[JD]

The original owners of our 30+ year old home put in a hidious fake
brick backsplash in the kitchen. I would have simply painted it white
and held on until we completely redid the kitchen, but we had an above
the oven microwave put in and they had to take a couple of chunks out
of it in order to get it to fit. 1st off, how do I get this crap off
the wall without doing too much damage to the wallboard underneath, and
2nd, how do I repair the wallboard after I finally blast this stuff
off? I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to take a
hammer and chisel to the mess, but I don't want to do too much damage
to the wallboard.

Also, I've got 3 layers of UGLY WALLPAPER to get off. I've gotten the
1st layer down to the backing paper, but I've found 2 layers under
that. It was badly put up (they didn't do the corners right at all)
and I don't know if a steamer and/or paper tiger are going to even put
a dent into it.

HELP!

[Joe]

JD wrote:
The original owners of our 30+ year old home put in a hidious fake
brick backsplash in the kitchen. I would have simply painted it white
and held on until we completely redid the kitchen, but we had an above
the oven microwave put in and they had to take a couple of chunks out
of it in order to get it to fit. 1st off, how do I get this crap off
the wall without doing too much damage to the wallboard underneath, and
2nd, how do I repair the wallboard after I finally blast this stuff
off? I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to take a
hammer and chisel to the mess, but I don't want to do too much damage
to the wallboard.

Also, I've got 3 layers of UGLY WALLPAPER to get off. I've gotten the
1st layer down to the backing paper, but I've found 2 layers under
that. It was badly put up (they didn't do the corners right at all)
and I don't know if a steamer and/or paper tiger are going to even put
a dent into it.

HELP!

First you need to get over the notion that old wallboard is worth the
hassle of saving. Get out your SawzAll and wrecking bar and get it into
a Dumpster. Clean off the studs, put a straightedge to them, and
shim/plane or otherwise get them level. Then put on new wallboard, or
cement board if you want to tile. Taping and mudding wallboard is not
rocket science, just read any DIY treatise on the techniques and learn
them as you go. It helps to have a MagnaSand and shop vac for dust
control when you sand down the joints. Use low angle lighting to judge
areas to be sanded, and the results will amaze you. Pennies to peanuts
it will actually be much faster than all the struggle you now
contemplate, and maybe even cheaper. Go for it!

Joe

"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...

JD wrote:
The original owners of our 30+ year old home put in a hidious fake
brick backsplash in the kitchen. I would have simply painted it white
and held on until we completely redid the kitchen, but we had an above
the oven microwave put in and they had to take a couple of chunks out
of it in order to get it to fit. 1st off, how do I get this crap off
the wall without doing too much damage to the wallboard underneath, and
2nd, how do I repair the wallboard after I finally blast this stuff
off? I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to take a
hammer and chisel to the mess, but I don't want to do too much damage
to the wallboard.

Also, I've got 3 layers of UGLY WALLPAPER to get off. I've gotten the
1st layer down to the backing paper, but I've found 2 layers under
that. It was badly put up (they didn't do the corners right at all)
and I don't know if a steamer and/or paper tiger are going to even put
a dent into it.

HELP!

First you need to get over the notion that old wallboard is worth the
hassle of saving. Get out your SawzAll and wrecking bar and get it into
a Dumpster. Clean off the studs, put a straightedge to them, and
shim/plane or otherwise get them level. Then put on new wallboard, or
cement board if you want to tile. Taping and mudding wallboard is not
rocket science, just read any DIY treatise on the techniques and learn
them as you go. It helps to have a MagnaSand and shop vac for dust
control when you sand down the joints. Use low angle lighting to judge
areas to be sanded, and the results will amaze you. Pennies to peanuts
it will actually be much faster than all the struggle you now
contemplate, and maybe even cheaper. Go for it!

Gutting and replacing the wallboard completely basically means removing the
cabinets, countertop, and just-installed microwave. No good way to replace
just the backsplash area and leave all that intact- you would never get a
clean joint under the uppers and at the backsplash line. I think he was just
looking for an interim repair, until his time/money/interest level were up
to gutting the kitchen.

BTW, drywall mudding ain't as easy as people who do it every day make it
look. I grew up in residential construction, I have the DIY books, I've
watched it done hundreds of times. The last two mud jobs I did in this place
(small patches) STILL look like crap. It ain't rocket science, but it does
take practice, and better eyesight than I have left. If I keep this place
long enough to redo the previous owners half-ass kitchen and bathroom DIY
disasters, I'll definitely be hiring the rock and mudding out.

aem sends...