How to Remove Wallpaper the Right Way

August 21, 2025

Wallpaper can add charm and personality to a room — but when it’s outdated or peeling, it can make your home feel stuck in the past. If you’ve ever searched for “wallpaper removal near me,” you know that removing wallpaper can be frustrating without the right tools and experience.

At Sandrock Painting, we’ve helped countless homeowners in Northeast Ohio update their spaces by removing old wallpaper and preparing the walls for a smooth, modern paint finish. Here’s how we approach the process.

Step 1 — Soak and Loosen the Wallpaper

We begin by soaking the wallpaper with a specialized wallpaper remover concentrate. This breaks down the adhesive, making it easier to peel off. In most cases, this step alone loosens the paper enough to strip it away.

Step 2 — Steam for Stubborn Areas

Sometimes, wallpaper glue is extra tough. When that happens, we use a wallpaper steamer to help lift the adhesive from the wall. This allows us to remove even the most stubborn wallpaper without damaging the surface beneath.

Step 3 — When Wallpaper Won’t Come Off

In some cases, wallpaper simply refuses to budge. Instead of risking wall damage, we take a different approach:

Apply a specialized primer over the wallpaper to seal it in place
Caulk along ceilings and trim for a seamless transition
Skim coat and sand the seams so that they disappear completely

Removing outdated wallpaper can instantly modernize a room, but doing it incorrectly can gouge drywall, leave stubborn paste residue, and ruin your final paint job. Proper wallpaper removal requires stripping the decorative face, removing every trace of backing paste, and restoring the underlying drywall to a paint-ready finish.

Whether you are updating a powder room, dining space, or entry hallway, following the correct removal steps ensures smooth, long-lasting paint adhesion.

The 4 Essential Steps of Professional Wallpaper Removal

1. Scoring & Penetration: Vinyl and foil wallpapers have water-resistant outer layers. Using a scoring tool creates tiny perforations that allow enzyme-based stripping solutions or steam to reach and soften the glue beneath.
2. Gentle Peeling & Stripping: Once the adhesive dissolves, the top paper layer is carefully peeled away at a low angle to prevent tearing the paper backing of the drywall underneath.
3. Thorough Glue Residue Removal: Removing the paper is only half the battle. Leftover paste residue must be scrubbed off using hot water, enzyme cleaners, and sponges. Paint applied over old paste will bubble, crack, and fail prematurely.
4. Drywall Repair, Sanding & Priming: After the wall dries, any gouges or surface imperfections are skim-coated with joint compound, sanded smooth, and sealed with a stain-blocking primer to lock in any remaining paste traces.

Planning a complete room transformation after wallpaper removal? Learn more about our full residential interior painting services across Westlake and Northeast Ohio.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping steps or using improper techniques during removal often leads to costly repairs:

Painting Directly Over Wallpaper: Seams will eventually peel, and moisture from fresh paint can cause the underlying glue to reactivate, causing widespread bubbling.
Gouging Drywall with Metal Scrapers: Using sharp, unyielding scrapers digs into soft drywall, creating deep gouges that require extensive skim-coating.
Leaving Paste Residue on Walls: Even microscopic layers of wallpaper paste will prevent paint from bonding properly, causing flashing and peeling.
Skipping the Primer Coat: Applying latex paint over unprimed, previously papered drywall causes uneven absorption and dull spots.

Refreshing your cabinetry alongside updated walls? Check out our kitchen cabinet refinishing services to see how we transform kitchen woodwork.

Let Professionals Handle the Hassle

Wallpaper stripping can quickly become messy and labor-intensive. At Sandrock Painting, Inc., our experienced painters handle the full process—from careful removal and glue decontamination to drywall repairs and flawless topcoats.

Request a free quote today to schedule an on-site estimate for wallpaper removal and interior painting!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you paint over existing wallpaper?

While possible in rare temporary situations, we strongly advise against it. Paint moisture reactivates old wallpaper paste, leading to visible seams, bubbling, and premature peeling.

How do you ensure wallpaper glue is completely removed?

We wash walls thoroughly with specialized adhesive removers, sand the surface once dry, and apply a high-adhesion stain-blocking primer to completely seal the substrate before painting.

Do you repair drywall damage caused by old wallpaper?

Yes! We patch torn drywall paper, fill gouges with joint compound, sand surfaces smooth, and prime walls so they look brand new before painting.