left over you can return it (usually at around a 25-30% handling charge)
but if a single, you can't.

-mark

    Can anyone tell me,-what the going rate is (cost per roll) for 
    hanging wallpaper and recommend a paperhanger in the Bolton MA
    area. The two estimates I have average out to approx. $20 per
    single roll. This seems awfully high to me.
    

    Sounds about right.....
    
    It is a sought after trade, and the people who do it are taking
    full advantage of it.
    
    Bruce

    I think I paid about $30/roll.  The guy was really good and I had
    to wait months for him to be available.  Remember part of the cost
    is to smooth (prep) your walls.  The guy doesn't (or shouldn't)
    just come in and start hanging paper.  The good ones are in demand.
    Get some recommendations.  I you are paying good $$$ you want a
    good job.
    
    Stan

    
    An acquaintance of mine does it for, I believe, $10 per SINGLE roll.
    That's half the cost quoted in .0 (if .0 was really talking about
    a SINGLE roll and not a DOUBLE roll - if you really meant $20 per
    sealed entity of paper, which is almost always a double roll, the
    cost is the same).

    Paperhanger rates run anywhere from $15 to upwards of $35 a double
    roll. Is it too much to pay? Well, you can't really answer that until
    you try it.
    
    As .2 said, wall preparation is vital for a good job. See that it's
    done correctly. If you find somebody get references and check them
    out. It's your $$ and you should be satisfied. I've put up about 15
    rooms of paper and can honestly say that the good paperhangers earn
    their $$.
    
    One type I won't **EVER** touch again is vinyl covered. My wife
    wanted that in the bathroom. "Only three walls, it will only take
    a couple of hours".
    				AARRGGHH!!
    
    Words of advice?
    First: If you want to try it yourself, get the pre-pasted rolls.
    Second: Send everybody out for the day. It's better, believe me!

    Richard

Call Mark Pilotte in Hudson Ma  562 9761.  Mark does excellent work at 
reasonable rates, better than everyone else I called.  More important, 
he comes when promised, is properly equipped, and I was ver happy with 
his work.

    I am having someone paint and wallpaper a room in my house. There
    will be stripped wallpaper on the bottom with a coordinating wallpaper
    border and then painted above the border.
    
    The first question is what should the height of the wallpaper/border
    be so as not to make the walls look cut in half?? This is going
    to be a nursery and the side rail of the crib in 38" high and the
    top of the crib is 51" high. I'm leaning toward putting the border
    even with the top height of the crib. Any pros and cons visually???
    
    The second question is what do you think this would all cost?? I
    can use the figures given in a previous note to figure the papering
    cost but this is a little more detailed with having to paint and
    wallpaper including a border. Should this also be a multi-step
    process, meaning that it should be painted one day and papered the
    next?? The walls are going from off-white to white. The room is
    11 x 15 with 2 windows and a 6-foot closet on one wall.
    
    Thanks in advance.

    I have done border about 2 ft up the wall, just as you would do
    a chair rail.
    
    If you live in the Townsend Pepperell area, I know someone who hangs
    paper for $10.00 per single roll.
    
    On wallpaper cost, I buy my wallpaper thru an "800" number, no shipping
    charges.
    
    What you need to do is get a wallpaper book and pick out your paper.
    
    Call 800-631-9341 for a price quote.  They will ask you for:
    
       1.  Name of the Book
       2.  Pattern Number
       3.  Retail Price (usually stated in back of the book)
    
    It's definetly a BIG savings.
    
    Good Luck.
    Connie
    

    RE:  1866.1
    
    Forgot to mention depending on how tall your ceilings are.  Two
    to Two and a Half feet up the wall is for a 6ft ceiling.
    

you should consider getting a quote with YOU doing the wall prep.  talk about
easy...

you can size an average wall in under 1/2 hour.

-mark

    I'm having some wallpaper hung at the rate of $20 per double roll.
    I'll let you know when it's done if it was worth the effort and
    recommend the hanger.
    

    Very soon I am going to be wallpapering my daughters' room which
    is 10'x13'.   
    
    Here is how I figured out how many rolls of wallpaper Iam going
    to use.
    
    I started with the 10' long x 7.25' high.  This wall doesn't any windows
    or door. So is easier to calculate.
    
    I multiply 10' x 12 = 120" and 7.25' x 12 = 87"   
    
    I multiply 120" x 87" = 10440"
    
    I divided 10440" into 144 = 72.5 square ft. wall  144=1 sq. ft
    
    Then I divided 72.5 into 30 = 2.41 single roll    30=single
    
    so for my first wall I need 2.41 single roll.
    
    You can do this with all your walls, except you have to subtract
    the windows, doors, and closet.  
    
    Formula:
    
    10' long x 7.25' high
    10' x 12 = 120"  7.25' x 12 = 87"
    120" x 87" = 10440
    10440 divided by 144 = 72.5
    72.5 divided by 30 = 2.41 single roll
    
    
                                       
    I hope this helps you out.
    
    
    

    Re: .6
    
    Your figuring method is too exact! Wallpaper is not like paint, there
    can be alot of waste. In your example, assuming you are using single
    rolls, I figure that you'll need 3 single rolls to do that wall with a
    lot of waste. 
    
    You should be putting up full pieces, and when you get to the end of
    one roll and there is less then a full piece left... it's time to start
    the next roll. Hopefully, the half pieces can be used above and below
    windows but there are usually move pieces than windows. 
    
    My method of calculating is to first figure how many full sheets of
    paper I would need. In your example, your wall is 10' or 120" long, if
    the wall paper is 20" wide, you'll need 6 sheets of paper. Now, how
    many FULL sheets can you get from a roll? From your information, I'm
    guessing that your single roll is 18' long. Divide 18 by the lenght of
    a full sheet (taking repeat patterns into account), you can only get
    TWO full sheets per single roll. You need 6 sheets or THREE single
    rolls. 
    
    Your best bet is to calculate carefully and buy extract for waste
    and mistakes, and if the store will take back unopened rolls, BUY
    EVEN MORE. It's better to return a few rolls then to run out near
    the end of the job some night!
    
    Charly

     
    HERE IS SOME MORE INFORMATION THAT I FORGOT TO ADD TO PREVIOUS NOTE.
    
    250 sq. ft. divided by 30 = 8.33   You are going to need at least 10
    single rolls.. You should allows get a extra single roll.
    
    30= single roll
    56= double roll
    
    You can save yourself alot of money if order through the 
    NATIONAL WHOLESALE WALLCOVERING CO.  TEL: 800-631-9341
    
    The other day I went to the store to look at wallpaper and the
    pattern of wallpaper that I am interested in goes for 15.99
    single roll... I got all the information that I needed out of the
    book ( NAME OF BOOK AND PATTERN NUMBER ). I called up the 
    NATIONAL WHOLESALE WALLCOVERING CO..with the information.
    That same pattern goes for 9.99.. single roll, no extra charge for
    delivery.  60 day return policy.. some stores have a 30 days return
    policy.. also they deliver within 10/15 days of day you place your
    order.  So you can't beat that... GOOD LUCK
    
    
    
    
    
    can't beat that. 
    

    I compared the pricing that people have mentioned in this file with
    prices you can get from Hancock Paint & Wallpaper in Nashua.
    There was a nickel difference in the price. I don't know if there
    is a big difference between all of these 800 number places. Maybe
    I could pick one paper and call around and post the results.
    
    Tim, with three rooms papered and four to go ...
    

re .7

No question,  buy  more  than  you need.  The worst that can happen is that the
store will not  take back unopen roles, although I have never had that problem.
If you don't buy  enough,  the worst that can happen is that you cannot get any
more rolls from the same  run  and  then  you have the very real risk of having
paper that does not match what  is  already  up.  At that point, you will curse
not spending the $$$ for the extra double roll.

Dave

    re: .10
    
    No, the worst thing is NOT that you can't get rolls from the same
    run.  The worst thing is that you can't get the pattern AT ALL.
    We bought our wallpaper, but didn't put it up for a few months.
    We ran out, and found out that it was out of production.  We tried
    the places that handle out of production stock, but to no avail.
    So we now have a strip in our bedroom that may appear in this notesfile
    sometime in the "Why Did They do THAT" note.
    
    Clay

    Re: Running out...

    I'm in a similar position now, even after my lenghtly dissertation on
    how to estimate. I forgot to take one thing into consideration, an
    unplanned addition that doubled the size of the room! 
    
    We wanted to wallpaper my daughters room (2 years ago), I calculated
    what we would need (4 double rolls) and bought 6. We didn't wallpaper
    right away, then we got this brilliant idea to add on to the house,
    doubling the size of that bedroom among other things. 
    
    Well we're almost to the point of wallpapering and sat down and did the
    NEW calculations, we now need 7 double rolls and of course this
    wallpaper is no where to be found now, 2 years later. 

    Fortunatley, there's enough to do one of the other bedrooms and I've
    got NINE double rolls of another paper waiting to be put up. 

    Charly

    Has anyone said anything about matching the pattern?  (Maybe I missed this
in an earlier reply.)  If you have any kind of pattern except for pure vertical
stripes, there will be waste from maintaining a consistent horizontal scheme.
Say you put one roll (A) on the wall like this (the *s are, say, flowers):
         A                                               A     B
      | * * |  You want the next one to match ...     | * * |* * *|
      |* * *|                                         |* * *| * * |
      | * * |                                         | * * |* * *|
As you're putting up B, you'll waste some to line up the flowers.
    Here's a not-guaranteed-but-close-enough-for-government-work method:
multiply the perimeter? (a 10x12 room is 44 feet of walls) by the ceiling
height.  Divide this square footage by the coverage of one (double) roll.
(What you waste in pattern matching is saved by not papering over your windows
and doors.  :-)  Just yesterday, this gave me the same number as the salesman
who asked how many windows and doors there were and how big each was.

    Approximately 8 months ago, I bought an older house (+/- 80 yrs.).
    It's kind of a handyman special, and I have trouble pounding a nail
    straight.  I'm in the process of stripping wallpaper from a room
    that has 4 (that's right...4) coats of wallpaper on it.  Also, the
    wallboard underneath has "bubbled" at the seams where scotch tape
    was used instead of joint tape.  I've used wallpaper remover and
    vinegar and water to strip the paper.
    
    My question, since I'm having so much fun, do I have to remove all
    4 coats of the paper, or can I simply paper over the wall where
    the paper seems to be well attached?  Right now, the room is in
    shambles...some areas are at the bare wall, others still have one,
    two or three coats remaining, and in other areas the last coat is
    still there, and appears to be pretty well attached.  Basically,
    will the new coat of paper bubble and come loose if I don't get
    to the bare wall?  Thanks.
    
    Any advice on the seams, short of new wallboard?  I was planning
    on sanding the seams and using joint compound to make them smooth
    again.  Thanks. 
    

    
    I would take it all off otherwise you will see an unsmooth surface
    when you put your new paper on.  If you can't get everything off with 
    remover then rent a steamer and try to steam it off.  If that does not work
    then put paper underliner (very thick wallpaper) before putting
    your wallpaper up.  This will help hide any unsmoothness in the
    walls.
    
    I'm not sure what you can do with bubbled wallboard.
    
    Lot of luck.
    
    						- ted

you're removing the paper by hand?  assuming it's not strippable (and it sounds
like it's not), rent a steamer for uner $10.  that's the only way to go...

-mark

    Steamers:  I had tremendous success with a propane fired steamer
    in getting triple layers of wallpaper off. It was much more powerful
    than the electric models.    
    
    Someone correct me if I'm wrong- doesn't the old paper always come off
    except if it's been put down on sheetrock with sizing it first? 
    Even on unpainted plaster walls there have been no problems.  
    
    As far as the bubbled walls; about two rooms ago, I finally gave
    up trying to save old, beat up walls.  Now, I just get my respirator
    out, send the kids to the in-laws for a day or two and smash away.
     Sounds like severe overkill for your situation, though.  If it's
    really bad, why not just hang some 1/4" or 3/8" sheetrock over the
    old surface, wallpaper and all? Naw, that still sounds too heavy duty.
    How about doing a sort of a skim coat, feathering job with joint
    compound to hide the lumps? How big are these things?

    
    I think you should remove all the wallpaper - as awful as the task
    is. The new paper just doesn't adhere as well when there is paper
    already on the wall or several layers. 
    
    I hate steamers. I had an old 2 family with 3-6 layers wallpaper/paint
    on five rooms. All had to come off and it was torture. I tried every 
    method known. I found the steamers too heavy, big and hurt when I
    burned myself. Also using them in the summer was beyond torture. Right 
    around the time I was thinking about blowing the house up I latched on 
    to using a chemical bug sprayer filled with a wallpaper remover mix.
    I soaked the hell out of the wall and the paper and paint came off
    much much easier.  
                                           

    Thanks for all the input.  I had heard that steamers could be a
    hassle and expensive, but being a rookie...
    I'll try it in the next couple of weekends.
    
    As far as the bubbling wallboard goes, I think the house was hit
    by lightning at one time, and the walls got soaked from the outside
    in, thus the walls bubbled in spots.  Those pieces will probably
    have to be replaced.  In other spots, it seems to have bubbled all
    along the seams, where it was taped with scotch tape.  I have had
    some luck sanding the seams and filling it in with joint compound,
    then sanding to make it smooth.  Again, thanks and I'll keep at
    it.
    
    

    
    Buy a small sprayer as suggested in .4.  They're inexpensive (about
    $10), as is the chemical to mix w/ water and spray onto the wall.
    This is a very clean, fast and effective way to strip wall paper.
    The sprayer is self-contained, no hoses.
    
    One can also use the sprayer to spray pesticides in the garden.
    
    -Chris

    Thanks for the advise on the steamer.  Rented one this weekend for
    $9.00/day...Worked great.  It was hotter than hell and time consuming
    to go through 4 coats, but I'm pretty much down to the bare wall.
    I've got some sanding to make the wall smooth and should be all
    set.  
    
    Another question though, relating to my "bubbling wallboard"...I
    found out, after getting to the bare walls, that 1 person did this
    room originally because all the wallboard is cut into "1-man size"
    pieces...all pieces are no bigger than 3'x3'... just big enough
    for one man.  That's where my problem is.  The joints are bubbling.
    That I can sand and redo.  What about this "paper underliner?" 
    How does it work?  The cost?  Does it mean papering twice?  Or would
    a coat of paint work as good to make the walls smooth?  (If you
    can't tell, I want the cheapest, easiest, AND soonest way out. 
    July 4, '88...It's a baby's room and that's the due date.)  Thanx.
    

    
    RE: .7
    
    What kind of steamer did you use - propane or electric?  And 
    where did you rent it (wall-paper store, rent-a-ctr, etc)?
    
    -tm
    

    If you've got steam heat (which most old houses do), forget the
    steamer and let your furnace do the work.
    
    
    Last year we stripped 3 rooms of wallpaper in the apartment downstairs
    rather easily.  Start by removing all of the radiators in the room
    to be stripped.  Then turn off all the valves to the other radiators
    in the house.  Next, on comes the furnace.  After about an hour,
    the whole place is dripping wet, and the wallpaper is almost falling
    off of the walls. 
    
