When we moved into our house, we thought there were only three spaces with wallpaper. Our dining room, the half bathroom, and the stairwell/second-floor hallway. I was a bit surprised when I discovered the foyer had wallpaper underneath the paint. (Who does this?!) As of now, there is only one room left with wallpaper, the half bath! (It is also the only room on the first floor that hasn’t had any changes since we moved in).
For my major July project, Daniel started it off for me. I came home after spending some time at the lake with a friend to him ripping down the wallpaper in the stairwell and hallway. I hadn’t really anticipated spending the time on this project now, but once you start ripping it down, there is no turning back.
Daniel quickly tired of pulling the paper down, and I’m “better at it.” So I changed and took over the project.
Some could say this is “nice” wallpaper. Well, I’m sorry friends and family, it’s only “nice” wallpaper if it isn’t peeling, and there aren’t patches of drywall repaired OVER the wallpaper. I’ve also had friends tell me that wallpaper is making a comeback. I’m sure there are pockets where it is. I’m not 100% anti-wallpaper, there is BEAUTIFUL wallpaper in my office, but I’m not taking it down to put any backup. It’s far too much work (especially in 10-20 years when it needs updating)!
Step one, peel off the wallpaper. This part usually goes pretty easy for us. Unfortunately, the backing paper is often left behind. I have used the horrible smelling solution recommended at home improvement stores to no avail. You know what works really well AND smells nice? Warm water and fabric softener. Yup, put it in a spray bottle, and grab a putty scraper. (Disclaimer- I tried this with a friend, and it wasn’t successful with the type of wallpaper in her house).
It is the most satisfying when the paper comes off in complete sheets! I feel victorious! (Even though I’m not painting, I wear paint clothes because the residue/ glue gets messy).
Once all of the backing paper is free from the walls, I wash them with TSP to get any additional residue off, sometimes the putty scraper assists if there is a lot of leftover residues. Once this step is complete and the walls are dry, you can fill any holes, pits, drywall seams, etc. and sand them down. If there is a lot of damage from the wallpaper, go ahead, mud the walls. Don’t second guess yourself; you’ll save time versus filling and sanding three times. (I made this mistake on the lower parts of the walls in my dining room).
Once your walls are smooth, it’s time to wash ALL of the dust away. Let it dry, and FINALLY, it’s time to paint!!!
I have used Behr paint for all of my home projects. All of my trim is the gloss, white straight from the can. So far, all of the walls have an eggshell finish. I like the durability and the slightest hint of sheen. This gray is Silver Bullet (N520-2); we used the same light to medium gray in our sunroom. The walls look fresh, and the dingy yellowing shiny striped wallpaper is no more!
I’m always shocked at what a profound difference the time of day has on the color in photos. I was excited when I finished in the evening, but the paint is still wet, and the lighting isn’t optimal. (thank you, warm boob lights) In the daylight, I was entirely pleased with the results. No more peeling wallpaper. No more wallpaper that has been spackled over (the size of the palm of my hand). Just glorious airiness that helps you float up the stairs!
Some additional notes
At this point in our home’s life, I have opted not to paint the trim in the hallway and up the stairs. Eventually, we plan to pull out the carpet and put in hardwood (or manufactured hardwood) flooring. It makes more sense to wait and paint the trim when the carpet is out before the new flooring goes in. (Then I can use my paint spray gun! So much faster, even coats, and a LOT more fun). I did opt to move the transition point, so the stairs are wood grain, and everything level on the second floor is white. The doors will need to come down too to match the crisp white trim. (Straight from the can white. I know everyone chooses their white, but I’m a rebel. And I also think it is a perfectly balanced white that fits all my needs).