Why Should I Hire a Professional Wallpaper Removal Company?
When the dingy and outdated wallpaper in your home must go, you will have your hands full and messes galore if you opt to do it yourself. The bottom line is that there is no simple and easy way to remove wallpaper from walls, especially if the paper in place has been there for many years.
Instead of struggling with the removal process and then having to clean up the significant mess left behind, hire a professional who will handle every aspect of the job for you. Unless you enjoy creating messes and having to clean them, a professional wallpaper removal is the only way to go.
1. Benefits of Pro Wallpaper Removal
You never know exactly how the wallpaper removal process will proceed once you start. You could encounter absolutely no problems and the old wallpaper will strip off effortlessly. Or, you could find that the wallpaper clings stubbornly to the walls and you cannot remove it without significant effort.
With a professional on the job, whatever issues you encounter will be within his knowledge base. He will know exactly how to deal with wallpaper that wont loosen from the walls. He will also have the tools and equipment necessary to remove the wallpaper effectively in whatever conditions exist on your walls.
2. Types of Wallpaper
Wallpaper often has a decorative outer surface that sits on an under-layer backing with glue. The outer surface might be foil or it could have an acrylic finish coating the wallpaper. Some older wallpaper might even have a vinyl layer on the surface.
If the surface layer of the wallpaper is not porous, this complicates the removal process because the wallpaper solvent will not absorb through the wallpaper to activate with the glued under-layer. In this case, the professional will use a special tool that scores the entire surface of the wallpaper. This scoring creates small holes throughout the wallpaper that will facilitate absorption of the solvent for loosening and removing the wallpaper.
3. Age of Wallpaper/Difficulty of Removal
The way wallpaper separates and removes from walls depends on how the walls were prepared before hanging the wallpaper. If the wallpaper hangers primed the walls properly prior to hanging the wallpaper, you will probably find that the wallpaper comes off easily. If the wallpaper hangers did not prime and prepare the walls, the wallpaper will not remove easily and special tools and equipment will be necessary for the removal process.
You might have wallpaper that has a layer of paint over it. This situation creates a complicated removal process that will require a wallpaper steamer to loosen the wallpaper. The steaming process will be involved and messy and not pleasant for a do-it-yourselfer, but standard operating procedure for a professional with the right tools and the skills to handle these conditions.
4. Prevent Damage to Walls
The wallpaper removal process may involve saturating the wallpaper with a special solvent to separate it from the wall surface. This process can be risky because too much moisture may damage the walls. Drywall is especially vulnerable to damage from over application of wallpaper solvent.
During the removal process, the professional will need to scrape the walls carefully to prevent gouging or damaging the wall surface behind the wallpaper. The professionals tools and specialized skills should ensure that the wallpaper comes off successfully without damaging walls.
5. Site Cleanup
The process of saturating the walls and scraping or peeling off wallpaper will create a significant mess. With drop cloths lining the floors beneath the walls, scraps of sodden wallpaper will quickly accumulate to create a large mess. Once the walls are free of every shred of wallpaper, cleaning up the mess will be the next task, which will involve gathering and then disposing the soggy wallpaper pieces. With a professional handling the job, you will not need to worry about gathering and throwing away the wallpaper because this service will be a part of the overall services provided.