Dave wrote:

mentalguy2004 wrote:

Friends of ours are moving into their new house and asked if it was
possible to take the wallpaper off with a steamer. Sounds like the
paper has gone up over plasterboard, but wouldn't there be some sort
of lining paper? If not, what's the easiest way so as not to damage
the walls? They want to paint directly onto the plasterboard which I'm
dubious about.

I'm tempted to say no just so I don't get asked to do it


While the weather is set to rain, get as much steam into the room as is
possible. Pots of boiling water, as many electric kettles you can find,
steamer going full blast, until you think you are in a tropical forest.

I forgot to add...

At this point, all the doors and windows of the room should be tightly
closed.

I have just been doing this in our bathroom that is partially tiled and
the rest had Marley Vinyl tile effect paper.

Wife had spent the best part of 3 hours removing about what amounted to
about two length drops of paper. After getting the steam up, I did 2
drops in about 20 minutes (she had cut the paper to get water
penetration and it was coming off in tiny strips) hence the slow rate.

Also, strip off to a pair of swimming trunks. You will be sweating a bit
in those conditions.

You will now find that the paper will almost drop off the walls without
a scraper being used.

Oh! I forgot. Do this very early morning, or late at night, assuming
that there has not been any heating in the house. If there is heating
on, even at this late stage in the year, turn it off and open all doors
and windows for several hours before bringing up the steam levels. This
way, all the walls will be as cold as you can make them and the steam
will condense all the more onto them.

HTH

Dave