Removing Wallpaper Borders.

Wallpaper borders are an easy way to jazz up a room. They’re not nearly as messy as painting or larger wallpapering projects, so you can just throw up some Pooh Bear borders in the nursery, some flower borders in the kitchen, and bing-bang-boom you’ve customized a space rather nicely! Unfortunately, though, I’m not interested in putting UP wallpaper borders these days. I’m interested in taking them DOWN. And that can sometimes be a little tricky without scratching up your drywall. After some good sweat and frustration- I found a super-easy and environmentally-friendly method for removing these stubborn borders, and I thought I’d share my secret with you! You will need 1 spray bottle, water and white vinegar, a sponge to catch drips, and a small putty or drywall blade.

This is a shot of the room I am working on… our living room. The previous owner painted half white and half yellow with a floral wallpaper border as a dividing belt-line. Before we can work on the walls, that “belt-line” must go!

I’d just like to mention that the above picture is deceptive. It doesn’t show how the ceiling was sagging 5″ near the archway (now jacked up), it doesn’t show the filth encrusted on the walls (now scrubbed), the mismatched trim, the exposed wiring, or the stalactite-ceilings (fixed elsewhere but not here). But it does show you the paint contrast and the wallpaper border!

ONWARDS! To wallpaper-border-removal!!!

Step 1.

Without damaging the walls, gently scrape the border with your knife to peel as much of the “top layer” as you can. Don’t worry too much about this step if you can’t get any of the border up. It’s more of a final plea–”Hey, Mr. Wallpaper Border? You sure you don’t just wanna pop right off? ‘Cuz you’re not gonna like what’s coming next!!!!”

Step 2.

Fill your spray bottle with 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water. The solution helps dissolve the adhesive used to mount the wallpaper– since the wallpaper adhesive concoction may vary, feel free to vary your own solution!  Spray the border until saturated. You might have to let it soak in for a few moments.

Step 3.

Using your drywall knife, gently pry at the edges of the border.

It should begin to peel off nice and easy! If not, saturate again with your spray bottle or fiddle with your vinegar/water ratio!

Step 4.

You should now be borderless! Wipe the walls down with water/vinegar solution to remove any gummy buildup from the wallpaper adhesive.

Once the walls are dry- you can go to town sanding, patching, painting, re-papering… or whatever else you had planned for that space!