    
    You'll need to 'steam' the room a couple of times to get 4 layers
    off, and you'll probably have to put water in the furnace a couple
    of times as this uses lots of water.  BUT it's a hell of alot more
    convenient than one of those foot-square steamers!
    
    
    -bill

    RE .8
    
    I rented an electric steamer @ Athol Rental Center located in the
    beautiful downtown area of the thriving metropolis of Athol...(about
    10,000 people on a good day.)
    
    Reply #9 sounds like a great idea.  I've got 5 other rooms and a
    hallway to do eventually...and I do have steam heat.  Thanx.
    

    Reply .9 also sounds like a great way to trash the woodwork and
    heave the floors.  How's the vapor barrier in the attic?  Sounds
    like a great job to do when you have bronchitis, you kill two birds
    with one stone. :-) 
    
    Well actually that scheme is no more severe than what I did.  After
    sweating like a cretan with one of those steamers in July two years
    and last house ago, this past summer I just spread plastic on the
    floor and brought the garden hose in through the window.  Using
    a fine mist I just hosed down the whole room.  Since they'd also
    papered the ceiling the effect was spectacular watching this fall
    off the walls and ceilings.  We scraped the rest off, rolled up
    the plastic and heaved the whole mess out the window then toweled
    down the floor and woodwork.  We were done in record time.
    
    Let me mention that Old House Journal described how cheaply you
    can make a steamer yourself out of some couplings, rubber hose and
    an old cake pan and like .9 described, crank up the thermostat,
    and pull the radiator and connect your homemade steamer.
    
    

    I doubt that steaming the room would cause any serious problems.
    (Unless of course,  you LIKED that peeling texture paint on the
    ceiling!)
    
    Most of the steam doesn't even leave the room.  In fact, when we
    got too hot, we just stepped into the next room and couldn't tell
    that the steam was even on.
    
    
    -bill

    re .9, .10
    
    Yeah, fine. Just make sure your furnace has a low-water cutout in
    operating condition, before trying this stunt. Also remove anything
    that you'd rather NOT get wet. Like maybe ceiling plaster.

    re 9 & 10. 
    think i'll stay with rented steamer, or water & vinegar.

    
    	Why don't you rip out the old sheetrock and replace with new.
     Its not as bad as you might think and you may discover other problems
    in the wall as a result of water between the walls (warped beams).
    Or maybe blueboard right on top.  You'll never get the walls smooth
    otherwise.
    
    	Will a steamer work on the paper part of vinyl wallpaper?  The
    wall paper came off easy, its the paper underneath that won't come
    off.  Hot Hot water doesn't even put a dent in it.  Is vinegar and
    water a possible solution?
    
    Bob
    

< Note 1987.16 by HJUXB::BIANCO >
                               
  >  	Will a steamer work on the paper part of vinyl wallpaper?  The
  >  wall paper came off easy, its the paper underneath that won't come
  >  off.  Hot Hot water doesn't even put a dent in it.  Is vinegar and
  >  water a possible solution?
    
   Try chemical wallpaper stripper. The stuff will peal off with 
your fingernail.

daryll 

    How much time should we allow for two novices to paper a rather
    ordinary room?  The room is 12 by 12, with two doors, two windows, and
    all of the molding has been taken off.  
    
    We need to a) apply sizing; b) put up liner paper; and c) put up
    the final wallpaper.  Presumably, we won't do this all in one session.
    
    Second question:  Are there any tricks or tips for putting up the
    wallpaper on top of the liner paper?  Can we use prepasted wallpaper,
    or should we apply regular paste?
    
    Thanks,
    
       Gary

The first job you're attempting is one with liner paper?  Good luck...

Sizing should take no more than 1/2 hour or so.  Give it another 1/2-1 hour
to dry.  I'd do this the day/night before since I think you're gonna have your
hands full enough on the day you start.

My first job was a bathroom.  It only took 1 double roll of paper and took a
full day!!!  By the time I did my next room I got a lot better, but the point is
the first time you do it you will be SHOCKED how long it takes to really get
the hang of things.  Then again, maybe I'm just a slow learner...

-mark

    I have used liner paper (the heavy kind that covers the crevices
    in paneling and the like) in my bathroom.  If that is what you are
    using, then it is a lengthy process.  First, you need to prep the
    wall (either paint with oil base primer, size, or use Wall Grip).That
    has to dry.  Then hang the liner, which is not prepasted.  The liner
    has to dry for 2 days.  Then you need to size (or use Wall Grip)
    on the liner.  Let that dry (2 hours), then paper.
    
    Yes, you can put prepasted paper over this kind of liner.
    
    I agree with -.1 that a room can take longer than you think.  Every
    paper is different and it takes a while to understand how to work
    with each paper.

    This question pertains to note 1987...the layers of wallpaper. 
    I've got almost all of the paper off and I've also fixed most of
    the seams by using new joint compound.  I'm about ready to start
    papering, but the walls still aren't really smooth enough to paper
    over directly.  I'm willing to try paper underlayment, but never
    having papered before, how do I use it?  Does it go on just like
    wallpaper?  Should one coat be enough?  And, does a textured wallpaper
    look better when used over the underlayment?  Thanx in advance.
    
    Gene

    The answer to your problem is relatively easy, the actual application
    may not be so easy.
    
    The first thing that you need to do is size your wall.  You can
    buy sizing at any wallpaper shop.  (The sizing will allow the paper
    to slide a bit when applied).  Apply one or two coats before putting
    on your underlayment paper.
    
    Now that you are ready to apply the under paper, make sure that
    you use the paste method, as pasting will smooth some more of the
    roughness out.  Paper your walls in the same fashion as regular
    paper, but pay particular attention to the seams (under paper with
    paste is heavy, and the seams have a tendency to move).  
    
    Once all this is done, you are ready to go, almost.  I suggest that
    you size the heck out of your under paper (2 or 3 coats) before
    doing your regular paper.  Once you have done this, have fun, and
    wallpaper as usual.
                       

    re: sizing
    
    I'd like to recommend sizing that comes premixed. There is a brand,
    made in Canada, called Wallprep or something similiar. It is the
    greatest stuff. It cost about $8.00 for a 2 liter can, but one can
    will do an entire house. The paper will slide twice as easy as compared
    to the Metalan powder form sizing. It cut out about an hour of labor
    the last time I put up paper.
    
    My .02
    Tim

    RE: .0
    
    We're in the middle of papering some fairly old plaster walls. 
    All of the liner paper is up, the one bedroom is done, and now we
    just have to do the stairs and hallways.  (Talk about ambitious
    work for a couple of beginners.)
    
    The liner paper went up without too much trouble, though it did take
    longer than expected, mostly because the weight of it tired us out.  We
    sized the walls, but as novices, can't really tell whether it helped.
    We did find that a roller was much easier than a brush for applying the
    paste, and we used premixed paste, diluted to a reasonable consistency.
    Obvious tricks: since there's no pattern, you get to run the paper
    horizontally above doors and above and below windows.  No need to run
    plumb lines, since the liner paper doesn't have to be perfectly
    vertical.  Finally, the seams don't have to butt perfectly, but they
    shouldn't be wider than about 1/8 inch, or they'll show.  We fixed our
    mistakes with scraps, cut to order after they were on the wall.  (I'll
    admit it, we were less than perfect with the liner paper on the stairs.
    I don't think it will matter.) 
    
    When it came time to put up the final wallpaper in the bedroom, we used
    Metylan Grip.  This is an instant size, in the sense that you're
    supposed to size two strips worth, and hang the paper immediately.  We
    decided that it didn't help very much, and after a while, gave up using
    it.  I suppose if we had followed the advice in .1 by putting up 2-3
    coats, things would have been easier, but time and stress constraints
    just didn't permit it.  Most of our problems were unrelated, anyway.
    The paper is now up, it's better than the other amateur work done by
    previous owners  (the phrases butt edges and plumb lines weren't in
    their vocabulary), and the room looks a whole lot better than it did
    before. 
    
    We did put up two strips in the staircase, just to see if there
    were any differences, and discovered a massive improvement.  The
    wallpaper chosen for the staircase a) has no edge curl, unlike the
    bedroom paper; and b) slides quite easily, with no sizing on the
    liner paper.  (It has the additional advantage of being a random
    match, but that was a deliberate choice on our part to simplify
    what we knew would be a difficult chore.)  So, I'm now psyched to
    get the rest of it up next weekend, in spite of having to do all
    those angle cuts.
    
    RE: .1
    
    What other method is there besides the paste method?  While we didn't
    look very hard for liner paper, we didn't find any that was prepasted.
    
       Gary

    When putting up two kinds of paper seperated by a wallpaper border
    on uneven walls and ceilings, do you measure 36" up from the bottom
    in the corners and snap a line between them, or do you try to kdep
    it perpindicular with the plum line? The first way seems the only
    way to do it if you want your corners to meet, but I thought I might
    be missing something.
    
    Ad<thanks>vance
    
    Tim
    

preface:  I have never hung wallpaper.

From the looker's perspective, wouldn't you want everything to appear 
level even if it isn't?  So that makes it more important to match your 
wallpaper pattern, and maybe be a little off on level than to be on 
level, and a little off on your pattern.

I sew clothes, so I'll make this analogy.  If you are hemming a skirt 
made of plaid material, you fold up the hem on the same line all 
around the skirt, even if this is not exactly even.    When people 
look at the skirt, they can't tell if it is the same distance from the 
floor or your waist at a glance.  If the hem is perfectly straight but 
is not 'on a line', it looks all wrong.

    RE: .5 & .6
    
    WRONG.  In building and wallpapering, it is more important to be
    level and plumb. Your analogy with the skirt is faulty as you cannot
    see the entire line at the same time.  Wallpaper which doesn't match
    exactly in a corner is no big deal. A line all the way around the
    room that is unlevel stands out like a sore thumb.
    
    Alan
    

    re: .7

    > WRONG.  In building and wallpapering, it is more important to be
    > level and plumb. Your analogy with the skirt is faulty as you cannot
    > see the entire line at the same time.  Wallpaper which doesn't match
    > exactly in a corner is no big deal. A line all the way around the
    > room that is unlevel stands out like a sore thumb.

    I disagree.  I put wallpaper up in my kitchen.  The wallpaper
    is level and plumb.  The kitchen is not.  The wallpaper has
    both horizontal and vertical lines and the fact that it is
    out of sync with the room makes it stand out like a sore thumb.
    If I were to do it again, it would be as level and plumb as
    the room it adorns.
    
    Sid 

    You might want to use paper with straight lines in straight rooms.
    In crooked rooms a more random pattern might accentuate the tilts
    less.
    
    Stan

    I put the paper up on Saturday. The problem with the room is that
    that are 8 corners,inside and outside, that are at all different
    angles. I used the plumb method when hanging, but, fudged it where
    the pattern looked bad. My wife would stand on the other side of
    the room and tell me which way to go, which was a big help. I probably
    didn't compromise more than a few degrees off plumb anywhere. The
    real question was on putting up the border between the two papers.
    This again was a game of plumb and fudge because you want to make
    it straight, but you don't want to make the pattern look funny either.
    One tip I would pass on though, when putting up a border over where
    two papers meet, make sure that they meet exactly and there are
    no voids or overlaps. They will show through onto the border paper.
    :^( They aren't bad, but I know they're there and every time I walk
    into the room my eyes go straight to them.
    
    Tim
    

< Note 1804.10 
<    One tip I would pass on though, when putting up a border over where
<    two papers meet, make sure that they meet exactly and there are
<    no voids or overlaps. They will show through onto the border paper.
    
     The trick when mating any two thin materials(such as wallpaper or
     linoleum) is to overlap slightly, then before the glue sets cut 
     through both pieces at the same time with a very sharp utility 
     knife.  This way any imperfection in the cut to one piece will be 
     reflected on the other for a good match.

     Brian    

RE: .10
        I had the same adventure in my last house... not a
        square corner in the place - or a vertical wall!
        
        The room that was the greatest challenge was the living
        room (which had several nooks and a bay window.)
        My (now ex-!) wife and I ended up doing the same thing
        you did - eyeballing and keeping as close as we could
        with out having the pattern broadcast the incongruities
        to everyone who came into the room.  We had 10' ceilings,
        and tall vertical windows, too.
        
        In the end, we used 2 different papers with a border
        strip (cut as suggested in the previous reply) at the
        boundary and again at the ceiling.  The border at the
        ceiling helped a lot.  Both of our eyes were drawn
        to the disjointed pattern along the top of the wall
        where it meets the ceiling before the added the border,
        but not afterwards.  The different paper patterns broke up
        the wall visually which distracted our vision from
        the difficulties with pattern match and plumb.
        
        Also, we found that people coming in gave us *LOTS*
        of positive support for doing a great job at something
        they would never tackle themselves.  The funny part
        is that though we could see every seam and change in
        plumb, our friends couldn't or didn't unless we pointed
        it out to them.  Eventually we just accepted the
        compliments and stopped looking at the awkward places.
        
        On the other hand, to this day, when I walk into a
        papered room, I can tell if the job was done well or
        not... and if the room is 'true.'
        
        Bill
        

      Where can I look at some chair rails. We are redoing some of our
    kitchen over and would like to find a place that has a good selection.
    SOme where around mass would be nice....
    
               Rick

What about plastered walls ??  

Should plastered walls be "sealed" first or just use sizing? I would think that
plastered walls would NOT need to be sealed because they have a much harder
finish than wallboard.

Comments/Suggestions ??

Thanks...

     Plaster walls do not need to be sealed before papering, but it
    still isn't a bad idea. They DEFINITELY do need to be sized (at
    least once). If the walls are skimcoat over wallboard then you should
    seal them with one coat of enamel undercoater then size, but you
    can still get away without doing it on skimcoated walls. BTW the
    problem isn't putting the paper on, it's taking it off. Since wallboard
    is also water soluble, you will destroy your wallboard when taking
    old wallpaper off if it wasn't sealed. 

>    BTW the problem isn't putting the paper on, it's taking it off. 

Pure speculation follows:  I know that plaster isn't as porous as joint 
compound, but I still imagine that it is somewhat water-absorbent.  An 
essential part of wallpapering is being able to move the paper around a bit 
while it's on the wall, and I would guess that unsealed plaster would tend to 
suck the water out of the paste and make the paper 'grab' very quickly, making 
the paper harder to put up.

Paul

    re:-1
    
      You're right, it's almost always better to be papering over paint,
    but it's the sizing that gives the paper that slip on the wall that's
    important for positioning.
    
    					Kenny

    
    RE: .6  
    
    All I can tell you is that I've had a very difficult time removing
    paper from my unprimed plaster walls.  Not as difficult as the
    stuff over wallboard, I'll grant you, but still very difficult.
    I would would definitely recommend priming.  I also think that
    it would be easier to remove the glue/sizing from primed walls,
    if it should ever be painted.
    
