Taking down old wallpaper sounds simple until the top layer peels and leaves a backing stuck to the wall. What follows is hours of steaming, scoring and scraping, and the walls underneath are often damaged by it.

We remove wallpaper from Oliver homes as part of a repaint, and we quote the stripping, the repair and the painting together so the result is a finished wall rather than a bare one.

What removal includes

Testing whether the paper is strippable, peelable or needs full soaking
Scoring the surface so water or remover can reach the glue
Scraping and peeling in sections, taking care not to gouge the board
Washing off adhesive residue, which blocks paint if left behind
Repairing torn paper faces, gouges and seams in the drywall
Priming the cleaned wall before any colour goes on

What is hiding under the paper

Wallpaper in an older Oliver house is often hung over bare drywall that was never primed, which makes the paper cling hard and tear the surface when it comes off. We plan extra time for repair in those cases, and we show you the damage before we paint over it.

Sometimes the paper has been painted over, which makes removal harder. We test a small patch to learn what we are dealing with and then give you a realistic scope. If the home is older, ask yourself whether the paper or paste dates from before 1990, and tell us so we can check for lead-based paint on the layers below.

Adhesive is where the real work hides. Even after the paper is gone, a thin film of glue can remain, and paint applied over it will wrinkle or peel. We wash the walls until a damp cloth runs clean, let them dry fully, and only then prime. It is a slow stage, but skipping it is the most common reason repainted walls look uneven.

Stripping a room, step by step

Test a patch. A hidden corner shows us how the paper behaves, and which removal method will do the least damage.
Protect the room. Floors, outlets and baseboards are covered before water goes anywhere near them.
Soak and lift. We wet and peel the paper, then work on the backing and glue until the wall is smooth to the touch.
Repair and prime. Damaged areas are patched, sanded and primed, so the wall is ready for paint the same visit.

The full process, prep and pricing factors are on our main wallpaper removal page.

Wallpaper Removal in Oliver: questions

Why can’t I just paint over the wallpaper?

Paint can make seams curl and bubbles appear, and the paper may release from the wall as it dries. A stripped, primed wall holds paint far more reliably.

How long does one room take to strip?

It varies with the paper type and layers. A single-layer strippable paper goes quickly, while layered or painted-over paper takes longer, and we tell you which you have after the patch test.

Will you leave the walls damaged?

No. Repair work is part of the plan. The aim is a wall that looks smooth enough to take any colour, not a wall with scars.

Other painting services in Oliver

Wallpaper Removal in nearby towns

To get a clear picture of what is under your old paper, request a free written quote for wallpaper removal in Oliver.

Request your free written quote or call (778) 760-0346.

More about wallpaper removal and Oliver

Have a question first? Read the FAQ, learn about Alto Pro Painters or contact us.

Further reading: Oliver on Wikipedia and Primer on Wikipedia.

Watch: wallpaper removal in action

How to strip wallpaper, by This Old House on YouTube.