Can you find a wallpaper that can be cut to width without destroying the design? Or paint the strip instead? Perhaps with stencils?

I'm sure it's do-able to move the moulding (I'd use a thin prybar and use a piece of wood under its heel to protect the plaster), but frankly, every time this room is redecorated this issue will resurface - have to move the moulding AGAIN. Personally I would just solve the problem, either not using wallpaper at all or removing one of the moulding strips permanently.

Chair rails are often more elaborate and wider than one and a half inches; if you do something fancier you might not miss the border.

KarinL

Thanks Karinl:
OK no paint! have to use the boarder/wallpaper - just found out the bottom rail was moved about a year ago to hide cable wire for direct tv - & it was just pushed back in place. so removing it will not be as difficult as I thought. then after removing the old paper and laying down the new one all I have to do is move the lower rail down 3" and of course punch in new nails and counter sink and plug.
sounds easy see I'm talking myself into it LOL
let you know how it turns out within a few weeks.
Thanks again for the quick reply.
Bill

Rent a brad nailer and compressor to put the molding back up.

They work much better than hand nailing ever did.

Fewer splits, uniform depth, no nail set (they countersink when they drive the nail).

I use a Paslode butane one for trim all the time.

Hi everyone: Ok I removed the bottom chair rail -came off real easy because it was already removed once before as I stated above. Now I have removed all the wallpaper border but some of the backing is still there not much /tried everything - I am going to put a new wallpaper border back up then replace the bottom chair rail and the new border will now fit.
(without the backing/residue)I can use just plain water on the border the way it was made to do. But because of the backing/residue still on the wall I will have to use additional paste.
My question is what if I paint over the leftover backing etc. after of course a slight sanding to make it smooth -Will I now be able to use just the water to make the bond? Or should I use the paste to be sure?
Thanks Much
Bill
PS: I'll repost as new because of the time that went by (don't know which is the correct way to a follow up when time as passed).

It really is nice to remove all the old backing if you can. Have you tried a spray bottle with water, hold a wet cloth over it until it gets soaked, use a scraper? If it's only glue left, then TSP does a pretty good job of washing it off. There is also a special scraper made for removing wallpaper that might work. Paint might work to make it sandable. You could also smooth out the wall with filler. I've papered right over unsanded filler, and it works.

I think the new wallpaper will stick to the wall as well as to whatever is still on it. The challenge with putting wallpaper on an uneven surface is getting all the air out.

I actually just put up a border in my son's room that had less glue on it than any I've ever worked with. That was the first time I ever had to use extra paste with a pre-pasted wallpaper, which I've even done on quite uneven surfaces. In other words, whether you need extra paste depends on the border you're using, not on the surface.

KarinL

Thanks KarinL: In other words IF I can't get the rest of the backing off & after smoothing etc. Then I should go with the paste instead of using water (the border was made to use just plain water) I will try that after I make one more attempt to take off the backing using your suggestions.
Thanks again & let you know how I make out.
Bill

Ok KarinL: Just now finished the complete job - got rid of 99% of the wallpater border there was still very little backing/residue left on (used hot water and a scraper) I primed it then painted it and used paste to put the new boarder on. I was able to put back the bottom chair rail with finishing nails - counter sunk them and to tell you the truth - it came out great.
Thanks again for your input.

Hi brickeyee: I checked out the nailer compresser etc. and the tools you had mentioned ther were real good but for this one job they were too much to buy or rent. But I did manage to nail & counter sink and it came out real real good.
Thanks much
Bill

"...for this one job they were too much to buy or rent."

You should only need to rent them for one day.