    Another consideration might be whether or not your house has a vapor
    barrier.  If it does not, that would be another reason to prime the
    walls.  The shellac based primers (BIN and others) as well as many
    of the oil based enamels, act as light vapor barriers.
    

We're doing a little wallpapering in my son's bedroom, and like most gullible 
turkeys, we went ahead and mixed the entire package of sizing because it says 
on the package that 'an unsatisfactory solution' may result if the whole 
package is not mixed.  So now we have 2 gallons of sizing, probably enough to 
size all the walls that anyone on our street will want to paper for the next 
couple of years.

Seeing as how the sizing is a uniform-density white powder in a small, sealed 
bag, I can't see how it could possibly become separated enough (and I don't 
even know what might be separating) to cause any problem.  My suspicion is that 
in some very bizarre circumstances the effectiveness of the sizing may be 
reduced by about 5%, and the companies put the little warning on the package so 
you'll pay $4.50 for a new package every time you paper, instead of keeping the 
first package you buy for the rest of your natural life.

Does anyone know the real story on this stuff?

Paul

                           
    	I suspect that the sizing manufacturer is trying to avoid people
    mixing it like "oh, a little bit of this and a little bit of water,
    nah, looks like I need a bit more of this...".  (Like the way I
    cook. :-)  With care, I don't see why you couldn't divide the contents
    into halves and get the right mix of sizing and water.
    
    	By the way, does anyone know where they got the name "sizing"?
    The application of this stuff doesn't seem to have anything to do
    with determining the size of the room...
    
    Suggestion time:
        
    	My wife and I are current wallpapering our kitchen.  One big
    suggestion that I can give you is this:
    
    		*** Declare a halt once anyone gets frusterated! **
    
    	Putting up the wallpaper isn't easy with matching up the little
    patterns, getting the bubbles out, working around doors and windows,
    keeping the cat from playing with the little pieces that have fallen
    on the floor, etc., etc.  Its not *hard*, mind you, but it can be
    frusterating and will try your patience.  My wife and I have a simple
    deal that has worked out quite well -- as soon as one of us starts
    to get frusterated, we finish that piece and stop for the day. 
    It does take longer to finish the room, but we're much happier
    throughout the whole effort!
    
    	This next thought might be a bit too late for your use, but
    we bought the combined sizer/primer stuff that looks like paint.
    One step and anything from bare walls to painted walls to ex-papered
    walls is ready for new paper.
    
    							-craig

    What about papering over paneling.  I bought a small starter home
    that was built like a mobile home (the old linoleum and paneling
    routine).  I would like to wallpaper the bedrooms and hopefully
    go right over the paneling.  A few friends have done it and used
    putty to fill in the gaps on the paneling prior to laying the
    paper down.  What kind of putty would work best and should I put
    a primer down?  Any other problems you could forsee?
    
    Dave

    It might be simpler to put on a layer of wallpaper liner - a 'blank'
    wallpaper - right over the panelling WITHOUT puttying and then paper
    the real paper over it.
    
    I painted over panelling using BIN as a primer.
    
    	-Barry-
    

      
    To keep my stress level low during a wallpapering session I always
    order extra paper.  That way, if I get to a tough strip and screw
    it up, I know I can do it over without too much trouble.  
    
    Sometimes you need to show the wallpaper and the walls to which
    you are applying it, just who is in charge.  So when you've got
    a strip that just won't hang straight, seams that won't lie flat,
    a pattern that won't match, or a corner that won't fit, just rip
    the damn paper off the wall, ball it up, and through it out the
    window.  This will demonstrate to all subsequent strips of paper
    that you mean business and that you won't tolerate any problems.
    
    Believe me it works!  It also shows your spouse that you're right
    on the edge of going non-linear and they'll never ask you to wall
    paper again.  See, it works.
    
    bill
    

    
    Re: .2
    
    	Love it!!!!  Too bad we bought "just enough", it seems.  Not
    enough spare to let me have a good demo!
    
    							-c

I don't know if I'm just cheap or just hate to be told that I'll ruin everything
for not following the directions exactly.

I've probably papered 7 or 8 rooms with a fairly high degree of success.  I've
NEVER used a full box of sizing OR paste!  I simply measure the sizing or paste
into a measuring cup and divide the water requirements by the number of oz's.
Then I make up a couple of quarts and put the rest of the powder back into the
box for next time.

The thing that convinced me this was at leat OK for the paste is the fact that I
always use paste on pre-pasted wall paper!  The guy at the store told me to use
about double the water (or whatever seemed right) when I mixed the paste.  His
lack of precision has lead me to believe it is not that critical.

btw - the reason I use paste with pre-pasted is that I've never seen directions
	on prepasted that told you to book the paper and let it relax for 5
	minutes before hanging.  this really confuses me because wall paper
	expands after pasting (I've actually measured it getting as much as 1/2"
	wider!) and I'm scared something will go wrong if I don't let it sit.

	anyhow, I've also heard that the pre-pasted paste isn't as slippery as
	the stuff that's manually applied.

-mark

    I expect the directions say to mix it all so you'll have to throw
    a lot of it away, and then go out and buy more next time, thereby
    keeping the sizing company in business! :-)
    
    Seriously, the only reason I can think of is that the manufacturer
    is worried that some twit will mix half the package with all the water
    or something.  Since you now know the proper consistency for sizing,
    having done it once, next time just mix as much as you need, andding
    water until you get it to the consistency it ought to be.  There's
    nothing all that precise about it.  Although my wallpapering experience
    is limited, I imagine that on a really dry day you might want to
    mix the paste a little wetter than you would on a more humid day,
    for example, depending on how the paper is going up and how fast
    the paste is drying.

    RE: .4
    
    I have seen prepasted wallpaper that called for booking.  We did a
    bedroom and hallway, using different paper for each.  One brand called
    for soaking for twenty seconds and no booking, the other called for
    immediate removal from the water followed by a five minute booking.  As
    it happened, since the first brand didn't say not to book, we booked it
    anyway.  It seems to have gone up quite well (except that we never did
    get the hang of matching patterns around corners, pun intentional).
    Booking the paper tended to slow down the rate at which we worked, thus
    lowering the frustration levels. 

    I will admit that the heavy-duty premixed paste that we applied
    to the liner paper seemed slipperier than the prepasted stuff, although
    there were other factors in addition to the difference in paste.
    And again, there was a big difference between the two brands of
    wallpaper, with one sliding much more easily than the other.
        
       Gary

          
    Re: .4
    
    	The booklet that we got with the wallpaper (a "how-to" book,
    but not from one manufacturer) does say to book the paper even if it
    is the prepasted type.  The shorter instructions that came with
    the paper (from the manufacturer) also says the same thing.
    
    	Actually, I believe the instructions that came with the paper
    specifically says *not* to use additional paste since there could be
    a reaction between the type of paste the manufacturer used and what
    you're adding.
    
    							-c

If you mix extra sizing or paste, stick it in the freezer with last 
year's Digital turkey.

John H.

               BUTTER/MARGARINE STAIN ON WALLPAPER
    
    
    
    HELP??? MY KIDS MUST HAVE SPLATTERED BUTTER/MARGARINE ON THE WALLPAPER
    AND WE DID NOT CATCH IT UNTIL IT WAS ABSORBED.NOW THERE IS A STAIN
    ON THE WALLPAPER,ANY IDEAS ON HOW TO REMOVE IT,ALREADY TRIED DISH
    SOAP,NO GO.
    

    Hi,
    
    Called my sister who works for a paint and wallpaper store for a
    little help with your grease stain.. Here's what she said.
    
    1) If the paper is a dark background, it probably won't come out
    2) If the paper is vinyl coated, it has probably soaked through
       to the backing paper and, sorry, won't come out. 
    
        BUT
    
    3) If it is solid vinyl you can try a touch of ammonia (don't soak
       it) to cut the grease. She said that dish detergent won't work
       well. You can also try dry talcum powder which would absorb some
       of the stain.
    
    She also said that you could make a paste of "carbon tetrachloride
    and fullers earth". Now, neither she nor I have ANY idea what that
    means. She found that one in a "How to remove stains" book from
    a wallpaper distributor...
    
    A good local paper store (not the 'discount' places) should be able
    to give you more info...
    Good Luck
    
    

	That "How to remove stains" book must be pretty old.

	Wasn't it somewhere around 15 years ago that the media, or
	some medium, started warning that carbon tet causes brain
	damage?  Before 1970 or so, stamp collectors used carbon tet
	to reveal water marks.  I doubt you can buy the stuff now.

	If I remember, carbon tet, benzene, and acetone each has
	unacceptable effects on the nervous system.

	Maybe a paste of water and flour, or cream of tartar, or
	baking soda would work.  After you try things, cut out the
	patch of wallpaper you've made worse and carefully replace
	it with a new patch...

	Regards, Robert.

    Yes, carbon tet is bad news.  It's absorbed through the skin,
    it causes severe liver damage, among other things, and you 
    can't buy it anymore.  The usual substitute these days is 
    1,1,trichloethane (sp?), which you  might be able to find 
    at a large hardware store. 
    
    (That may be 1,1,1,trichloroethane...)

	"fuller's earth" .... hmm that sounds familiar....

	isn't that another name for ground-up chalk?

	- Josh

    
       I am helping a friend remodel her home.  We are removing all
    the wallpaper and painting the walls.  When I pulled the wallpaper
    off the walls there were a lot of mold spots on the wall.  What
    is the reason for this?  Am I going to have a problem if we paint
    them?  We washed all the walls down the best we could.  Has anyone
    had this problem?  Any information you can pass along will be
    appreciated.
    
    
    						Thanks,
    
    						John

    I believe that some wallpaper pastes are starch based, and thus would
    provide a good mold-growing medium, if given adequate moisture.
    The mold growth could have occurred when the wallpaper was installed.
    
    If you've already washed the walls, and the mold stains still show, you
    might try washing them with liquid bleach.  If that doesn't do a good
    enough job, I would consider sealing the stains with a spot prime    
    of a "stain-killer" before painting. BIN is a good brand of this     
    type of primer.                                                      
                                                                         
    
    
    

    Mildew removal has been discussed elsewhere in this file.  Make
    a mixture of TSP, bleach and warm water.  Wet down the wall, let
    it sit for awhile and then rinse it.  You'll have the best darn
    surface you've ever seen for papering or painting.  You'll also
    have the satisfaction of "doing it right"!
    
    Elaine
    

    
    Something my grandmother used to do to take greasy residue out of
    porous material was to put a layer or two of cotton cloth over the
    spot and run a hot iron over it.  The grease is absorbed by the
    cloth and if you're careful with the heat, nothing gets damaged.
     It worked wonders on candle wax in expensive tablecloths, and once
    on a wool suit.
    					Frank
    

    Mr. Moderator, if this subject is already discussed somewhere, please
    let me know the note number for using "Search" I could not locate
    it, and feel free to delete this note.
      I am putting up wallpapers, and it is such a fun job;  however,
    I can not get the edges to stay down.  They tend to curl up.  Would
    some one show me a technique for this?  Thanksamillion!!!!














                                          

Gee, I find that using glue helps alot ;')

It may be that the pre-glued paper you have (if that is what you're putting up)
has had the glue come off or has been soaked too much. I put some up over old
horse hair plaster walls and the walls sucked lots of glue out of the paper. I
ended up using glue WITH pre-glued paper. Sizing the walls can help prevent your
glue from soaking into the wall.

If it is a discount (read old) paper I'd suggest using glue with it anyway.

If the walls are old (read excessively dry) use a sizing and extra glue. With
the horse hair the paper store suggested using less water when mixing the glue.

Don't soak pre-glued paper too much. The glue disolves in the water and the 
paper won't stick.

This is general info. You didn't state what you were putting up where...

    I also had a similar problem putting up vinyl wallpaper in my kitchen.
    I tried all the steps that .1 suggested still to no avail.  I finally
    contacted the people I bought the paper from.  They suggested I
    return the unused portion of the paper and get new.  They felt that
    the problem was that the vinyl had stretched when it was cut (dull
    blade) and that it was there problem.  They said that they would
    replace all the paper ... free of charge.  This was through a
    mail-order wallpaper distributor.  Hope that .1's suggestions help
    and that you don't have to go this route.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Joyce
    

I know just what your problem is (I think) 'cause I had the same problem.

When you book your paper, the edges tend to come apart, exposing the glue to the
air and it dries out, therefore nothing sticks to the wall.  What I was told to
do was to ROLL the paper into a tube after you book it.  This keeps the edges
tight and prevents them from drying out too soon.

-mark

    Thanks for the responses.  I am using glue now and it helps a lot.
    I have another question though.  I sized the walls and left them
    for four or five days because I ran out of wallpapers, do I have
    to resize the walls when I am ready?  I use vinyl wallpapers.

I sure hope not.  I started wallpapering my in-laws condo about a year ago and
still have one more strip to hang.  I don't intend to resize, but if you want
to be safe, call a wallpaper store.

-mark

    re: .3
    
    When we booked the paper, we just made sure to get the edges
    tight.  Since you're sticking glued paper to glued paper, this isn't
    difficult, but it does take attention.  Light strokes with the roller
    seem to be adequate.  If you're using a textured or fragile wallpaper,
    then a couple of firm strokes on each edge with a sponge should
    be enough.  We didn't worry too much about the areas
    near the folds, since we didn't want to crease the wallpaper, though
    minor creases will come out as the paper shrinks when it dries.
    
       Gary

I agree you don't want to crease the folds, but the point I was trying to make
is that if you simply book the paper and let it sit, the edges tend to separate.
By rolling it up to but not including the fold, you reduce the possibility of
the separation.

-mark

    The front of my house is brick from the bottom of the picture window
    down.  Some prior ambitious homeowners decided to move the front door
    and brick over where the old door used to be.  Unfortunately, they
    were lousy bricklayers!  We are thinking of pulling down the brick
    and shingling the area to match the rest of the house.  Has anyone
    ever had experience with pulling down brick without destroying what
    is underneath?

    Brick is usually a veneer.  You can start anywhere but I would
    recommend the top of the wall.  Take a masonry chisel and chip away
    the mortar between two bricks.  Once you have a brick out, you should
    be able to see the "house".  Reach into the gap between the brick
    veneer and the house and pull.  You should be able to pull the wall
    apart and down on top of yourself with very little problems other
    than a bruised body and feet.  Jump back and out of the way of falling
    brick the second time and soon you will have a pile of rubble where
    you used to have a brick wall.

What will you do with the brick?? wherre do you live and woiuld you be willing 
to give the brick up if hauled out of your way?

always looking for a deal....

				Roger

    
    Re .1 - Brick is usally A Veneer ? Do you mean thin pieces of brick
            not standard size brick ?
    
            If its 1/2" brick similar to the US brick System that 
            Brickmaster uses in the New England area then it has a grid
            behind it that the brick is layed into. That grid is nailed
            to the house, all that would have to be pryed off with a
            crow bar taking your time.
    
