Wallpaper question- this one is different!

12 years ago

I've read through all the back posts about wallpaper removal in old homes but this one hasn't been addressed!

My hubby and I bought a pre civil war home in rural TN and are in the process of restoring/ updating it. The main hallway has wallpaper that is extremely thick and has the texture of cardboard/ construction paper. It is slightly textured but not shiny or the normal two layer feel that most papers I've seen have. To make it even better, it has been applied directly over the lath- there's NO plaster at all! It is bubbly in a few areas but completely stuck on most of it. Any tips on how to remove it from wood? Scraping doesn't seem to remove more than an inch or so of paper at a time, and all the glue is left. I'm scared to wet it down because there's electric running right next to the lath.
Any ideas would be most appreciated!
We're planning on plastering after the paper is off if that helps any...

This post was edited by catapilrgirl on Wed, Nov 20, 13 at 15:16

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Comments (8)

User
12 years ago
It's not Masonite board???
catapilrgirl
Original Author
12 years ago
Nope, just the lath with the wallpaper on top. I've never seen anything like it! The paper is so thick it hides the individual boards underneath, so prior to me scratching the piece off in the picture, we had no idea.
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User
12 years ago
It's called "pasteboard" and it's basically the stuff that thin cardboard boxes are made of. It was often embossed and laquered in fancy houses, or given a faux finish resembling leather.

My guess, if it's over lath, is that they put it up as one of those "good enough" fixes that lasted decades longer than anyone planned.
AuntieChicken
12 years ago
The glue could be wheat paste or animal glue and might soften with steam or water. After all this time, it would probably take a lot of steam.
AuntieChicken
12 years ago
Oops, I missed the bit about electric behind it. I'd be wary of water too.
User
12 years ago
Careful steaming might soften it. Is it boards (butted edge to edge) or lath (skinny with gaps) under there?

You can consider drywall - 1/4 inch - with a skim coat to look like plaster and skip the whole hassle.
catapilrgirl
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you all for your responses! It appears to be boards, there's no gaps between, and one of the adjoining rooms (the dining room) has the exposed boards which we think is charming and adds to the farmhouse feel. The hall is about 4 feet across, 16 feet long, and has 14 foot ceilings. The height makes us nervous about installing drywall. My husband would be doing it himself, I'm disabled and cannot get up on ladders. We were hoping to take off the wallpaper, plaster, do a paneled molding along the bottom quarter of the room, and install a tin ceiling.
We might try the steam technique on one side with no outlets and see how it goes!
Saypoint zone 6 CT
12 years ago
shut off the power and have at it. maybe it's Lincrusta, or something similar?