# Advantages of steamer for removal



## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I'm looking at a condo with wallpaper in several areas to be stripped. Last year I did the same thing to a condo in the same building, and the paper had been hung over raw Sheetrock so I am assuming this one is the same. 

I have never used a steamer for removal before, and I'm wondering if anyone thought that it would be less damaging to the walls than soak and scrape removal when the paper is hung over raw rock. 
Thanks.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Never used one. I can't imagine a steamer being faster than a garden sprayer with Diff, but I'm willing to listen.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Steamers are a pain in the butt to use IMO. And they can also be pretty damaging.


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

If paper was hung over raw rock all methods will be tuff! Paper has lamenated itself to the face of the rock and damage is almost guaranteed.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

mudbone said:


> If paper was hung over raw rock all methods will be tuff! Paper has lamenated itself to the face of the rock and damage is almost guaranteed.



That's what I'm afraid of. The contractor I'm working with on this project suggested that the steamer may cause less damage because it wouldn't get the wall as wet.. 

I run into this a lot unfortunately, its always a mess.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Only had the pleasure of removing paper from raw wallboard once and it was less than 20 sft. I think I would at least price out replacing the Sheetrock if I knew for sure it wasn't installed properly. You're definitely gonna wreck the wall taking it off.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

Nearly every time I have done it, a full skim coat or two has been necessary to fix the damage. 

I know steamers are slow, but if it saved on repair work it might be worth it. I'm skeptical though.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Jmayspaint said:


> Nearly every time I have done it, a full skim coat or two has been necessary to fix the damage.
> 
> I know steamers are slow, but if it saved on repair work it might be worth it. I'm skeptical though.


I would think that either way, the steam is going to lift the face paper of the drywall and there will be skimming to be done. I just don't see how you can control how it will wet the wallpaper, and NOT the drywall.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> I would think that either way, the steam is going to lift the face paper of the drywall and there will be skimming to be done. I just don't see how you can control how it will wet the wallpaper, and NOT the drywall.


Exactly - you really can't.


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## MIZZOU (Nov 18, 2012)

Sometimes it's quicker to test all options to find which will be most efficient. My old boss used to steam remove lots of difficult paper, it had its place in certain situations. Go ahead and order your gardz now josh 

Good luck and keep us posted, curious to see what approach you decide on.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

We have several.In a case where the water & diff cannot penetrate it works great. I would never trust a tigers paw in the hands of anyone s don't go there


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

aaron61 said:


> We have several.In a case where the water & diff cannot penetrate it works great. I would never trust a tigers paw in the hands of anyone s don't go there


 
I use a paper tiger all the time, you have to have some self control


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

to answer the question, NO, I see no advantage:no:


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

I have used the steamer but not on a wall like this. If it has been primed and sized (not sure of spelling to lazy to google it) the steamer worked great so did just plain old hot water. Your looking at damaging the wall regardless. I would just go to town with water & dif and scrapers.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

I know the search feature here sucks, but even a simple "wallpaper steamer" turns up this recent thread:

http://www.painttalk.com/f12/commerical-grade-steamer-26023/

It gives more opinions on the subject


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

aaron61 said:


> We have several.In a case where the water & diff cannot penetrate it works great. I would never trust a tigers paw in the hands of anyone s don't go there


How about a behr claw?:whistling2:


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

MIZZOU said:


> Sometimes it's quicker to test all options to find which will be most efficient. My old boss used to steam remove lots of difficult paper, it had its place in certain situations. Go ahead and order your gardz now josh
> 
> Good luck and keep us posted, curious to see what approach you decide on.


Exactly! I dont think in the many yrs.I've been doing business have I had any success removing wallcovering even if its been properly prepped,Seems like it always wrecks the wall regardless . Thanks God for The Gardz and mud.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> I would think that either way, the steam is going to lift the face paper of the drywall and there will be skimming to be done. I just don't see how you can control how it will wet the wallpaper, and NOT the drywall.


That was exactly my experience with steaming wallpaper some 25+ years ago. 
I loaned my steamer to someone back then and they never brought it back.
Come to think of it, I'd borrowed it from someone else, and they never asked for it back.
I never asked for it back either.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

slinger58 said:


> That was exactly my experience with steaming wallpaper some 25+ years ago.
> I loaned my steamer to someone back then and they never brought it back.
> Come to think of it, I'd borrowed it from someone else, and they never asked for it back.
> I never asked for it back either.



It sounds like the quintessential holiday fruitcake, you know the ONLY one that was ever made . . . it just keeps being re-gifted to the next person because NOBODY LIKES FRUITCAKE or wallpaper steamers


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

Usually the only one who gets steamed is me!


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

I'll probably get blasted by someone for saying this, but if you've already done a building and know it is installed improperly....

Why not just prime it and skim it?


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

Well I got real lucky with this one. Apparently this condo had a different paper hanger that the one next door. The walls had been prepped well before hanging. Paper came off super easy with just hot water. Came in at 1/3 of estimated stripping time :thumbsup:


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Say it ain't so! A wallpaper removal job coming in UNDER budget?!!!!


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## CliffK (Dec 21, 2010)

Jmayspaint said:


> Well I got real lucky with this one. Apparently this condo had a different paper hanger that the one next door. The walls had been prepped well before hanging. Paper came off super easy with just hot water. Came in at 1/3 of estimated stripping time :thumbsup:


 Now that's a victory for all of us!!!! 
Every once in a while you have to get lucky-it's usually when you least expect it......


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

She will want 2/3rds of her money back


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## Sir Mixalot (Sep 8, 2009)

Jmayspaint said:


> Well I got real lucky with this one. Apparently this condo had a different paper hanger that the one next door. The walls had been prepped well before hanging. Paper came off super easy with just hot water. Came in at 1/3 of estimated stripping time :thumbsup:


Nice! :clap:


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> Say it ain't so! A wallpaper removal job coming in UNDER budget?!!!!


It happens, occasionally, not nearly enough though.:no:


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## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

Just like Grandpa always used to say "You never know what you got 'till you look at it'. I don't know why they would want to get rid of that beautiful paper.......


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## Repaint Florida (May 31, 2012)

Why can't i ever get an easy one?


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## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

Well, you're making it look easy Repaint. It looks like you're using the return air duct for a trash can, one of those "tricks of the trade" I keep reading about?


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Here's a tip:

Re hose that sprayer with a 20 footer


SOOOOOO much easier.


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