            If it's standard brick, the brick is usally set on the
            foundation wall which is extended in the front of the house.
            from the brick work I've seen done in my area like this
            the masons will puts up a few rows of brick then put a metal
            screw into the house above the last row of brick every few
            feet. When the next row of brick is laid down the combination
            of the two layers of brick sorrounding the metal rod provide
            support for the wall so it won't fall.
    
             Since you mentioned its a hack job who knows what they
            did. Probably neither of the two. What kind of brick did
            they put in standard or veneer(narrow) ?
    
     

    The brick on this house is standard brick - but judging from things
    we've found from tearing apart the inside of the house, I doubt
    it was put up in the standard way....that's why I'm looking for
    all the info I can get before the job is attempted.
    
    As for what we are going to do with the brick --- we don't plan
    on using it again and if someone wants to haul it away, they are
    welcome to it BUT I can't guarantee what it's condition will be
    because I don't know how it is going to come off AND I can't even
    guarantee that it will come off this year - we have been talking
    about this for a few years and we need to paint the house this
    year so it would be a logical choice of years to do it but right
    now the kitchen is gutted and we may not feel like tackling one
    more "major" (since we don't know what's under the brick) project
    this year.  I will place a note in here and CLASSIFIEDS if we 
    decide to do it and want to get rid of the brick.
      

    This is an old note that I am reviving.  The base note said that
    they were trying to remove wallpaper from sheetrock.  I am assuming
    that the sheetrock was unprimed or unpainted.  Do the chemical or
    vinegar/water methods work removing wallpaper in this situation?
    The whole second story of my house (3 bedrooms and 1 bath) have
    been wallpapered in this manner.  I would like to change the wallpaper.
    The first room I tried using a steamer and it just soaked right
    through the sheetrock and big chunks got gouged out.  I eventually
    justs pealed the vinyl wallpaper off, leaving the backing, and
    wallpapered over it.  I know ... I know ... the results were awful.
    If the chemical way works better I'll try it!
    
    Does anyone have any feedback or other recommendations other than
    re-sheetrock?  Could I put a skimcoat of plaster or joint compount
    over the backing material?
    
    Help!
    
    Joyce
    

Boy, does this sound familar. I had the same problem with our 
house when we bought it. Mine was worse however because the paper 
was vinyl and we wanted to paint.

Here's how it went:

Tried steamer, got the same results as -1. Stopped before walls 
were ruined.

Tried chemical remover. Wouldn't work unless the vinyl coating 
was "roughed up" (according to instructions). Quickly discovered 
that "roughed up" = completely removed.

Pulled out the sander and started sanding down the vinyl down to 
the basepaper. This was living hell. We spent two full weeks 
sanding down the walls just to get down to the base and this was 
just the livingroom, hall and entranceway (split).

After 2 weeks of sanding 2 people/sanders, the chemical remover did 
the trick with the remaining paper.

Followed with spackle where needed, primer and paint. 

Total time= 3 weeks.

When we started sanding, it was hell. The flock was everywhere. 
Thankfully we hadn't unpacked yet and we planned on replacing the 
carpeting anyway. Luckily we closed every door in the house 
because this stuff went EVERYWHERE. 

This was the only room in the house that we had planned on 
painting, and of course, the only one that had this problem. The 
paper in the other rooms came off with the steamer and looks 
perfect, so we painted them too.

Was it worth it? When I was into the 2nd week of sanding covered 
from head to toe with flock, I would've said no way. Now, I'd say 
yes, although I'll never do it again.

What really pissed me off was this was the original paper put up 
by the builder!

I pray your paper isn't vinyl. Sheetrock might be the better 
route for you.

daryll

    I just finished three rooms with the same problem - no primer.
    I used a wallpaper scraper (long angled handle with a razor blade
    insert) to remove the vinyl layer of the paper - GENTLY.   This
    left the paper like layer which came off easily with the chemical
    remover.   
    
    I found that sponging the chemical on the wall was slow, and that
    the corrosive chemical would end up on my arms. SO I used a mask,
    goggles and a sprayer bottle to apply the remover.   
    
    				Good Luck,
    				Patsy
    

    Many years ago I remember my mother taking a fork and dragging it
    down the wallpaper.  This seemed to create breaks in the wallpaper
    and then she would apply the chemical remover.  The chemical was
    better able to soak into the paper and then it could be scrapped
    off with a wide blade putty knife.  The wallpaper was the "paper"
    type as a opposed to vinyl.

This notes files is great!  Believe it or not this is good news.  Yes,
    my wallpaper was vinyl too.  But, I have already stripped that all
    off.  It came off in full sheets ... no problem.  It did however
    leave the backing.  I never even thought of using chemicals.  I
    just tried to use the steamer to remove the backing.  The new problem
    however, is that I have since wallpapered over the backing paper
    (yuck!) it looks awful.  It is encouraging to know that I will be
    able to remove it with the chemicals.
    
    Thanks for the quick replys ... Guess what my next DIY project is?????
    
    Joyce
    

    Rather than a 'chemical' stripper, I used an enzyme that 'ate' the
    wallpaper paste and was not corrosive, at least it didn't bother
    my tough, old skin.   Did use rubber gloves, though.
    
    If the surface left is not that perfect, you may want to try a liner
    wallpaper - it is like plain paper - as a base.  The paper over
    it.
    
    Check at a GOOD wallpaper or old time hardware store.
    
    	-Barry-
    

    PS - a couple of hints for the enzyme:
    
    1.	use HOT water, it works better
    
    2.	experiment, beginning with the instructions, for the OPTIMAL
    	time to let it soak in before scraping/peeling
    
    	too soon and the enzyme hasn't worked yet
    
    	too early and the paper dries out and re-sticks
    
    -Barry-
    

    Thanks Barry.  I'll check the enzyme out as well.  Would you believe
    that I went to three different wallpaper places and described the
    problem.  I told them I tried a steamer and they said if that didn't
    work, there was "NOTHING" I could do.  Not once did someone suggest
    either chemicals or enzymes as an option!  One place did suggest
    that I wallpaper over what was there with a liner before the final
    wallpaper ... I figured if you've got a bumpy surface, old wallpaper
    backing, it was going to be just as bumpy through two layers as
    one.
    
    Now can anyone suggest specific name brands for both the chemical
    or enzyme wallpaper removers?
    
    Thanks.
    
    Joyce
    

    We just stripped the (non-vinyl) wallpaper from our bedroom. Wall board
    had been sized and painted (i know because I painted and sized it). We
    used 4 parts vinegar 6 parts warm water. (our 2 gallon garden sprayer
    was a useful aid, thnx whoever suggested that). It took us about a
    day to strip a 14x20 room. I did the stripping using a 12" joint knife
    as a scraper, wife following doing the washing (to get the extra paste
    off).
    I recommend it strongly, if your walls have not been plastered.
    We also used a tarpaulin drop cloth to pick up the water that will
    inevitably run down to the floors. A bunch of towels would serve the
    purpose well.
    
    
    				herb

    re: .16
    
>    wallpaper ... I figured if you've got a bumpy surface, old wallpaper
>    backing, it was going to be just as bumpy through two layers as
>    one.
    
    Not necessarily.  The liner paper does a good job of evening out many
    small imperfections.  It's thicker than ordinary wallpaper, and since
    it's fibrous and therefore slightly compressible, it will successfully
    cover places where paint has run and dried on, small plaster peaks, and
    other irregularities.  It won't replace spackling.  Depending on how
    thick the stuck-on paper backing is, the liner paper may or may not do
    an excellent job.
    
       Gary

    Machine or sprayer?  I'm confused!  Which works faster at removing
    old wallpaper?  Should you buy the Wallpaper removal mix at the
    store or buy the vinegar and make your own solution?  Any recipes
    for the vinegar/water solution?  
    
    Also, I saw a Black and Decker wallpaper remover for $50 bucks this 
    weekend.  The water reserve is quite small but the cost is about the 
    same as renting a machine for the number of days I need it (assuming 
    I work 24 hrs a day for 3 days). 
    
    Thanks,
    
    KC
    

    For the really tough jobs, the rented steam machine is the best.
    
    For most strip jobs I use my garden sprayer, with wallpaper remover.
    The remover has an enzym sp??, which breaks down the glue so it
    would re-stick after the water has dried. Get the walls really wet
    and use a 4 or 5 inch drywall knife. Remember to allow the walls
    to dry for several days if you plan on painting.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Peter
    Toronto, Ont

    Any suggestions on how to remove wallpaper behind a radiator?  We've been
    very successful with a garden sprayer filled with plain water and an
    ice scraper (for car windows), but the scraper won't get behind the
    radiators.  BTW, when we paint, how do we get behind the radiators?
    Do they make long-handled paint pads?

    Move the radiator.  You should be able to take its fittings apart with
    a pipe wrench, then get several strong people to move it a foot or two
    into the room.  Just keep track of how it came apart, so you can put it
    back together again.
    
    Don't try this in the wintertime without closing the appropriate valves
    and/or capping off the open pipe.  I speak from experience.

Being a purist, I removed mine to paint and paper.  Only with it removed 
did I discover the last folks didn't bother.  It's amazing what you never 
notice until you go to paint.  You really never see further down than you
can reach.  If you can see it, you probably can't see it well enough to 
tell if previous wallpaper was stipped.  So, get a pipe wrench and move the
radiator (plug the radiator with a rag, or plastic wrap secured with 
rubberband to avoid a spill from residual water in radiator) or else
cheat.

-Bob

    I'd like to reopen the topic of smoothing stucco walls for wallpapering.
    
    We're considering byying a house which has stucco on all interior walls
    (yuck!).  I'd like to know how difficult it might be to smooth walls in
    at least one or two rooms for wallpaper (so that I might rest my eyes
    from the stucco once in a while!).  We will check out the OHJ issues
    mentioned in .5, but in the meantime, has anyone out there had experience
    trying to smooth stucco?  Let me know how difficult it was, how annoying,
    and how successful.
    
    thanks
    carrie
    

Sounds like a great application for 3/8" sheetrock, but then that's not the
answer you were hoping for either...

	re: .a - few

        I was at Color Tile picking out wallpaper last week and stumbled
        across something that may just be what you need. It is called
        'Wall Liner' and is used over rough surfaces like stucco,
        concrete block, etc and provides a smooth surface suitable for
        papering. It comes in a roll about 3' wide, (60 sq ft. @
        $6.99/roll), is white, fairly thick to hide blemishes and is
        installed with wallpaper paste. I'm planning to use it on a
	beat-up kitchen wall, a mite different from your stucco, but
	worth trying...

	Chris

     re. -1
    
     As if wallpapering a wall or room once isn't headache enough.
     But twice?? I don't think there is enough aspirin available
     to support that.
    

    The wall liner is actually pretty easy to put up, since you don't have
    to worry about matching patterns or getting it exactly vertical or
    horizontal (some people recomment installing it horizontally).
    
    I'd question whether it's really appropriate for stucco, though.  Sharp
    edges in the stucco are likely to poke through, depending on how deep
    the stucco is.  It would be ideal for concrete block if you can get it
    to stick.
    
       Gary

    I didn't find a note specific to wall papering so feel free to move
    this if necessary. Upon taking off old wallpaper in the kitchen we
    found that part of the paper covering of the sheetrock came off as
    well. Will this show under the new paper? Should we sand it or would
    that make it work?any help is appreciated.
    
    regards

If you couldn't find a note about wallpapering, you didn't look much.  Note 
1111.105 (the directory for the keyword WALLPAPER&STENCILING) lists 25, 
including note 216 titled: "Steam wallpaper from sheetrock".

Standard write-locked because of duplicate note follows.

To the author:  This subject is already under discussion in this file, under the
topics listed in the title.  Please look at these notes; you may find that your
question is already answered, or you may find a note where your question would
be an appropriate continuation of the discussion.  Note that since nearly
everyone uses NEXT UNSEEN to read notes, your question will get the same
exposure whether it is a response to a two-year-old note or it is its own new
note. These topics were found using the keyword directory (note 1111), and you
may find other notes relating to this subject by examining the directory
yourself. 

We do, however, welcome new notes if they explore a specific aspect of a 
problem that may be under general discussion.  And this moderator has been 
known to make mistakes. :^)  So if after examining these notes, you wish to 
continue the discussion here, send me mail.

Paul [Moderator]

    .6 Carrie, I'm in the same situation.  We bought a house with just
    the formal living room stuccoed (a poor job to top it off-gross).  My
    painter suggested the wall-liner but said, as .11 pointed out, the rough
    edges would more than likely show or poke through.  So, we'd have
    to sand first then do wall-liner then wallpaper.  We still haven't
    come up with a solution.  We had a couple of different people look
    at it but there's been no easy (inexpensive) way to do it.  One
    guy, however, said it would be no big deal to tear down the old
    stuff and put up new wall board.  We've lived with it for 4-years
    now and still hate the stucco.
    
    Julie
    

    	Why not use the wallpapered panels. I believe they're actually
    hardboard with wallpaper on them. It would be like installing paneling
    over the stucco. They're usually found where ever paneling is sold.
    It's about the cheapest easiest alternative and once up, you could
    wallpaper over it in 5 or so years if/when you get sick of the pattern.
    
    	Ray

    I removed some old wallcovering from a small kitchen and the cloth
    (looks like fine-mesh cheese cloth) backing remained. Unfortunately,
    in some places it pulled off too, so now I have a uneven wall surface.
    Whatever it is, it wont budge with hot water and scraping. I want
    to wallpaper, but you know how unsmooth surfaces are magnified
    under new paper. I think there is a special covering you can put
    up to smooth out rough walls before pang...anyone know anything
    about this? The surface is sound, just uneven.
    
    Art
    

    Have you checked 1111.105, directory listing of the keyword
    WALLPAPER&STENCILING.  Try looking at 349 and 2155.

I had a plasterer put a skim coat over the stucco.  I'm very happy with the 
results.  If you sand, be prepared to live with the dust for eternity!!

Chris

We had some patching done after our carpet was in and the plasterer used a wet 
sponge and got good results with no dust.

I have a question regarding priming the walls for wallpapering.

We have a new condominium.  They used a skim coat of plaster and then
a coat of flat paint on our walls.

I asked at the wallpaper store and they suggested I buy a wallpaper primer
called Wonderbase which is supposed to seal and size all in one step.  
It is sold in a gallon jug and applied with a large paint-bruch.  
    
My problem is that on the instructions it says that if you have flat paint
and you rub the wall with a damp cloth and the paint comes off that the
paint is faulty and that you must first use TSP to remove the paint.
    
My husband says that it is just because the paint is water-soluable.
But is it okay to go ahead and use the Wonderbase, or should I just
use regular sizing, or ...

Any ideas/suggestions/comments?

