Where to start with hanging or removing wallpaper

If you walk into any original New Zealand home built before the 1980s, you’re likely to find wallpaper of every design and colour. That’s because Kiwis have had a love affair with wallpaper for generations.

For decades, wallpaper was used to provide style and class to a home. Although it declined in popularity during the 1990s and 2000s, wallpaper is now back in fashion, according to the latest style gurus. Wallpapers and wall coverings are back in full force and they’re a versatile and impactful way to decorate your home.

That’s because wallpaper is functional and beautiful, plus it has a certain nostalgia that keeps us coming back to it. You often hear stories of homeowners doing renovations and coming across layers and layers of wallpaper as they strip back the years.

However, although wallpaper is making a comeback, wall coverings are not to everyone’s taste and style. You might have bought a 1960s or 1970s home and are in the process of renovating. One of the tasks you might be dreading is wallpaper removal, because of its reputation for being a tricky and time-consuming job that requires wallpaper stripping, scraping, or peeling, which all require hard work!

Where to start with wallpapering

It can be tough knowing where to start when planning your home decor. A good first step is to work out your budget for wallpaper installation or removal, then do some research on cost. This will immediately narrow down your options, so you find a solution that’s within your budget.

With wallpaper hanging and removal, there are some options that are best suited for a professional, while others may be more DIY-friendly. For example, most of us can strip wallpaper with the right tools and materials, plus time and effort. However, there are some stages of wallpapering that will benefit from expert help.

A sign your wallpaper could be past its use-by date is when it starts peeling or bubbling. Otherwise, it’s a question of personal taste. Styles change over time, and your 60s or 70s wallpaper design may not fit with your décor any longer.

If you still like your current wallpaper, but it’s been damaged, consider wallpaper repairs instead. Hopefully, you, or your home’s previous owner, have stored away some extra rolls for this exact purpose!

Whether you choose to remove or repair your wallpaper, there are some factors to consider before you start your wallpapering project. A good option to avoid the stress and hassle of removing or repairing your wallpaper yourself is to find a trusted wallpaperer on a platform like Ezy Peazy.

4 tasks a professional wallpaperer can help with

1. Wallpaper Removal

Removing wallpaper can be a messy and challenging task, but it doesn’t have to be. A tried and tested approach for getting old wallpaper off your walls is to strip off the top layer, then wet the undercoat with a water sprayer. Then use a stiff putty knife to strip and peel away the remains of the old wallpaper. If your wallpaper has been glued to the wall with non-standard wallpaper paste, you might need a steam stripper or even a heat gun.

2. Preparing Your Walls After Wallpaper Removal

Once you’ve removed your old wallpaper, it’s time to prepare your walls for replacement wallpapering or painting. If you’re replacing your old wallpaper with new, you’ll need to ensure the surfaces are clean and smooth, or you may end up with peeling or lumpy paper. This can be done by sanding the walls, then giving them a final wash.

If you’re removing wallpaper so you can paint and the walls underneath haven’t been prepared properly, you may need to skim them with plaster to give them a smooth finish. This is a job that requires skills and experience.

3. Wallpaper Repair

If your wallpaper is in good condition and you like its design, it’s more cost-effective and easier to simply do a touch-up. If your wallpaper is peeling, you can usually re-wet the glue and paste it back into position. However, if your wallpaper has been exposed to mould or mildew, or your pet or child has damaged it, replacing the affected section could be a better option.

In this case, you can follow the same steps as above to remove that piece, then replace it with another section of the same design.

4. Wall Surface Preparation

A top-quality wallpaper hanging job needs smooth, clean wall surfaces for the paper to adhere to. This requires stripping and removing your old wallpaper, sanding the walls, then cleaning the surfaces ready for your new wallpaper. If your walls have raw surfaces, like old plasterboard, these should be painted with latex paint to seal them.

Wallpaper preparing, measuring, and cutting

There are some important details to cover off when hanging wallpaper. These include checking the rolls match and are from the same batch, so there’s no colour mismatch. It’s also essential to make sure the first drop is measured correctly and is level before gluing and hanging the wallpaper.

Wallpaper hanging

This is the critical part of the wallpaper installation process, as it’s essential that the first drop is straight. Take the time and trouble to choose the best corner to start in and pay attention to details as you progress, like which way to overlap the wallpaper drops to avoid shadows. Also take care to match patterns, so there’s good visual continuity between rolls and minimum waste.

