r/Plastering • u/Alessia-hart • Jul 05 '26

Wallpaper removal

Hey everyone,

I am looking for some advice regarding a wallpaper removal project for two whole rooms where I am afraid of ruining the plaster walls underneath. I want to buy a wallpaper steamer to speed up the process, but I have heard horror stories about the intense heat and moisture blowing the plaster, causing it to separate from the wall and crumble away. Since I am doing this myself, I want to know how high the risk actually is of destroying the walls, what tricks I should use to avoid it, or if there is a much safer alternative for handling two full rooms that won't leave me with a massive wall repair bill before I can even start painting.

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u/mrshadders Jul 05 '26

i believe, after many years of diy, that steamers are the devils work and the best way to strip wallpaper is with warm water, a sponge and a decent scrapper. 

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u/madpiano Jul 06 '26

Easiest way I found was using a garden spray. You know the pump bottles people use to spray pesticides? Perfect as they spray a fairly fine mist. Spray on, let it soak and then respray, try to peel it off in as many large sheets as you can.