People used to hesitate before facing the hassle of removing wallpaper.
“Years ago, people dreaded tackling wallpaper removal because it used to be a messy, time-consuming job, but there are new products now that make it less threatening.” says Bob Senior, president of Zinsser, a maker of wallpapering products.
Some of those products are designed to eliminate the mess of stripping wallpaper because they actually adhere to the wallpaper rather than drip down the wall and onto the floor.
Once the paper is off the wall, another problem arises. “The big question is what are people going to do next?” says Senior. Some, he says, simply paint the wall, others opt for a faux finish and a growing number choose to put up a wallpaper border.
Because borders have caught the fancy of the do-it-yourself home decorator, many manufacturers have developed products to simplify that job as well.
Jerry Russon, vice president at Roman Adhesives, says the popularity of borders may be just the impetus it takes for people to undertake more ambitious wallpapering projects.
“If we can create products to make hanging borders easier, it gives people a chance to dip their foot in the water to see what the temperature is like,” he explains. “Once people do a border and like the way it looks, they may do an accent wall the next time and eventually a whole room.”
A number of these new products for stripping and hanging wallpaper are described below. The prices listed for products are suggested retail prices. Contact the listed manufacturers for help in finding a retailer in your area that carries a specific product.
-Dripless solution. Zinsser calls its DIF Wallpaper Stripper a “no-mess” way to get the job done. The product is a gel that clings to the walls and will not drip. It can be applied with a brush or a paint roller and is formulated to penetrate and loosen wallpaper and break down the paste behind it within 20 to 30 minutes after it has been applied. A scraper is then all it takes to strip the wall. Zinsser has also introduced Sure-Grip, a powder that is mixed with water to increase the adhesiveness of pre-pasted wallpaper. It can be applied with a brush or paint roller, so a water tray is not necessary. Prices: $13 per gallon for DIF, $5 per packet for Sure-Grip. Zinsser, 173 Belmont Dr., Somerset, N.J. 08875-1285. Phone: 908-469-4367.
-Three options. Roman Adhesives has a new product for removing wallpaper as well as one for hanging borders. E-Z Gel is mixed with water to make a solution that can be applied with a roller, a brush or a spray bottle. It is left to soak into the wallpaper for 20 minutes and then the old covering can be removed with a scraper. Border-Ease comes in an applicator with a 3-inch-wide sponge top. A squeeze applies adhesive to the border. It is available in two formulas: one for borders being applied over vinyl wallcoverings or glossy surfaces and one for pre-pasted borders applied over flat interior paint. Prices: $8 for E-Z Gel, $8.99 for Border-Ease. Roman Adhesives Inc., 824 State St., Calumet City, Ill. 60409. Phone: 800-488-6117.
– One-stop shopping. The Border Pro kit from Red Devil includes all the tools needed to apply pre-pasted borders. It comes with a razor knife to cut the border, a mini water tray and sponge, a border smoother and a seam roller. The Red Devil Wallpaper Pro kit comes equipped with everything it takes to hang wallpaper. Items range from a plumb bob and chalk with string to plastic wallcovering smoother and a how-to booklet all packed in a water tray. Prices: $11.21 for Border Pro, $15.99 for Wallpaper Pro. Red Devil Inc., 2400 Vauxhall Rd., Union, N.J. 07083-1933. Phone: 908-688-6900.
– All wound up. The Shur-Line Wallcovering Border Applicator eliminates a lot of the work from applying borders. Once the border is wet, it is rolled up onto the applicator’s spool and then the border is unwound onto the wall. A 15-foot roll can be applied in one continuous piece so that cutting and patching are not necessary. Price: $7.99. Shur-Line Inc., Dept. QA, 2000 Commerce Pkwy., Lancaster, N.Y. 14086-0285. Phone: 800-828-7848.
– Time on your side. The Pre-pasted Wallcovering Activator from Gibson-Homans is formulated to eliminate the need for water trays. The product is applied to the back of wallcovering with a paint roller. It is formulated to extend the drying time of the adhesive so that there is more time to match patterns and join seams. Price: $7.50. Gibson-Homans, 1755 Enterprise Parkway, Twinsburg, Ohio 44087. Phone: 800-433-7293.
– Step-by-step guide. The Wallpapering Kit from HomeRight brings together a number of tools to do the job right. It includes a FineLine Cutting Guide designed to make flush cuts and a Wet Right Wetting Tray created to allow for automatic feeding of the wallpaper to be wetted. In addition, there is a Quick Mask poly drop cloth to protect baseboards and floors, a knife, a smoother and a seam roller. To eliminate all doubts about doing the job well, the kit also offers a video with step-by-step instructions. Price: $39.99. HomeRight, 1661 94th Lane N.E., Minneapolis, Minn. 55449. Phone: 800-264-5442.
