Wallpaper Removal Cost Guide
Removing wallpaper sounds simple until you start. Some paper peels off in sheets, while other rooms have several layers, painted-over paper or old adhesive that clings to plaster. This wallpaper removal cost guide explains what affects the price, what the process involves and what wall repair is usually needed before the room can be painted.
The Short Answer
What affects wallpaper removal cost? The main factors are the type of wallpaper, how many layers there are, whether it has been painted over, the condition of the wall underneath and the size and height of the room. Strippable paper comes off quickly, while painted-over paper and paper hung directly on unprimed drywall take much longer and often need skim coating before painting.
Types of wallpaper and how they come off
- Strippable wallpaper: designed to peel off dry, usually the quickest to remove.
- Peelable wallpaper: the top layer peels away, leaving a backing that must be soaked and scraped.
- Traditional paper: needs scoring, soaking and scraping to release the adhesive.
- Vinyl-coated paper: the coating resists water, so it must be scored or peeled first.
- Painted-over wallpaper: the slowest, because the paint seals the paper and blocks water from reaching the paste.
What affects the cost
- The number of layers and type of paper
- Whether the paper has been painted over
- Wall type: plaster generally releases paper more easily than unprimed drywall
- Room size, ceiling height and stairwells
- Furniture moving and floor protection
- Repair and preparation needed afterward
Why wall repair is usually needed
Once the paper is off, the wall underneath is rarely ready for paint. Adhesive residue must be washed off, or the new paint can crack and peel. Drywall paper facing may tear, and older plaster may have cracks or loose areas hidden under the wallpaper. These are repaired, sanded and often skim coated, then sealed with a primer designed for problem surfaces before painting.
The professional wallpaper removal process
- Protect floors, furniture and electrical outlets
- Test a small area to see how the paper and adhesive behave
- Score, soak or steam the paper and remove it with scrapers
- Wash off remaining adhesive
- Repair gouges, torn drywall and plaster cracks
- Skim coat where the surface is rough, then sand smooth
- Prime with a sealing primer and apply two coats of paint
Removal or new wallpaper?
If you want to keep a patterned look, a professional can remove the old paper, prepare the walls and hang new wallpaper on a properly primed surface, which also makes it easier to remove in the future.
Learn about our wallpaper installation and removal in Chicago and our interior painters, who can finish the walls once the paper is gone.
Frequently asked questions
It is possible but rarely recommended. Seams can show, the paper can bubble or peel, and painted-over paper is much harder to remove later. Removing it first gives a better, longer-lasting result.
A small room with strippable paper may take a few hours. Rooms with multiple layers or painted-over paper can take a day or more, plus time for wall repair and priming.
If the paper was hung on unprimed drywall, the paste bonds to the drywall face and tears it during removal. Torn areas need to be sealed with a special primer and skim coated before painting.
For large rooms, stairwells, multiple layers or painted-over paper, usually yes. Professionals remove it efficiently, repair the walls properly and leave them ready for paint.
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