The short answer
We remove single and multi-layer wallpaper from Winter Park homes, on both plaster and drywall. Each wall is stripped with the gentlest method that works, washed of paste and repaired for paint or new paper.
Older homes in Winter Park often hold wallpaper the way tree trunks hold rings. Peel back one layer in a bathroom and you might find a second pattern underneath, then a third, each from a different owner's renovation. Taking all of that down without wrecking the wall is careful, unhurried work. Our team travels about 10 miles north from Orlando to remove wallpaper in homes throughout ZIP 32789, and we finish each room with clean, repaired, primed walls instead of a patchwork of torn drywall.
Layers of old paper
Stacked layers are common in established houses. Sometimes a previous owner hung new paper directly over old; sometimes they painted over it and then papered again. Each layer adds adhesive and makes it harder for water and steam to reach the bottom.
We work from the top down. The newest layer is peeled or perforated first, then the next one is softened and lifted, and so on until the original wall surface appears. It is slower than a single-layer job, but rushing it is how gouges and torn facing happen.
Plaster walls and drywall behave differently
Plaster, found in some older homes, is hard and fairly tolerant of moisture. It allows generous soaking and steaming, and the main risk is softening old patches that were made with a different material. Drywall, by contrast, has a paper face that soaks up water quickly. Too much moisture or an aggressive scraper can peel that face away and leave a fuzzy, damaged surface.
Many Winter Park houses have both, especially where additions or renovations meet the original rooms. We test each wall and adjust how much water and steam we use, rather than treating the whole house the same way.
Methods we use
No single technique suits every paper. On a typical job we combine several:
- Dry peeling for strippable and non-woven papers
- Gentle perforation of vinyl or painted surfaces so moisture can penetrate
- Warm water with a mild remover solution to release paste
- Steam for thick, layered or stubborn papers
- Broad, rounded scrapers kept nearly flat to protect the wall
- Thorough washing until no paste residue remains
Bathrooms, kitchens and mildew
The most common removal rooms are bathrooms and kitchens, and both can hide surprises. In bathrooms, steam over the years can drive moisture behind loose seams, leaving dark spots of mildew on the wall beneath. In kitchens, grease and cooking residue can build up on the paper's face and make it repel water.
We clean mildew-stained areas and let them dry fully before sealing. If we find soft drywall or signs of an active leak, we point it out so you can have the source fixed before anything new goes on. Central Florida's humid summers make that drying step especially important, and running the AC normally during and after the job speeds it up.
Signs it is time for the paper to go
Not every old wallpaper has to come down right away, but some symptoms mean it will only get worse. Edges curling at the ceiling line or near a tub usually point to paste that has let go. Bubbles that appear in summer and flatten in winter tell you moisture is moving behind the paper. Seams that have opened into thin dark lines collect dirt that never wipes clean.
Painting over those problems tends to lock them in, and the paint itself may crack along every seam within a season or two. If you are planning to sell, repaint or simply refresh a room in your Winter Park home, removing the paper first gives you a wall you can trust for whatever finish comes next.
Ready for what comes next
Once the paper is off and the walls are washed, we turn to repairs. Torn drywall facing is sealed with a stain-blocking primer to stop bubbling. Cracks around windows and doors, common in block homes, are filled. Old anchor holes are patched, and uneven areas are skimmed and sanded smooth. A final primer coat leaves the wall ready for paint or new paper.
To prepare, remove pictures, mirrors, curtains and anything on shelves, and clear bathroom counters. We take care of covering floors and fixtures. We also handle removal in Maitland, Eatonville, Edgewood, Belle Isle and Sky Lake, and we can hang new wallpaper right after if you have chosen a replacement.
More services in Winter Park
- Wallpaper Installation in Winter ParkLocal service & repairs
- Accent Wall Installation in Winter ParkLocal service & repairs
- Mural Installation in Winter ParkLocal service & repairs
- Grasscloth Wallpaper Installation in Winter ParkLocal service & repairs