Thanks in advance,

- Barbara

re: -.1
>My husband says that it is just because the paint is water-soluable.
>But is it okay to go ahead and use the Wonderbase, or should I just
>use regular sizing, or ...

does this mean it does come off with a damp cloth?  water soluable paint 
doesn't mean it comes off with water after curing.  

in any case: priming prevents the wallpaper paste from soaking into the
wall.  sizing is just thin paste and helps positioning and glueing.  on raw
drywall you should do both, i'm not sure with a skim coat of plaster. 

i would take a wet sponge to the wall to determine if water is going to 
soak into the skim coat.  if not go straight to sizing.  if yes you should 
probably prime first.  

craig (not really an expert, just one or two jobs under my belt)

    Craig, thanks for responding.
    
    Yesterday I called the wallpaper store back and told them my problem.
    They said that my paint wasn't BAD, it was just CHEAP latex-based
    paint that isn't washable.  She said that that is what they've been
    using in condominiums.
    
    She said that using the Wonderbase is fine.  Wonderbase is a primer
    and sizing all in one.  It is supposed to be great for pre-pasted
    paper.  (At least that is what is says on the can!)
    
    I'm going to be applying it this Friday and wallpapering Saturday
    and Sunday.  Hope it is as good as it says.
    
    -
    Barb_who_knows_nothing_about_wallpaper_but_is_thankful_for_sisters_who_do
    

    
    
    We found, totally by accident, that FAST wallpaper stripper removed
    the glue that had been used under panelling.  I'm not sure if it
    will work with other glues, but it sure got this stuff off!

    To all bargain shoppers:
    
    I am getting ready to wallpaper our livingroom. I live in Goffstown
    and would like to have some suggestions on where to buy good wallpaper
    cheap (is it possible?). I saw one note written back in 1986 so
    I thought it would be appropriate to ask again. 
    
                            
    Robin
    
    
    P. S. I'm a newlywed and I'm hoping I don't need to consult a lawyer
          before starting this project with my spouse. 
    
    

    
    If you buy cheap wallpaper (like I did) and you've never wallpapered
    before (like I hadn't) then you should have your wife (if you intend to
    keep her) move out for the duration of the fiasco.
    
    Cheap wallpaper (when wet) doesn't cut. It tears.
    
    1.Buy good wallpaper. 2.Size (wallpaper prime) the walls. 3.Take your time.
    
    Oh, if you have to strip any old paper, rent a steamer. 
    
    If you do the above, you should be able to avoid needing a lawyer.
    

And if you're stripping more than 1 layer of paper, rent a 
Propane steamer.

The electric steamers are slooooowwwww.

daryll

Post your request for new information in the existing note.  Most of what is 
already there is probably still valid - most stores stay in business more than 
three years.  If you find a reply referencing a store which no longer exists, 
send mail and I'll delete it.

Paul
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Paul [Moderator]

    I'm going to be wallpapering my bathroom (hopefully) this weekend.  I've
    wallpapered before, so I know how to hang the paper.  My question is,
    the walls are painted with an oil base paint, I know they should be
    cleaned and sized first, but do I need to do anything else before I
    attempt to hang the wallpaper?
    
    AdTHANKSvance,
    Lori B.

    re .-1,  What is TSP. Would the misture of TSP, bleach and warm water
    be safe on wallpaper (non sanitzed). I have mold growing on wallpaper
    in my guest room. The bed is up against an unisulated outside wall and
    the mold is having a field day (about a 2ft x 2ft dark square). 
    I don't want to use straight bleach because I can imagine what will
    happen to the wallpaper.  Any suggestions?
    			Cindy
    

re .3

TSP is Tri-Sodium-Phosphate;  essentially, a  VERY  strong,  CAUSTIC detergent.
TSP is a potentially DANGEROUS chemical to  work  with by itself, so is bleach.
Mix them together and beware - use rubber  gloves,  eye protection and a lot of
ventilation.  If you wipe the paper with the previously recommended solution of
TSP and bleach, you likely will not want to keep the paper.

From what you describe, I'll bet the  nocturnal occupants of the bed are having
allergy problems.  Mold can (and does) grow  virtually  anywhere  and can begin
for a variety of reasons, so it is difficult  to  assess what your real problem
is.  On an outside wall, the problem is usually  water  leaking  in.  You would
need to remove the paper, kill the mold, let it all  dry  and  wait to see what
happens.   Unless, of course, the wallboard is water-soaked, then you go  after
the leak.

With  older  homes (REAL OLDER homes) you may  run  into  a  problem  with  the
wallpaper paste.  Some older paste is actually edible, non-treated wheat paste.
As  such, it makes the wallpaper natural nesting grounds for  various  critters
(normally  silverfish,  however  even  rats have been known to like that  older
paste) and, as you may have guessed by now, mold.  If the problem is paste, the
solution is to remove the paper, wash the walls down with whatever mold  killer
you prefer and re-paper using sizing and newer, cellulose paste.

Luck,
Dave

    TSP is the principal ingredient in automatic dishwasher detergents;
    you may be able to experiment on a small scale if you have some handy.
    
    pbm
    

    TSP is an ingredient in dishwasher detergent, on the one hand, and in
    paint remover, on the other hand.  It all depends on the strength.
    Savogran TSP is available in most hardware stores for under $2.  

You don't normally have to use full-strength bleach on mold (or mildew).
Typical dilution is one part bleach to three parts water.
Start with an even milder dilution (1:10 or so) and try it.
If that's strong enough to get rid of the mold, fine, if not, 
increase the strength as long as there's no ill effect on the paper.

Possible good news:  If this is an outside wall, the water source might 
just be condensation on a cold spot behind the bed, where there isn't
enough ventilation to keep the damp air moving, or enough heat
to keep it vapor.  Clean the mess, move the bed away from that spot,
and see if the spot comes back (or you can see dampness on a routine
basis - bad news).

- tom]

    Has anyone been to the Wallpaper store in Salem, NH called
    Wallpaper & All?
    
    I heard they are quite reasonable.
    

    I have been there many times.  Very large selection from 1.99 per
    single roll to .....  plan to spend quite a while going thru the
    store.  The instock selection is great!

    I was wondering if anyone has heard about or has available, the
    computerized software package that the US school of paperhanging
    in Rutland Vt. is selling? 
    
    thanks, 
    Mal

Previous reply set hidden by moderator pending resolution of a complaint.

    After papering yesterday, we woke up this morning and found a _good_
    sized bubble in the paper, about 8" wide and 30' high.  It may be 
    because it was next to a steam radiator, or a result of shoddy corner
    work on my part when putting up a corner bead.  I didn't feather out 
    the compound enough, thus, ended up with a "ramp" effect until the 
    corner.
    
    Anyway, how can we get a bubble this size out?  Inject every 4" or so
    with water (it's pre-pasted and a syringe shouldn't be a problem), or
    should we use a different method for a bubble this size?  
    
    (It doesn't look _that_ bad, but with a 2 year old, it's a matter of
    time before he notices it and really does a number on it.)
    
    Thanx.
    
    Gene

    I think I'd be tempted to slice it down the middle lengthwise with
    a razor blade, then stick it down.

>    After papering yesterday, we woke up this morning and found a _good_
>    sized bubble in the paper, about 8" wide and 30' high.  It may be 

How tall are your walls, anyway?  A 30-foot bubble is QUITE a bubble! :^)

If the pattern on the paper will allow it, I'd agree with the slit-with-a-razor
approach.  That way you can get paste evenly behind it.  And I'd use paste, not 
just water, even though it is self-pasted.

If the paper is plain and the razor mark would show badly then I might try 
injection, but I really don't know.

Paul

    
    
    If the bubble is that big I would remove the sheet in question
    and just put another piece up.  

I'd wet the heck out of it to moisten the paste inside the bubble, punch a few
holes in the bubble with a common pin to let the air out, and brush it flat
with your paper brush.

    This store sounds too good to be true! Can you give me more
    information about where the store is located in Salem?
    
    You mentioned prices start at 1.99 per single roll. Is that more of a
    come on and that the majority of the rolls are expensive?
    
    Thanks
    
    Pat

    The name of the store is Walls n All. They also have a store in North
    Andover at the junction of 114 and 125. I believe they have more that
    that also. The Salem store is on Rt 28 on the South bound side. 
    
    The owner does a lot of purchasing of mill ends and closeouts.
    According to one of my friends who was bidding against him, the owner 4
    months ago just purchased a consignment of 30,000 rolls for a cost of
    $6000 at a local auction. So yes, he can sell stuff for $1.99/roll,
    (since he bought it for about $0.20/roll), but great price is not on
    every roll in the store. 
    
    The bargin prices are for those rolls he has in stock. You can order
    from the wallpaper books, and his prices are then near everybody else's
    in the discount wallpaper business. 
    
    We have tended not to deal with Walls n All, because of issues of
    customer service, but I know poeple who are happy with them.
    
    /jim

    Another wallpaper removal trick is to wet a dish towel, place it on the 
    wall, place a hot steam iorn on the wet towel.  This has the same
    effect as a rented steamer.  Can be time consuming.
    
    Any vinegar and water recipes out there?  We have a papered kitchen and
    a vinyl living room to remove.
    
    Linda

    
    My wife's family swears by this technique for wall-paper removing.
    
    Put hot water w/ a couple drops of dish detergent into a "windex" type
    spray bottle. Spray a panel of paper till it's uniformly wet. Wait a
    few minutes, spray more, & pull it off. 
    
    It worked well for me on a couple of really small jobs. The paper came
    off in sheets. 
    
    bld
    

re .-1:

Rather than using a windex-type bottle, I've used a small garden sprayer.
Plain water worked well for one layer of old paper.  I used a plastic
ice scraper to scrape it off.  I found that putty knives gouge the plaster.

    Vinyl wallpaper is real easy to remove - just get hold of a corner and
    pull gently, and you will get the whole sheet; it's MUCH tougher than
    paper wallpaper (not to mention how much easier it is to keep clean).

    What about the glue residue?  Is there any?  Paper vs. vinyl?
    
    Linda
    

    We removed old foil wallpaper from a bathroom - original plaster walls
    - with the enzyme paste disolver.
    
    The trick was to use a gadget called the "Paper Tiger" made for cutting
    little nicks in the paper.   It is made in 2 versions - amateur has 2
    wheels and is a waste of time and money.  The 'professional' heavy-duty
    version had four (4) toothed wheels and worked great
    
    Glue residue can be cleaned off with the enzyme dissolver also.  Trick
    here was to have patience and let it work.
    
    	-Barry-

     Does anyone have any experience with the following wall paper
    products;
    
    * " Adhesium " Acrylic wall protection primer - This is supposed to
    seal sheetrock wall and prep for wallpaper. Its is supposed to be
    better than "ShieldZ". Also supposed to give you more "wall" time
    before wallpaper paste sets up.
    
    * Wallpaper "Hang-Rite" - This is a clear liquid that is supposed to 
    keep the paste on pre-pasted paper and avoid loosing any in the water.
    Its also supposed to activate paste quicker and "double its adhesion".
    
    I have NEVER wallpapered before and both products were reccommended
    from the store where I bought the wall paper from. I would be
    interested to here your opinion of these products. Are their claims
    valid ? I realize you have to prep the walls before papering, just
    wondering if these are good products ?
    
    Thanks, Tim
    
    P.S. I have found the tips on wall papering in note 394 very helpful !!

    Pardon my skepticism, but there's not all that much to hanging
    wallpaper. It's really pretty easy...
    
    When I did my bathroom, I simply "sized" the raw drywall with 
    some powder they sold me dissolved in water. I put it on with a
    coarse brush and let it dry.
    
    After that, I just wet the paper (both sides) and slapped it up.
    I've had no lifting or bubbling after 2 years...
    
    Edd
    
    P.S. If you must be overly conscious of anything, make sure you
         hang the paper "right side up". Don't ask...;^)

I've used the acrylic wall primer a couple of times.  It works well.  The
big advantage it gives you is that you have some extra "slide time" to match
up things right, and it makes the wall surface more able to stand the
"double cut" method.  Also, a little goes a long way.

I looked briefly at the Hang-Rite product, but wasn't convinced enough to
buy it.

			Steve

    
>    When I did my bathroom, I simply "sized" the raw drywall with 
>    some powder they sold me dissolved in water...    
>    After that, I just wet the paper (both sides) and slapped it up.

In the future, someone (perhaps yourself) who attempts to remove the wallpaper
from that wall will curse you for putting the wallpaper directly onto the 
sheetrock.  It is impossible to remove because it bonds directly to the 
sheetrock paper.  It's always a good idea to paint the sheetrock first, and 
then apply paper.  This allows it to be steamed off later.

Paul

    Hmmmm... undoubtedly a good point. I was of the impression that the
    sizing was a factor in "remove-ability".
    
    Live and learn, at least this file will prevent someone else from
    making the same error.
    
    Edd (who plans to die with this paper!)

    If I use this "Adhesium" acrylic wall protection over existing "cheap"
    non-washable latex paint will I still be able to strip the paper later?
    Or should I first put a coat of oil based primer then the adhesium?
    I just want to do it right the first time so I don't have a problem
    stripping the walls later. Does any one know?

    I've read from several sources that priming with an oil based primer is
    recommended on any walls you intend to paper.  It's probably a good
    idea where you have plain wallboard.  If you have blueboard and
    plaster, a good latex paint will probably be OK.
    
    I did use oil primer for my new walls that were papered.
    
    Bob

    re: .7
    I wouldn't worry about it at all.  I can't see why it would be a 
    problem.  I wallpapered over latex in my old house, and it worked
    fine.

    
    Well I know I'm alittle late but I'm not in this conference too much!
    
    This "Adhesium" primer is good before wallpapering for acouple of
    reasons:
    1) Helps seal the wall, if in the future you need to remove wallpaper
       it helps in the removal process WITHOUT damaging wall.
    
    2) Secondly there's no need to paint the wall before applying the
       "Adhesium" as this eliminates that problem. It seals the wall
        like sizing would, but the benefit is helps in the movability
        when hanging the wallpaper, makes the wallpaper much easier to
        work with.  
    
    3)  It may cost more than regular sizing, but in the long run it's well
        worth the price, in working with the paper and you know the wall
        WILL be properly size.
    
    That's what they taught me at N.E. School of Paperhanging!

    
    The easiest way to find out how much paper you need is:
    Measure the room = 10X13
    Measure height from floor to ceiling = 7.25
    Caculations as follows
    10+10+13+13=46X7.25= 333.50 Sq Ft.
    
    What is needed is the sqft that the roll covers (there's 3 types
    56sqft,65 sqft,or 72sqft, depends on where the paper is manufactured)
    Anyway's lets say the paper you picked out contains 56sqft in the roll,
    333.50 divided by 56, which amounts to 5.95 rolls, or 6 dbl rolls.
    I ALWAYS add a extra dbl roll to fall back on, hate to come up short,
    and have to wait two weeks for the extra roll to arrive. Better to have
    extra than come up short, cause you can always bring back any unopened
    rolls for a refund. As it was mentioned in a earlier note, there will
    be a normal handling fee (20%), on unopened rolls but it's less hassle
    if you come up short.
    
    If there's a large pattern repeat, my suggestion to anyone is measure
    the room and calculate the sqft of the room. Go to the wallpaper store
    pick out the paper and have the clerk at the store figure the quanity
    with the measurements that you provided. They will take into account
    the pattern repeat, otherwise you'll come up short.
    
