Removing Border Paper From Wall

Border paper consists of decorative strips of wallpaper commonly placed along wall moldings to complement wallpaper or paint. Although long lasting, wallpaper borders eventually fade, loosen and curl at the edges. Old, tarnished and out-dated border papers detract from a home's décor and overall appearance. Most homeowners ultimately remove border paper from wall surfaces for aesthetic and remodeling purposes. Removing the paper and its adhesive requires basic techniques.

Pump sprayer
5 oz. wallpaper remover
Plastic drop cloths
Safety glasses
Putty knife
Clean bucket
Sponge

Instructions

- 1
  Fill a pump sprayer with 1 gallon of hot water. Dilute 5 oz. of wallpaper remover in the water.
- 2
  Lay plastic drop cloths around the perimeter of the room to protect the floor from the wallpaper remover solution. Put on safety glasses for protection against airborne dust particles.
- 3
  Spray the wallpaper remover solution onto the border paper. Let border paper absorb the solution for 10 minutes.
- 4
  Peel back the border starting at a loose, raw edge. Pull off as much border paper as possible. Leave the paper's adhesive backing on the wall for now.
- 5
  Spray the wallpaper remover solution onto the remaining stubborn border paper and adhesive backing. Let the solution permeate the paper and backing for 10 minutes.
- 6
  Scrape off the softened paper and backing using a putty knife. Remove all fragments of border paper and backing.
- 7
  Fill a clean bucket with warm water. Using a sponge, wipe the wall with the warm water to rinse off the paste residue. Frequently rinse the sponge and refill the bucket.
- 8
  Let the wall fully air-dry.

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