Wallpaper Removal

It’s not recommended. Paint over wallpaper tends to bubble, peel, and show seams over time. Removing the wallpaper and properly prepping the walls gives you a much better, longer-lasting paint finish.

Some minor drywall damage is common, especially with older adhesives. A professional will skim coat and repair any damaged areas as part of the wall prep process so the surface is smooth and ready for paint.

Peel back a corner in an inconspicuous spot. If you see another pattern underneath, you have multiple layers. Many older North Texas homes have 2-3 layers of wallpaper stacked on top of each other, which increases removal time and cost.

After removal, walls need to be washed to remove adhesive residue, sanded smooth, skim coated if there are imperfections, and then primed with a quality primer before paint. Skipping any of these steps will show through the final paint job.

The biggest cost factors are the type of wallpaper (vinyl vs paper), the adhesive used, the number of layers, and whether it was applied to primed or unprimed drywall. Wallpaper applied directly to unprimed drywall is the most difficult and expensive to remove.

A single room typically takes 1-2 days depending on the type of wallpaper, number of layers, and adhesive used. Vinyl wallpaper and multiple layers take longer. A whole-house project for a standard 3-bed/2-bath home usually takes 5-7 days.