Do you remember the entry way wallpaper removing project I started? Well I think I am making some good progress on it. With the years of not only what appear to be 3 layers of wallpaper but also at least 1 paint job over it all, it’s been a very slow moving process. The typical wallpaper remover products aren’t won’t go through it all, so it’s simply the warm water and then scraping. Unfortunately most of the wallpaper is coming off in 2 or 3 inch pieces and then it is usually leaving under neath the brown backing paper, which requires a second removal. I could scrape hard and get it off faster but would be damaging the plaster underneath. So…I spray water, I scrape, I scrape again, lol and slowly but surely, am seeing the walls underneath.

Now that the wallpaper was completely removed, it was time for me to learn how to skim coast over plaster! After watching a few videos, I tried my hand at it and I think I did a pretty good job. And might I add, no sanding was needed. I found a trick to make the skim coat as smooth as glass.

We’ll be putting up wainscoting up to the halfway point on the wall, which is why you still see wallpaper there. It wasn’t that I gave up, but I thought about it a few times! LOL.

I’ll keep working my way around the entry way removing the pink painted wallpaper a section at a time and then repairing the plaster and skim coating it as I go. Then the ceiling will be next. Once that whole section is done, then the painting can begin and wainscoting can go up. Boy, even though it’s only applying the skim coat, after so much of the house we are removing, pulling down, stripping away, it was SOOOO NICE to be putting on something new, bright and clean and fresh!

Quick Update! I broke down yesterday and bought a wallpaper steamer. I had to try something different just to see and after reading reviews about it online, people said it really does work. All I have to say is WOW what a difference! The pieces are now at least coming off in 10 and 12 inch pieces. This is going to speed things up tremendously!