Taking down old wallpaper looks like a weekend project until you meet the second layer, the glue that will not soften or the paper that tears the drywall face off with it. We remove wallpaper in Lake Country houses and then repair the walls underneath so the room can be painted straight away.

The free written quote includes the stripping, the wall repair and the paint, because removal alone leaves you with walls you cannot live with.

What removal covers

Testing a corner to learn whether the paper peels dry or needs soaking
Scoring and wetting vinyl and heavy papers so the backing releases
Scraping the paper and scrubbing off paste residue
Repairing gouges, torn paper faces and loose seams in the board
Priming the cleaned wall so the new finish does not bleed through
Painting the room, or leaving it prepared if you want to repaper

What lies under the paper in an older house

Many Lake Country homes have a feature wall or a full room of wallpaper from a previous owner. What matters is how it was hung. Paper applied straight onto unprimed drywall bonds to the paper face of the board, and when it comes off it often takes that layer too. Paper over a primed surface usually releases cleanly.

If the house is older, the age matters in another way. Health Canada says lead paint is probable in homes built before 1960 and possible from 1960 to 1990, and paint can sit under the wallpaper. Tell us the age of the home so any testing happens before we scrape.

Plan for the room to feel unfinished for a day or two. Bare, primed walls look patchy before the colour goes on, and we would rather you hear that from us than worry about it.

Protect the floors and baseboards you plan to keep. Wet paper and paste drip, so we lay plastic and tape the trim before soaking, and we change drop sheets when they get saturated instead of letting moisture creep underneath.

Stripping a room

Test a patch. We try a small area first to see how the paper reacts and how the wall behaves under it.
Strip the paper. The top layer is pulled away, the backing is soaked and scraped, and glue is washed off.
Repair the board. Torn faces and damage are skimmed and sanded flat and the wall is primed.
Finish and review. We paint the walls and walk the room with you, checking for any trace of old glue showing through.

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

Wallpaper Removal in Lake Country: questions

Why does the wall look worse after the paper comes off?

Paper hides patches, uneven filler and old repairs. That is normal, and the wall repair in the quote is there to bring it back to a flat surface.

Can you remove paper from a ceiling?

Yes, though it is slower and messier than walls. We cover the floor heavily and tell you how many days to expect.

Is there any way to avoid the mess?

Not entirely, but we limit it by working in a sealed room, laying thick drop sheets and cleaning up daily.

Other painting services in Lake Country

Wallpaper Removal in nearby towns

If old paper is holding your Lake Country room back, ask for a free written quote that covers removal through to paint.

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

More about wallpaper removal and Lake Country

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

Further reading: Lake Country on Wikipedia and Primer on Wikipedia.

Watch: wallpaper removal in action

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