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titian
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« on: June 08, 2008, 03:52:24 PM » |
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I am moving into an apartment on a farm. The previous tenant lived there 8 years; before that the prior owner of the farm had this apartment renovated for their mother-in-law. Evidently the MIL really liked the farm motif. There is a wallpaper border in the bathroom that has large, green roosters on it. I can deal with the pink chintz wallpaper in the bedroom. I can cover up the wallpaper in the entry (looks like loosely woven cloth or burlap, but is not) with a quilt. But the roosters -- *shudder*. I have talked to the landlord, and I am allowed to make some improvements.
Thus, a question for the CHE home improvement gurus. Is it better to:
a. Prime and paint directly over the wallpaper border?
b. Wallpaper over the border?
c. Absolutely remove the wallpaper border completely and start over?
Or should I just learn to live with giant green roosters staring down at me while I bathe?
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ms_turtle
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« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2008, 03:59:13 PM » |
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Remove the wallpaper border, prime, and then paint. It's not difficult but takes a little time. A border shouldn't take too long though.
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'I get paid to think, and today I prefer to do my thinking lying down.' -- Inspector Morse
"Oh, PLANS, PLANS, PLANS -- how we make plans into the future, as if the future will most certainly be there!" -- John Irving
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expatinuk
Has spent over 1000 pounds but now holds a Brit passport!
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 6,653
From SC living in UK
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« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2008, 04:01:14 PM » |
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Remove the wallpaper...
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Expatinuk seems to be a Soviet Satellite in stationary orbit over the UK
It is what it is.
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hrvatski18
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« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2008, 04:01:30 PM » |
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Definitely remove the wallpaper, then prime, and paint.
If you paint over the wallpaper, there is a good chance the pattern will bleed through despite goodness knows how many coats you give it.
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mended_drum
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« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2008, 04:01:45 PM » |
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Remove the wallpaper border. Score it with a putty knife, and then as long as you keep the paper nice and wet, it's not that hard to take off, especially those borders.
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movingforward
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« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2008, 04:04:57 PM » |
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Run! If you do anything, you will get sucked into a home (apartment) repair vortex! 6 years ago we decided to put an exhaust fan in our bathroom. This rapidly spiraled into a massive project that took over the whole first floor. No kitchen for a year and a half!
a) You paint over the border and the roosters still show through 4 coats later. You can see the line where the border ends and then the paint starts to peel and flake all over you while you bathe.
b) You wallpaper over the border and the wallpaper begins to fall off the wall starting at the border.
c) Remove the border and all the paint underneath. The rest of the paint starts flaking off.
d) Eventually the roosters will drive you crazy and you will rip them from the walls with your bare hands!
In any case, you'll end up mudding the entire wall and repainting. So Run! Run from the roosters!
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angel
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« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2008, 04:10:00 PM » |
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I can deal with the pink chintz wallpaper in the bedroom.
Really? You're a stronger person than I am, friend. That sounds perfectly awful. It'd haunt me while I slept. Agreed: if you paint, you must, must remove the wallpaper. |
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pink_
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« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2008, 04:13:05 PM » |
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Yeah, as everyone has said, you need to remove the wallpaper.
My mom has done it a lot, so it can't be that hard (I love my mom, but handy-woman, she's not).
My SO lives in a house where the previous owners simply painted over the wallpaper, and the paper is now starting to come away from the wall, leaving some rather large bubbles.
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Horses don't have seatbelts. Listen to Pink, she's smart.
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sad_goat
Nothin' but love for ya
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 2,610
Requiring tolerance from the tolerant every day.
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« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2008, 04:15:16 PM » |
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The key is getting the paste off, not just the paper. You should be able to see yourself in the affected area before you prime.
Yes, I do for once know what I'm talking about. 600 square feet of knowing, in fact.
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In other words, it is a moral and philosophical question, not a question of details.
...it is proper to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties. - James Madison |
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see_wolf
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« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2008, 04:32:13 PM » |
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The key is getting the paste off, not just the paper. I have a friend who swears by 1/4 c each of liquid fabric softener and dish detergent mixed in a couple gallons of water. Apply to paste with a sponge or use a spray bottle. |
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« Last Edit: June 08, 2008, 04:32:44 PM by see_wolf »
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lincolns_ghost
Senior member
Posts: 350
I make people cry and faint
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« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2008, 04:38:45 PM » |
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We bought a house where the owners were quite taken by "angels" as a design motif. I had no idea there were so many patterns of wallpaper that involved angels. I do now... and I'm also an ace at removing wallpaper because of it.
[I especially loathe the giant baby angels who are so world weary they prop their giant baby heads on their hands. They apparently make that design in all sizes of borders....]
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"I would have fired her 14 pages ago."---anthroid
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sad_goat
Nothin' but love for ya
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 2,610
Requiring tolerance from the tolerant every day.
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« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2008, 04:57:07 PM » |
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On the biggest wall of our kitchen was a wallpaper mural of one of those Mediterranean harbor scenes, floor to ceiling. After I shot it, we went to work.
Probably worth a nod in the "Wallpaper Museum" now. Too late.
Oh, and let me tell you about metallic floral patterns...
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In other words, it is a moral and philosophical question, not a question of details.
...it is proper to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties. - James Madison |
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scheherazade
1/3 of the Triumvirate of Evil and the Most Delicious
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 7,105
Running feminist prostitution rings since 1998
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« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2008, 05:10:16 PM » |
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How you remove the paper depends on the type of wallpaper. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=HomeDecor/removewallpaperI've helped with the steaming method and the water method. The steaming is definitely easier with two people. |
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You historians disturb me sometimes. |
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schoolmarm
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« Reply #13 on: June 08, 2008, 07:16:11 PM » |
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Ok, folks, how do you get the wallpaper off when the morons you bought the house from PAINTED over the wallpaper? I've got some bubbles and over by the baseboard heater, the pattern is "burned" into the paint in a lovely sienna tone. Floral stripes is what I think the previous patter was.
ARGGGG....just strip off the old paper and borders. I have some nasties in the three bathrooms (can you say 70s? 80? Austin Powers?) and in the kitchen and hall. Oh, yeah, and in the den...it looked ok with their furniture, but looks terrible now.)
Are you sure that you don't want to just succumb to the roosters? LOL!
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francie_
The Really Cheerful
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 3,815
The Voice of Reason
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« Reply #14 on: June 08, 2008, 08:56:38 PM » |
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I knew roosters were "in", but roosters in the bathroom? Oh my.
What everyone has said, strip off that border before painting. For a primer I recommend Zinsser's 1-2-3 with the BLUE label.
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Oh realfrancie, so clever!
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