    Hope it helps!

    Mr. Moderator, after shopping through several notes related to
    wallpapering and related removal, I have chosen this note for
    my entry.  
    
    As I sit here on a quiet Sunday night, I have just completed
    the removal of wallpaper from my 17th room in two houses over
    a fifteen year marriage.  Unless I move again, or my wife throws
    me out, I am (maybe) DONE with wallpaper removal, since our
    present house has such fine walls (thick skim coat of plaster
    over drywall) that we have been able to paint most rooms (:^)
    at last.....
    
    As an *expert* on this subject, here are my observations, some
    of which have been mentioned in previous entries:
    
    1.  In house #1, which was 75 years old, the walls were all horse
    hair plaster, and wallpaper was the only choice.  Texture paint
    was the only alternative.
    
    2.  Using a garden type sprayer is much easier than a steamer.
    Besides, a steamer can't wipe out gypsy moths.
    
    3.  A product called "DIF" by Zinsser, from Aubuchon's at $4.89,
    is the best wallpaper stripper I've used. It's better than FAST
    (can I say that in a note?).  Mix with HOT water and don't be
    afraid to use more than the recommended solution if the paper
    is stubborn.  
    
    4.  Use a very good (Hyde) knife for removal.  Use pressure on
    the knife to remove as much glue as you can during the initial
    attack.  You'll be thankful in the long run.  
    
    5.  Use a trash bag in a trash can (do I need to say this?). A
    normal room will not fill a trash bag.  Keep the trash can ahead
    of you and remove the wallpaper by first going across at about
    chest level.  Then work up and down, removing strips that you
    can deposit into the can.  This will cut down on your clean up
    of small pieces.  
    
    6.  About recepticles-  I have found that the best method is
    to leave the faceplates ON during the removal until the end of
    the section you are working on.  I tape over the outlets, and
    wipe up any spray that is nearby.  When the area is done, I
    remove the faceplates and, although a little difficult, I use
    a little of what strength I have left to scrape away the left
    over wallpaper.  Obviously, the best thing is to shut off the 
    power to these outlets, but I'm not Bob Vila, so I use this method.
    I've never been zapped, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.
    Use you're own judgement, please, cause this could be the most
    dangerous part of your project.  Now that I think about it,
    I should have killed the power instead of myself.....
    
    7.  Cover your floors and mop up the overspray immediately.  If
    not, baseboards and hardwood floors will stain.  Use a good
    quality dropcloth, not a shower curtain or trashbags (slippery)
    and *NEVER* use newspaper (the ink will end up on your floors).
    
    8.  Spackle is better than joint compound, for repairing nail
    holes since it doesn't shrink.     
    
    7.  Some wallcoverings, though not vinyl, will reject stripper.
    Use a #36 or lower grit sandpaper with a wood block and score
    the paper.  Beats a knife in speed and effectiveness.  CAUTION:
    watch out for nails, or keep band-aids handy.
    
    8.  Do it yourself.  It's great therapy from the hectic life of
    a typical Digital employee and can save your marriage and/or
    the lives of your children.
    
    9.  Listen to WBCN while removing wallpaper.
    
    10.  ALWAYS paint the ceiling before re-papering or painting.  It
    may seem that the ceiling is in great shape, but I've never had
    a problem in seeing the difference while painting.  Ceiling paint
    is cheap, and you'll always find a mark on an old ceiling.  If
    you plan on painting the walls, make sure that the ceiling paint
    extends onto the walls just a tad.
    
    11.  I always thought that the pad type rollers with the little
    wheels were just toys, but if you're painting the walls, get one
    of these gizmos for the ceiling to wall edges.  They are great.
    
    12.  By the way, always wear a hat when painting a ceiling.
    
    13.  If you're painting over a previously papered wall, always
    sand the wall.  I use a 230 or so grit, just to be sure that there
    isn't a spec of wallpaper left.  Doesn't cause any harm to the wall.
    Takes just a minute.
    
    14.  If you're going to paint over a previously papered wall, get
    all the glue off, and prime the walls.  If you don't, you can
    plan on putting on three plus coats of relatively expensive 
    finish paint. 
    
    15.  Don't wallpaper unless you have to....
    
    Frank                                                

And never never put a layer of paper on top of existing wallpaper.

    
    And spackle won't do as good a job as patching plaster on skimcoat
    walls.
    
    CdH
    

    Yes, I forgot the obvious:  The Golden Rule applies to Wallpapering.
    Do unto others.  NEVER PUT WALLPAPER OVER WALLPAPER, especially
    if you sell your house to me.  I will find you, and I will get
    even!!
    
    As for Spackle, vs. patching plaster, vs. joint compound, I suggest
    that this depends on the extent of the wound.  I keep spackle on
    hand for the bullet holes of nails, and joint compound for cracks
    along ceilings and under windows.
    
    Frank

If "no wallpaper over wallpaper" is the golden rule, what's "no paint over
wallpaper?"

>If "no wallpaper over wallpaper" is the golden rule, what's "no paint over
>wallpaper?"

   I have a room with painted wallpaper, with old plaster/horsehair walls 
(in not-so-hot shape) underneath. It's such a pain in the ass to remove, 
I've decided to cover the whole mess with panelling that looks like 
wallpaper.  No paper removing, repairing walls, priming, sizing, or papering.

Steve

    RE -1
    
    I hate to rat-hole but how do you seem together that paneling that
    looks like wallpaper?  I've been mildly considering that stuff but only
    saw it once.
    
    Steve..................................................................

re-.1

  I'd expect you just butt the edges together, just like other panelling or
wallpaper.

    Steve

    
    They sell molding strips about 3/4" wide that have the same wallpaper
    design printed on it.  You butt the paneling up together and cover the
    seem with a piece of molding.  
    

My wife claims to have found a better way of stripping wallpaper.  Add some
fabric softener (1/2 to 1 cup) to 3/4 of a bucket of hot water.  Wet down
the wall with a sponge mop dipped into the solution.  Keep wetting it down
until it bubbles.  It then mostly peels off in big pieces.  Use a plastic
ice scraper for the tough spots.

This works well for our situation, one layer of old wallpaper over plaster
walls.  I have no idea if it works for multiple layers, painted wallpaper,
or gypsum board.

    well, it certainly would smell a hell of a lot better than the vinegar I
    have used in the past.
    

    RE .38

    The real advantage here: no more nasty static wallpaper cling...

    
    I'll try it when I get around to redoing my little apartment kitchen;
    it involves buying something that I'll probably use the rest of when
    I'm done.
    
    CQ

    I tried the vinegar & water solution.  It worked OK in one room, but I
    went out and rented a steamer for the other 2 rooms.  There were 3 to 4
    layers of wallpaper on top of rough plaster.  Amazingly enough, this
    65+ year old house never had paint on the walls in most of the rooms
    and there were only 3 or 4 layers.
    
    One of the toughest places to remove the wallpaper was in the 8-10 year
    old addition.  The wallpaper was glued directly to the sheetrock.  I'm
    now going to try my hand at textured painting.

    
    RE:38
    
       I have used this solution for years and it works great.  I used to
    do papering and painting as a part time job.  We went out and got a
    cheap 3 gallon insecticide sprayer, ya now the kind up pump up too
    pressurize.  Anyway we would add 1 cup Downy to 1 gallon HOT water, the
    hotter the better.  Soak the walls, let it sit 10-15 minutes or untill
    it seems to have soaked in then repeat.  Your results may very a little
    depending on the type of parper you have under there but I've seen it
    take off 5 layers in a single scrapping.
    
    
    						David

My wife decided that she'd try to use a more concentrated solution of
fabric softener to get the paper behind the radiator, and it worked even
better.  This is consistent with -.1's cup per gallon.  I forgot to mention
that the fabric softener makes removing the leftover paste a breeze.

BTW, there's no need to use Downy -- she used generic fabric softener.

    Does anyone have any update on current means of removing wallpaper
    which has been painted.  I have gone the scoring route but hoped there
    might be a new method.  Appreciate any update.  Rob.

Wallpaper paste is water soluble.  Get the water to the paste and you're 
golden.  All these hints, kinks, techniques, and technologies are aimed at
getting the water to the paste.

    I need to strip wallpaper which has been painted.  Does anyone have any
    new or easy tips for accomplishing this?  I have done it in the past
    were I had to cut the paper first and then steam.  I'd been interested
    in any tools which would make pucturing the paper easier.  Appreciate
    any help I can get.  Thanks, Rob.

    
    I'm currently stripping wallpaper too.  I've got only 3 layers of
    it, but none of it is painted.     Take your average hand saw and
    scrape a swipe across the paper hard enough to tear the paper but
    not the wall.   Since the paper I'm peeling isnt' painted, I'm
    putting a kettle full of water on the wood stove, sticking a sponge
    in and soaking down the wall (lay towels first and be careful the
    water doesnt' burn you - remove kettle from stove if it's getting
    too hot).  Once the wall is damp enough, I scrape the paper off
    with a 2" putty knife - works like a charm.      There is wall paper
    removing 'stuff' - Home Depot has it - haven't tried it, so I have
    no idea how well it works.
    
    Good luck,
    K-
    

    re .47
    
    Actually, I saw a tool specifically made to puncture wall paper.  It
    was a smallish hand tool w/ an ~6" wheel with spikes on it.  Just roll
    it up and down on the wall and then steam away.
    
    The saw idea is a good one and cheaper,... if done properly ;-)
    
    Good luck.
    
    -John

    I put a reply in a couple of years ago about a tool called the
    
    	Paper Tiger
    
    that has wheels with points that will make getting the steam or enzymew
    paste remover get thru the paint and in back of the paper.
    
    We did a bath and a hallway and it worked great.  There are a couple of
    different models with either 2 or 8 'wheels'.
    
    	-Barry-
    

    
               I have two rooms with extremely dark paneling.  HOw
    do I go about papering them?
    
                thanx!  Denise

    First you remove the paneling, then the rest becomes obvious...;^)
    
    Seriously, I had one room that I didn't want to invest any money in,
    so I papered over the paneling. If you decide to go this route, here's
    what I did...
    
             1. Wash the walls.
             2. Use joint compound to fill in the real/pseudo joints in
                the paneling. Spend alot of time making sure everything
                is smooth.
             3. Paper as usual.
    
    I used a vinyl paper that'll peel off if I ever decide to do the job
    "right". (I tried it, it does peel easily but to date has not done
    so on it's own...)
    
    Edd

    
    Sounds like a good plan; I would only add:
    
    2.a. Seal the joint compound (with polyurethane, latex paint, whatever's
         handy) to prevent your skillful levelling job from being washed
         away when you change the paper.
    

    
    
    	Go to a wallpaper store, there is a special backing made just for
    	covering paneling, old rough horsehair plaster or whatever. The
    	stuff is not cheap but it works very well. I don't remember the
    	name of the stuff but it has been used on This Old House and I
    	remember seeing an articel in the Practical Homeowner. It comes in
    	a width that is different from the standard wallpaper widths so the
    	seams don't overlap and you just wallpaper over it.  If I can dig
    	up the name or the company that makes it I will put it here.
    
    			good luck
    
    			Dave

    I just finished a bedroom and half bath with the joint compound, after
    the compound dried I sized (sp) the walls before wallpapering.  You
    need to use fairly good wallpaper, the difference in the room I did was
    day and night.
    
    The joint compound is easy to work with, pretend your frosting a cake
    except omit the swirlls.
    
    Pat
    

Any wallpaper store can get you the heavy plain stuff you can put on over
the panelling.  I think I'd go for that rather than joint compound, as it's
easier to remove.

				Steve

    Unless the walls behind the panneling are unsound you should remove
    the panneling first. It should come off *very* easily especially if you
    use a flat prybar designed especially for this type of work. I think
    they are called a "cat's paw".
    
    	The special backing "paper" (intended for application over panneling
    and before the wall paper) is very difficult to work with due to its
    stiffness. Try removing a piece of the panneling in an unobtrusive area
    to check the condition ofthe underlying walls. Use care as the particle
    board based panneling crumbles easily. If the walls look good remove
    the panneling. It will be much easier to spackle a few hundred
    panneling nail holes than to try to spackle panneling "joints" smooth.
    
    	My siste-in-law is an avid wallpaperer. She volunteered to
    wallpaper over the panneling my mothers hall. She used the wallpaper
    backing. Afterwards she vowed NEVER AGAIN! The backing paper was a
    nightmare to work with, and the job took far longer to complete than
    she ever anticipated.

    I just finished a paper over paneling job last week.  I used an
    exterior spackle to fill the grooves, sanded when dry, applied
    an appropriate sizing, and papered away.  No problems, no show-
    through of the grooves/spackle.
    
    Re .6:  Paneling is often glued to wall surface (sheetrock) or
    framing.  Removing it is a PAIN, and in the case of applied to
    framing, you'd have to put up sheetrock before papering.  I'd
    go the spackle route before tearing off sound paneling or using
    the backing paper.

    We used that wallpaper liner over horsehair plaster.  Ditto the
    previous that it was difficult to use.  However, it also didn't adhere!
    We followed the directions to the letter, used the correct paste, and
    we can now easily peel both wallpaper and liner off the walls.  The
    only thing holding it up in most places is the ceiling moulding. Never
    again!  If you plan on putting white or light-colored wallpaper up, you
    may need to paint the paneling first.  Light over dark isn't always
    attractive unless you use VERY heavy wallpaper.  And don't forget to
    size the walls.  
    

    A couple years ago I used the wall paper backing paper over panelling,
    the only problem I remember was that the stuff wasnot pre-pasted but
    other than that it worked fine.  I think you are supposed to put it on
    the wall going in the opposite direction as the regular wall paper.  If
    you are going to go with the joint compound to fill in the grooves why
    not just sheet rock right over the panelling.  I just hate to sand
    joint compound so thats the reason I would not go that route, but if
    others have had success with fulling in the grooves give it a try.
    
    Good luck,
    
    Paul

    
           mmm, seems like evryone has a different way of doing it, 
    resulting in many different experiences.  Keep 'em coming,  this is
    what I needed to know.  The rooms in question are small bedrooms,
    I have no interest in removing the dreaded paneling as much as I'd like
    to since that would mean nothing would fit right.  There is a lot of
    wood trim, mouldings, etc. that obviously would not fit again if the
    1/8" or so of paneling were removed from underneath.  I also do not
    know what is under there or how it was applied.  I thought of paint,
    but having gone that route, didn't really want to do it again.
           I have used the underlayment paper in two rooms that had uneven
    old horsehair plaster walls with good results, but it was very
    expensive!   Any more info. on the paper that was used directly? 
    I imagine it was quite thick, but that's ok.  That may be a good
    possibility for this particular application.
    
          thanx, Denise

    I used spackling paste to fill the grooves and papered with the
    pre-pasted paper.  It turned out very well.  For best adhesion, be sure
    to roughen the slick finish on the paneling with sandpaper.