Wallpaper smoothing and trimming

A vital element of a successful wallpaper installation is ensuring the paper is smooth, and there are no bubbles or creases. Smoothing is also important because it helps stick the wallpaper to the wall. Once you have taken care of the smoothing, neatly trim the paper for a professional finish.

Also remember to keep track of where your light switches and power points are, so you can easily locate them and replace the covers.

Wallpaper for moist areas

Wallpaper is a popular option for living and dining rooms – after all, if chosen thoughtfully, it’s warm and inviting. However, if your home has high moisture content or has damp problems in particular rooms, it’s essential to choose the right product.

Wallpaper can quickly absorb moisture and, if not applied properly during installation or repair, wallpaper adhesive can begin pulling off the drywall over time as it loses its stickiness due to constant moisture exposure. If you choose to use wallpaper in moist areas of your home, be sure to remove any damaged wallpaper before you install a new covering. Also replace any drywall that was pulled off during removal.

Also keep an eye out for signs of moisture damage. If there are large water stains on walls or ceilings, find the source and make repairs before you re-apply your new wallpaper. If you find water damage when taking down old wallpaper, hire someone who knows how to test for toxic mould before getting repairs done.

Stylish wallpaper for your living areas

When selecting wallpaper for your home, it’s important choose a paper that will work well in all areas of your living space. Large areas like dining rooms and hallways often require heavier papers, while smaller rooms may be finer and with a thinner weight.

When selecting a wall covering for your home, think about how you want your space to look. It can be helpful to spend some time looking at other homes in magazines and catalogues, so you can get an idea of what styles appeal to you and match your home.

If you have a particular colour scheme in your room, go for wallpaper options that match those colours as closely as possible to create continuity within your interior design scheme.

In addition to style and colour, also think about how long you intend to keep your wallpaper up for. If it’s going to be permanent, it’s worth investing more money in higher-quality coverings, because they will last longer than a temporary wallpaper. However, if you’re simply looking for something decorative, rather than permanent, almost any type of wallpaper will suffice, as there won't be as much wear-and-tear from ongoing use.

Pre-pasted or unpasted wallpapers

When papering your walls, it’s important to consider whether to use pre-pasted or unpasted wallpaper. Pre-pasted wallpapers require an adhesive that is easier to remove later, while unpasted wallpapers must be soaked and scraped before replacing them with a new wallpaper, or painting.

It’s worth noting that both types of wallpaper can damage drywall even if they are properly installed; neither is foolproof as a DIY project for those who lack professional training. That’s why experts recommend hiring a wallpapering professional when hanging wallpaper. There’s nothing worse than putting time, effort, and expense into wallpapering your home, only to find you've damaged your wall surfaces in the process.

While hardware stores like Bunnings, Mitre 10, and Placemakers have a great range of tools and materials to help you do a good DIY job, you still need expertise and experience to do a wallpaper hanging job you are proud to show off. Removing wallpaper is one task most of us can tackle with time and effort but preparing your walls and hanging new wallpaper is a big next step.

Wallpaper installation can be a tough home renovation job, so it’s recommended you avoid the stress and frustration and find a professional wallpaperer. It’s much easier to get the results you want with an expert and – because wallpaper is highly visible – it’s one job you definitely don’t want to get wrong!

Removing and repairing wallpaper

There are a number of reasons why you might need to remove or repair your wallpaper. For example, you may have dated and ugly wallpaper and you need a paper refresh, or you may have damaged wallpaper that needs replacing. Alternatively, you may like the style of your wallpaper and simply want to repair a section, or your paper may have started peeling off in some areas.

When selecting and installing wallpaper in your home, it’s important to make sure you do the job right first time. That’s because wallpaper can be expensive and it’s difficult to remove if you get anything wrong.

Consider wallpaper services through Ezy Peazy

You could give wallpapering a go yourself but why go through the time and trouble when there are local wallpaper removal and repair experts in your neighbourhood who are ready and waiting for you to contact them via the Ezy Peazy platform?

Ezy Peazy is there to help connect you with local wallpaper professionals who are ready to provide paper hanging, paper removal, and paper repair services in your area. Our rating and review system means you can trust the tasker you select and they’re the best person for your wallpaper job.

All you need to do is post your wallpaper task on the Ezy Peazy platform and you’ll find a wallpaper expert in your neighbourhood who is ready to help you at an affordable price.

You can post details about your wallpaper project on the Ezy Peazy platform for free in just a few clicks. Simply include location, budget and preferred time and wait for the offers to roll in!