Strip painted-over wallpaper

Score painted wallpaper, soak it, scrape it off wall by wall, then wash and fill ready for redecorating.

SW-01Clear and protect the roomMove furniture away from the walls and take down curtains, pictures and any loose border. Lay dust sheets over the floor and skirting, and tape plastic sheeting up the wall edges near sockets and light switches. Wet paper and paste are heavy and messy, so cover more than you think you need.

2 each · Dust sheets

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1 roll · Masking tape

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1 roll · Plastic sheeting

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SW-02Work out the wall type before you startTap the wall with a knuckle. Solid brick or block sounds dull and solid all over. Plasterboard on timber or metal studs, and dot-and-dab plasterboard, sound hollow in patches. Lath and plaster (common in houses built before the 1930s) sounds hollow and slightly springy, and you may see thin wooden laths where old plaster has already cracked. This matters because too much water can soften plasterboard adhesive dabs or crumble old plaster keys, so you'll treat those walls more gently later.

SW-03Turn off power before wetting any socket wallIf a wall has sockets or switches on it, turn off the power to that room at the consumer unit before you steam or wet the paper. Water and steam can track behind faceplates, and that's genuinely dangerous while the circuit is live. Once the power is off, cover each socket and switch with masking tape as an extra barrier.

SW-04Score the painted surfaceRun a scoring tool or a serrated wallpaper scraper over the wall in overlapping strokes. Paint blocks water, so scoring lets steam or stripping solution reach the paste underneath. Use light, even pressure — don't gouge into the plaster or the plasterboard's paper face.

1 each · Wallpaper scoring tool

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SW-05Soak or steam the paper, section by sectionOn solid brick or block walls, hold a steam stripper plate or hot stripping solution against each section for 10-15 seconds. On plasterboard over timber or metal studs, use the same approach but move on as soon as the paper darkens — don't dwell in one spot. On dot-and-dab plasterboard, use short bursts and less water, as heavy soaking can loosen the adhesive dabs behind the board. On lath and plaster, use steam sparingly and keep it moving constantly, because too much water can crumble the plaster keys behind the laths.

1 day · Steam wallpaper stripper (hire)

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1 bottle · Wallpaper stripping solution

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SW-06Scrape off the softened paperStarting at a seam, scrape sideways or upward with a broad scraper held at a shallow angle so you don't dig into the wall. Work in the same section you just steamed or soaked, before it dries out again. If a patch is stubborn, re-wet or re-steam it rather than scraping harder.

1 each · Broad wallpaper scraper

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SW-07Wash the walls downWipe the walls with a sponge and warm water to remove leftover paste and paper fibres. Change the water often, as paste left behind can show through new paint or paper later. Let the walls dry fully — this can take 24-48 hours — before filling or redecorating.

1 each · Sponge

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1 each · Bucket

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SW-08Fill and sand any damageFill gouges, cracks or torn plasterboard paper with a general-purpose filler, let it dry, then sand smooth with fine sandpaper. On lath and plaster, small cracks are normal to fill, but get a plasterer to check any patch that feels soft or bounces under light pressure. On dot-and-dab, check the wall still sounds solid all over — a new hollow, drum-like sound over a wide area can mean a dab has failed.

1 tub · General-purpose filler

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1 pack · Fine sandpaper

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SW-09Clean up and dispose of the wasteScrape wet paper and paste into a bin bag as you go, rather than letting it soak the household bin. Wipe down tools and dry the steamer fully before storing it. Remove the masking tape and dust sheets once the walls are completely dry.

1 pack · Bin bags

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