    Sanding the mud on the grooves in the paneling wasn't a particularly
    difficult job since you have a nice, fairly hard area to fill. After
    a couple grooves, you can develope a "technique" where the knife fills
    the groove and then scrapes the excess in one motion, unlike a standard
    drywall joint where you purposely feather the edges with increasingly
    wider applications...
    
    Edd

    If you're looking for a cheaper source of that 'cover up' wallpaper and
    live in Central, MA, Spag's has it in their paint department.
    
    I've heard of people who just painted over the paneling with an
    interior wall paint and were quite pleased with the results.

Another possibility is a product called CoverAge, which is a thick textured
wallcovering which can be applied over panelling and then painted.  This
wouldn't work if you wanted regular wallpaper on top, though.

			Steve

What's the current state-of-the-art in wallpaper removing technology?  Has
someone invented a product that loosens wallpaper easily, without a lot of
steam, elbow grease, or noxious fumes?

Thanks,

Brian

See .38.

    After trying a few methods last summer I will never again try to remove
    multiple layers of wallpaper without stopping by the nearest Taylor
    Rental and picking up a heavy duty steamer.

I agree.  We rented a steamer and it took even the most stubborn paper off
in no time flat.  It was great.

Ed..

    
    I've done alot of paperhanging over the years and when it comes to
    wallpaper removal the BEST way is:
    
    Get a garden sprayer mix wallpaper removal solution (DIF) with hot
    water.  Spray it on and wait 10 to 15 minutes spray another coat
    and the layers of wallpaper just fall off.  It may be alittle messy
    but if you pay attention as you remove the old wallpaper it's a 
    breeze.  It's the only way I remove wallpaper.

    .55 Is this easier than using a Steamer?  I just bought the DIF but my
        husband wants to rent the steamer.  I've used a steamer before
        which also got pretty messy.  I'm getting ready to do 4 rooms of 
        stripping so want the fastest way possible.
    
    Thanks,
    Julie
    

I'm gone the cold water route before with good success, but only on paper.
I found I had to use the steamer with layers that had been painted and I'm
wondering how the water would work on vinyls.  Probably need to steam vinyl
off, no?

-Bob

    
    You can score the surface all over with a sharp blade then wet
    it down and leave it overnight.  Works for painted paper too.
    
    Colin
    

Wallpaper paste is water-soluble.  As far as I know, the kind of paper is
immaterial in stripping. The idea is to get water to the paste to dissolve it.

    Vinyl paper is MUCH easier to remove - you can just rip it down.
    A friend once ran a wall-paper-steaming party at her new (very old)
    farmhouse - there were eight layers in some places, all paper, and we
    had a huge crew of people with steamers and scrapers working all day to
    take it all down.  Good thing it was a very cold day.  The steamers
    were much more effective than the other things we tried, like spraying
    fabric softener on the top layer of paper (not sure whose idea that one
    was).
    
    /Charlotte

    
    I need to open up a wall for internal repairs in a room that
    has a nice wallpaper that I'd rather keep and I have no spare rolls.
    (new owner)
    
    The paper looks to be fairly heavy, it has a high texture square
    pattern on it, blue lines on white.
    
    Is it feasible to remove the paper without ruining it, so I can
    reapply it after the repairs are complete?
    
    Tips, hints, techniques ???
    
    	Dave.

    I really can't think of *how* you would be able to remove it without
    ripping it.
    
    Marc H.

    If it is vinyl wallpaper, you *might* be able to take down the section
    you need to work on and replace it afterwards.  otherwise, you're going
    to end up replacing it for sure - there is no good way to get paper
    wallpaper off in one piece.
    
    /Charlotte

    If the internal repairs are plumbing related, sometime in the future
    you'll probably want access again. If so, would an access panel be
    out of the question?
    
    I had to open a wall (wet wall in bathroom). Rather than trash the 
    paper, I cut a square out of the wall, leaving the paper attached.
    After the repairs were made, I attached a "frame" to the cut-out 
    square and put it back in place.
    
    Edd

Most "vinyl" wallpaper is vinyl-coated paper, which cannot be removed without
damaging it.  Even solid vinyl would probably stretch when you pulled it off
(you can't "gently" remove vinyl).

			Steve

    I just pulled the vinyl paper down from my bathroom walls.  Some edges
    had started to peal due to moisture.  It seemed to hang together quite
    well and came off in sheets.  The only places that it tore were where
    I got impatient.  I intended to throw it all out anyway, so I used no
    particular care.  I suspect that it depends on the glue behind the
    wallpaper.  Anyway, if the idea proposed a couple ago for an access
    panel isn't attractive, I would try to moisten or steam an edge.
    You can't loose anything by trying and at worst you get a torn
    fragment to take to a wallpaper place to try and match.  A little
    moisture and some patience may get you an undamaged sheet that you
    can glue back up.  Best of luck.

    The area I'm would try to do this is around a fireplace mantel in
    my living room.  (evidently water coming thru the fireplace as swollen
    the wall somehow, bowing about about 3/4 inch and pushing the mantel
    off the wall!)  So access panel suggestions are moot.
    
    In my bathroom, I had no problem pulling back some wet vinyl paper
    to repare a shower leak.  However, in that case it was being wetted
    from the inside :-(.   Also, after the peeling I noted that I was
    getting a fair amount of the wallboard paper as well.
    
    I would assume the comments about vinyl paper stem from a problem
    of wetting the glue through the paper?
    
    I'm not sure it's vinyl paper, but I haven't tried fooling with it yet.
    I did notice that their is no attempt to pattern match at the seams,
    so that is one less problem.
    
    	Dave.

    still looking for advice...
    
    Assuming that I have infinite patience, should I take a steamer and
    running it evenly around the edges and try to slowly peel it back,
    or do some sort of all over "wettening" and peel all at once.
    
    	Dave.

    
    I don't know about the US, but in the UK there were not that
    many major manufacturers of wall coverings.  I suggest that
    you photograph the paper and go around a few wallpaper supply
    stores and check their swatch books.  If you can get the mfctrs
    name, they should be able to track an odd roll for you.
    
    Do you have an electric tea-kettle?  its just the tool for
    steaming off walpaper!
    
    Colin
    

	re. -.1
	    It's possible to find a new roll of the same design but it's
	unlikely that it would match perfectly.  Fading, different lot
	numbers, etc. would work against you.  The difference could be 
	slight and negligable, but you wouldn't know for sure until the
	paper dries.
					Tim

    Re: looking for a match
    
    I visited the local wallpaper store a few months back with some other
    questions, including finding a match for some other damaged paper.
    They indicated that the typical run for a paper pattern in the US is
    2 to 3 years.  Since the house is 6 years old, I don't think we have
    a chance of finding it.
    
    Though one thing you said, take a photograph, (failing have a swatch)
    is probably the only way to get anywhere.  You have to show them
    the paper, and then maybe they can help.
    
    I'm probably going to go back to that store with a photo and this
    newer question (how to remove intact).
    
    	Dave.

I hate to tell you this but...

	When we were looking for wallpapers the guy at the store said they
	estimated they had over 50,000 paterns in their books.  They did 
	have a lot!  I have discovered from personal experience that husbands 
	have a gene that prevents them from looking at more than a few patterns
	per day.

Good luck,
Stan

    You might try soaking it with vinegar and water. Then very carefully
    peel it off. 

    I am re-doing my family room and have finally gotten to the
    wall-papering stage.  I have put up the sheet-rock, done the taping and
    mudding, and primed the walls.  The paper says it is pre-pasted. 
    I started to put up the first piece and, lo and behold, it didn't stay
    up.  In fact, it wasn't even sticky.
    
    I bought the wallpaper about 2 years ago but never took it out of the
    wrapper.  I had other projects that I was working on before getting to
    the wall-papering.  Is there a *shelf-life* for pre-pasted wallpaper??
    Would it be OK for me to use the regular paste on it??
    
    I was really looking forward to getting the first pieces up.
    
    Sandi (who is remodeling her whole place)
    
    

Sandi -

Did you size the walls first?  Otherwise, the paste will just slide off the walls
when wet.

Elaine

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Vic [Moderator]

    RE: .11
    
    I am planning to paper the bottom half of a room and paint the top,
    separated with a paper border.  My question(s) are:
    
    	1.  which do I do first (assume paint, paper, then border)
    		- assume I will snap a horizontal line, then paper up
    		  to that point, then put the border on top..
    		- I like the overlap process, (overlap the paper and border
    		  slightly and cut through both, but won't the paste dry
    		  before I have a chance to cut ??
     
    		  
    Thanks,
    
    Steve

I have a newly wallpapered room with small spots and streaks of paste
residue that I keep rinsing off with warm water, with little success.
Some get lighter.  Some don't seem to budge.  The wallpaper is dark'ish
and depending on the lighting and the angle, these streaks can be very
noticeable.  The paper is vinyl-coated, but not heavily.  It feels and
looks more like paper than vinyl.

Any suggestions?

      If you used a water-based paste, it should come off with a wet
    sponge. Are you usre that it is paste and not a defect/feature of the
    paper?
    
    				Kenny

    Trying using a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar.

    Looking for information on removing contac paper from smooth painted
    walls. This stuff is on about the top third of three kitchen walls.
    
    Since I don't own the place, it may not be worth my effort to try to
    remove; but tell me your experiences so I can decide!
    
    Also, any experience with painting or papering over this stuff?
    
    Thanks,
    Lynn
    
    P.S. It's got ducks. Blue ducks. Lots of blue ducks.

>    P.S. It's got ducks. Blue ducks. Lots of blue ducks.

And I could almost swear there was once someone in here who was looking
for a wall just like that . . . 

:^)
-Jack

    There are *so many* blue ducks (How many blue ducks *are* there?!)
    that if it's not feasible to remove the contac paper, the only possible
    solution is to go Mega Kitsch and decorate with matching accessories.
    Blue duck towels, blue duck wreaths, blue duck wastebasket, blue duck
    curtains. There are *so* many blue ducks!!
    
    :)
    Lynn

    Well, don't paint or paper over it or you will be repaid in the
    afterlife.
    
    I can't quite imagine doing a whole wall, but I removed smaller amounts
    of sticky paper using an electric hair dryer to loosen the mucilage and
    a putty knife to lift the paper off.  I'd guess that the bulk of the 
    Contac would peel off and you'd have to use this method only in
    isolated circumstances.
    

Lynn,  
   I am currently doing it in my bathroom.  What I have found works best is
to take a box knife, or razor and cut the strips in half or thirds and then
very slowly start pulling them off the wall.  I have not tried using a hair 
dryer, but am told that this may make the job easier.  If you do decide to 
do this, you will need to clean the walls under the contac paper very well 
before painting or papering.  

It is a lot of work, and if you don't own the house may not be worth it, since 
I do own mine it is for me.


Hope this helps

    Thanks for the suggestions. Yep, it sounds horrendous, all right.
    A lot more work than I can justify, not being the owner.
    
    Hmm, I *do* like the raingear idea...we could make a game of it, find
    the duckie wearing a purple slicker, find the duckie wearing green
    boots...
    
    Thanks again -
    

Call it "Where in the Kitchen is Carmen SanDuckeo"

Stan

    Stan, that's one of the things I like so much about you, you *look*
    so normal.
    
    Lynn

    I got book on wallpapering that says you sould apply
    paper onto latex surfaces. Having just painted the
    target room Im really bummed. Do I need to
    paint again with a enamal primer or something?
    
    Also the wallpaper paste says I should NOT apply sizing.
    Im very confused.
    

I have successfully applied wallpaper over plaster, sheetrock, enamal, latex,
and plywood paneling; as a rule, I do not have unwanted peeling problems. 
Sizing helps the paste grab to the wall; basically, wallpaper glue does not
like slick surfaces. Sizing over painted walls also makes it easy to remove the 
paper later on.

First, I ALWAYS paint over the wall that I am about to paper. When papering on
walls that had previous layer(s) of paper removed, I always sand smooth and
then apply paint, then apply sizing.  I do this for two reasons. First, the 
sanding smoothes out the surface and  paper is easier to remove later on 
if it has been applied over a painted surface. Second, I use a paint color that 
matches the base color of the wallpaper - unavoidable gaps will not show up.

When using paper that has the paste already applied, I always use sizing on the
wall. I also apply a very thin consistency paste as well.

When using paste on paper does not have paste already on it, I always use paste
that has sizing in it. 

I have never seen self-paste paper with a statement to NOT use sizing; they 
have always said that sizing was not necessary.  I am curious why your brand 
says NOT to do so.

Sanding, painting, sizing are time consuming.  But I like doing a job right, 
the first time, and knowing that it will last a while.  Of course, many folks 
get just as fine looking applications using the "dip in water and slap it up" 
approach.

    
    If you painted it with enamel it's worth just washing it down lightly
    using a 3M pad (usually sold next to the joint compound) and then sizing
    as .27 says.  That'll do just to give the paste a key.  You'll find
    that the sizing also gives you better slip as you hang the paper - 
    allowing you to slide it around easily.  Something that I
    usually have to do several times a sheet.  ;-)
    
    Colin

    re -.1
    No, I just painted the room with latex...
    Should I still scuff it up or just apply sizing
    even though the paste directions say not to apply sizing?
    

It's perfectly ok to wallpaper over latex paint.  What made you think it
wasn't?  I couldn't tell from your .26.

Sizing is needed only if the surface is porous, which latex paint is not.

			Steve

    
      Applying sizing is never a bad idea. It always helps, but you only
    need to apply it once per wall, even if you strip and repaper. Sand the
    walls lightly before you size and paper.
    
      If the paper is prepasted, do yourself a favor and use regular paste
    anyway, just a bit thinner than usual.
    
    				Kenny

    I bought an ortho book on wallpapering...Call me geek
    
    It says dont apply wallpaper over latex.
    

Re: .32

Don't believe it.  As long as the latex is in good shape, it should be fine.

			Steve

    
    I have experienced peeling latex in the past. This has always seemed to
    happen where more than one coat of gloss or samigloss latex exist, and
    the top coat gets soaking wet (eg, near a fixture in a bathroom).
    Perhaps this is what the Ortho book is warning about.
    
    On the other hand, I've papered a lot over flat latex -- in fact, I
    usually use two coats of flat latex to seal new drywall -- and have not
    had problems with adhesion.
    

    I do not recommend wallpapering over latex paint.  Depending on the
    quality of the latex --you might end up with all the paint adhering to
    the paper off the wall (a rather expensive way to strip your walls).
    If you were to wash the walls you just painted with a sponge - does any
    of the color come off on the sponge?  (bad sign)
    
    You could always do a test strip and wait a few days :')
    
    /debi
    

    In this case, my "free advice" was worth every cent....
    
    I asked my wife, who is our family wallpaper expert, and she said
    that wallpapering over latex was not recommended as if you need to
    pull a still-wet strip off the wall to reposition it, the paint
    may well come with it.  She says if you don't need to reposition,
    it is generally not a problem, but she recommends sealing the wall
    with an oil-based primer.  (She also uses Muralo Adhesium primer
    which, though it doesn't seal, provides a good surface that allows
    longer periods for repositioning and makes double-cutting easier.)
    
    She did say that if the wall is gypsum board (Sheetrock), then even
    if the paint comes off it's not a big deal.
    
    					Steve

    
    I'll take your 'free advice" as I've been doing it that way for years
    and never had a problem.  Can't hardly find a wall that hasn't been
    painted at one time or another anyway.  All deference to Mrs Lionel.
    
    Colin
    

I wonder if the people who advise against papering over latex have ever done it.
Anyone who has ever painted with latex knows that, once it is dry, it does not
come of for love or money!  I always used decent quality paint that is washable.
Maybe there are non-washable types that dissolve when they are wet.  The advice
would then be, Don't paper over non-washable latex paint.

Geesh!

    RE: .38
    
    Agreed.....fresh latex that hasn't dried could be a problem....but
    I've wallpapered over latex and never had a problem.
    
    Sounds like advice from couch potato handman.
    
    Marc H.

Once upon a time, with older latex paints, or where latex was used over
oil base and un-keyed, then yes, the latex *might* come away.  But modern
latex paints usually stick pretty well.  

On the other hand, there was a semi-gloss latex paint I used recently that
I had to totally strip off again because it would not stay on ...  a real
pain ... slightest abrasion, like brushing against it, and it would peel.
Weird stuff ...

Stuart

    I used a pretty good latex when I painted the room
    Pratt and Lambert Accolade. I just took out my high
    speed finshing sander and lightly went over the surface.
    Im just going to paper over it as it stands now
    Thanks for all the advise.  
    

    There's a simple test for loose paint - you take down the taped-on
    posters in the kids room.
    
    C

As I said, I ALWAYS put paint (of a close color to the wallpaper) down before I
paper to avoid the cracks between the edges of the paper showing; it does not
take long to roller out all the walls and the result is superior finish. I use
the lowest price latex (because it cleans up easily) paint  I can find -
usually Glidden semi-gloss.  I have NEVER had a problem with the latex letting
loose under the paper - never, ever - and I have been doing this, off and on,
for over 30 years.  And if you ever need to remove the paper (Lord forbid your
interior_decorator_who_does_not_do_the_work changes his/her mind), having the
paint base (as opposed to wallboard) makes it much easier to remove. 

As Always, For What It's Worth

Luck,

Dave

re: .43

It seems to me it would be a lot less work to just make sure there
are no cracks between strips.  Achieving that takes some practice, but
it is doable.

   Gary

    
    When wallpapering only one wall in a room, is there ever a "preferred" 
    wall?  Such as:  
    
    1.  The wall with no windows or doors in it?
    2.  The wall that you see first as you enter the room?
    3.  The wall the occupants would be looking at the most?
    
    Are there any rules to this?
    
    - cj

    
    I've done this a couple of times in different houses I've owned.  The
    only rule I went by was what I though would look good.  The one that
    turned out best was in my first house.  I papered the wall against
    which I placed the bed.  It looked really good.
    
    Just do what you think looks good.
    
    Stu
    

In my house it will be an easy decision: Put the paper on the wall that is
sheetrock, not logs!

Of course, this rule may not work for you.

:-)

Elaine

    
    
    	Along the same lines... I'm wallpapering a very small foyer/
    	dining room in my apartment and would like to know what would
    	be best for it.
    
    	I picked out some paper that I liked but it doesn't seem to
    	"fit" the room.
    
    	Is it better to use a small print? large print? no print?
    	What is best to make the room appear larger?  There's 
    	wainscotting about half way down the walls in a medium oak
    	(?!) color and my dining set is a dark cherry Queen Anne
    	type set with a tapestry design on the seats.  (I'm sort of
    	stuck with what I have for wainscotting since this is a 
    	temporary living arrangement)
    
    	Any ideas?? 
    
    	Thanks,
    	/Kim

    Re -1:
    
    You may want to try a "tone on tone" print.  This is paper that has a
    base color with a pattern in the same color.  I have this type for my
    foyer - it's all in a bone color with stripes and flowers in the same
    color - it has a bit of a shine to it to highlight the pattern.
    
    I got that paper at Somerville Lumber.
    
    Linda

    
    Small room, small print. The lighter the color the more open it'll
    feel.

    
    
    I'd be interested in any updates to stripping wallpaper.  The room I
    want to do has wide pine boards about 1/2 way up and then wallpaper.  I'm
    pretty sure it is just one layer of wallpaper over wallboard.  Will
    the enszyme stuff harm the boards ?  and has there been any magical 
    advance in wallpaper removal since the last note ws entered in here?
    
    carol
    

    I use a chemical called "FAST".  It can be purchased where ever you 
    purchase wallpaper and paint.  If you are removing vinyl I suggest
    you peel off as much of the vinyl as possible.  Depending on the 
    thickness this can be very easy or a pain.  After the wall is really
    covered in "paper" mix the FAST and apply with a spray bottle.  
    The instructions are explicit that you apply it then wait.  The
    waiting is the key as the chemicals need to work through the paper
    and the glue.  Once the paper and glue are "gooey" it will come 
    off very easy in large pieces.  A wide blade putty knife works
    well at this stage.
    
    If your paper is very heavy it can be applied with a very heavy
    glue.  If this is the case, you will want to remove all vinyl, then
    make another pass to remove the paper base, and a final pass to
    remove the glue.  
    
    I always mix a solution of TSP and water to "clean" the residues 
    off the wall before I prep it for paint or paper.  The FAST will
    not harm your walls, however the TSP has the same effect as bleach.
    
    If you are re-papering I would also suggest using sizing to prepare
    the walls.  It provides a base for your paper and assures a good bond
    to the wall.
    
    Good Luck.
    
    Tracy
    
    

    
    Thanks!  Now - what is TSP ?  Can you tell I'mnew at this?
    
    c

    TSP- I think it is TriSodiumPhosphate.  It too is sold in paint/hardware 
    stores.  It comes in a small white box with blue and red lettering.  
    It looks like small crystals and disolves in water.  I believe it is 
    a very strong detergent.  You need rubber gloves to work with it.  
    I have used it mixed with cholorine bleach to remove mildew from our
    bathroom.  It is very strong but it does an excellent job of cleaning.
    
    Make sure the room is well ventilated if you use either FAST or TSP.
    
    Tracy
    

    TSP is the main ingredient in Spic 'n Span, if you can't find it
    straight.
    

    Does anyone have a current telephone number for the New England
    School of Paperhanging in Newton, MA?  We've tried directory
    assistance and were able to get an 800 number which has been
    disconnected.
    
    My wife would like to contact the school about their courses in
    paperhanging.  After dabbling in the field for many years she's
    thinking of pursuing it as a part-time job, and is interested in
    classes along the "business" side of paperhanging.

AQccording to my Boston yellow pages, it's 332-6709.

    Thanks very much, Gerald!

The Spring 1994 issue of Fine Homebuilding (the "Annual Issue on Houses") has a
new product review about a tool which the reviewer says is very effective.  It
"riddles the wallpaper with thousands of pinprick-size holes."

It's called the "Paper Tiger", manufactured by William Zinsser & Co.  Quoting
from the review:

"The Paper Tiger is a vicious little machine.  Attached to a palm-sized pad,
which you hold, are circular, hardened spring-steel cutting wheels with
cross-set teeth.  When you hold the Paper Tiger and run it across the wallpaper,
the teeth lift and separate little pieces of the wallpaper.  The more you run the
Paper Tiger across the wallpaper, the more perforations you make, and thus the
quicker the [wetting solution] will dissolve the wallpaper paste."

The wheels revolve independently of each other, so you can run the tool in any
direction on the wall, in circles, etc.  The teeth aren't long enough to damage
the paper layer on wallboard.

This tool just perforates the wallpaper.  The wetting solution of your choice is
applied by the method of your choice.  The wetting solution that the reviewer
used was water/vinegar.

Various models of the Paper Tiger sell between $10 and $20.

-Chris

This is new?  I've seen it in the stores for years!

			Steve

Well, on rereading the review, it never said that the tool was "new"...

-Chris

    I have never done wallpapering before and I have a somewhat naive
    question.  I (ok, my husband) will be wallpapering a nursery.  I have
    selected wallpaper and also paper to be used as a border design.
    
    In the future, would there be any way to remove the border design only
    without removing the wallpaper underneath it.
    
    Now, another question.  The current wallpaper in the room is really
    beautiful, but not suitable for a nursery.  Would there be any way to
    cover over it (not remove it) and then remove the nursery paper in a
    few years?
    
    Many thanks!
    Nancy  

>    In the future, would there be any way to remove the border design only
>    without removing the wallpaper underneath it.
 
	    Is the wallpaper vinyl coated?  The border would probably peel
	off of vinyl fairly easily and the paste from the border could be
	washed off.  That might leave a stripe, though, as the border would
	protect the wallpaper from fading.

>    Old wallpaper:		Would there be any way to
>    cover over it (not remove it) and then remove the nursery paper in a
 
	    Even if the old wallpaper is vinyl coated, I don't think what
	you want to do is feasible.

					Tim

    
    	
    what is meant by "booking" wallpaper before it is applied to a
    wall surface?
    
    a new term for me.

    Letting the water and glue sit for a while (1-5 minutes) before 
    you hang it. If you use ready pasted paper, you roll up the paper 
    glue side oout and l=place it in the trough of water. Give it 
    time to soak in, then unroll it glue side up (I put an old bed 
    sheet on the floor in front of the trough) and fold ends to middle
    loosely. Then wait a while before hanging.
    
    It makes the paper much more workable and moveable on the wall.
    
    - Richard.

Note: 394.5
Topic: Tips on Wallpapering

> ...about "booking" the paper (folding it on itself to let it relax).

    My wife and I just hung paper on 1 wall in our next to our dinning room 
    and then put border around the rest of the room.  The next day she 
    desided that it would look better to put the same papper all the way
    around the dinning room.  Now the problem.  What is the best way to 
    aline the paper to the border without taking the border down.  By the
    time the paper comes in the border will be up for 2 weeks.  This is a
    prepasted border and paper.
    
    Thanks
    Gary

    
    1) Smack spouse up'side the head.
    
    2) Practice the following on a scrap of sheetrock.
    
    3) Hang the paper so that there's some extra over the border. The edge of
       the border should be visible as a slight ridge under the new paper; a
       work light close to the wall will help to see this edge in relief.
       Position paper and trim everything else. Then slide a nice long
       straightedge up to the ridge, and trim with a sharp razor blade. Extra
       hands holding the straightedge steady will help.
    

>    3) Hang the paper so that there's some extra over the border. The edge of
>       the border should be visible as a slight ridge under the new paper; a
>       work light close to the wall will help to see this edge in relief.
>       Position paper and trim everything else. THEN SLIDE A NICE LONG
>       STRAIGHTEDGE UP TO THE RIDGE, AND TRIM WITH A SHARP RAZOR BLADE. Extra
>       hands holding the straightedge steady will help.
    
[Emphasis added.]

My problem with using a straightedge on wallpaper is that nothing else
is ever that straight.
In this case, the border has probably been snugged up against the ceiling,
and it is NOT exactly straight across the width of the wall.
Cutting to a straightedge will leave gaps.
Rather than a "nice long straightedge," use a 3" or 4" wide putty knife
or scraper or somesuch appliance.  You can snug this up against the
ridge where the paper overlaps the border.  Cut in very short, accurate 
strokes as you migrate across the wall (probably left to right for the
right hander, holding the putty knife in the left hand and the razor 
in the right).

- tom]

    re: .47
    
     About the only way it'll really look right is to remove the border and
    put up the paper, then re-border (with a new border.) If your wife
    balks, tell her that's the price to be paid to decide after hanging the
    border that you want paper up there as well. The amount of time you
    will save coupled with the better looking result will justify the added
    expense of purchasing the border a second time.

    Just thought that I would share the outcome of our problem with
    wallpapering (.47).  We cut the pieces to length and luckly most of
    them went up with the seems straight but not all.  As we also put up
    new molding my wife suggested just putting a smaller piece on the seam.
    Well I took it a bit further and put up a little nick nack shelf on top
    of the molding.  It turned out very well and now we have a place to put
    all those little collectables.  The major problem is that now she wants
    to do this in the kids bedrooms (great for stuffed animals) and the 
    living room.  Thanks for all the suggestions, I really liked 48's but
    with OJ getting so much attention now days and she's also an expert
    marksman.  Next project____kitchen oh boy
    
    Gary

	I have papered numerous rooms, with few problems. Recently (well a
	couple of months ago now) I papered two adjoining rooms, same
	wallpaper.

	I was offered the loan of a pasting table for this, and accepted,
	as my usual table is quite small. However, the borrowed pasting 
	table (hardboard) had seen a lot of use, so it proved very difficult 
	to remove the excess paste from the table after I hung each strip.

	Now, depending on the light, paste can clearly be seen on the walls, 
	mainly along the joins.

	I was wondering if anybody has any tips about removing this excess
	paste (or at least making it a little less noticeable). I've been
	shying away from attacking it with a wet cloth, immediately followed
	by a bone dry cloth, in case I do more harm than good!

	I heard somewhere that rubbing the paste with bread might lessen the
	impact. It's driving me mad....

	Michael.

>	Now, depending on the light, paste can clearly be seen on the walls, 
>	mainly along the joins.

    Wipe it down with a damp sponge. It may even require a couple of
    passes, one to re-wet and loosen the surface paste and then other
    to remove it. It should dry just fine.

    Charly

>>    Wipe it down with a damp sponge. It may even require a couple of
>>    passes, one to re-wet and loosen the surface paste and then other
>>    to remove it. It should dry just fine.

    Charly,
	Thanks for the reply. But, is there not a danger here that the 
	wallpaper will come away?

    Thanks,
    Michael.

    
    The sponge works fine.  

    Just wipe it enough to get the paste off of the surface.

    If the sponge was TOO WET (dripping) and you wiped TOO HARD
    (really scrubbed it) , TOO LONG (a couple of minutes) on the seam,
    yes there's the possiblity that you'll soften the paste under the
    seam and start to work that out. 

    If you find any loose seams after you're done you can always
    repair them. After the seam has is semi dry, take a scrap of unsed
    paper, wet the back, wait a bit, scrape up some wet paste and
    force it under the loose seam and then refinish it.

    Charly

>>    Just wipe it enough to get the paste off of the surface.

>>    If the sponge was TOO WET (dripping) and you wiped TOO HARD
>>    (really scrubbed it) , TOO LONG (a couple of minutes) on the seam,
>>    yes there's the possiblity that you'll soften the paste under the
>>    seam and start to work that out. 

Charly etc.,
	Well, I did the first pass the other evening. I didn't scrub too hard,
just the gentlest of wipes, and I immediately dried it with a cloth.

It definitely made a difference. The paste along the seams etc is much less 
noticeable. However, it needs another pass.

But, the good news is, it didn't lift the paper. That was my big concern.

Many thanks for the advice!

Cheers,
Michael.