Last week I started to give my boys’ bathroom a facelift. The room was…well…a little fishy.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Complete with fishy wallpaper border…

Removing Wallpaper Borders

And a fishy toilet seat!

Removing Wallpaper Borders

The room was cute and I didn’t mind it so much. But, the border had started to peel. And the toilet seat was rusting. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT buy any cheap toilet seats that have metal hinges. They may look cool, but the nature of moisture collecting around the toilet makes them rust in no time. This was our third seat to do this. Why I didn’t learn after the second? I’m optimistic by nature I guess.

Anyway, I had wanted to help this bathroom grow up a little. And I’d been anxious to try another moulding project after doing my son’s closet last year.

Before delving into the wonderful world of mouldings, I had to remove that wallpaper border. When wallpaper starts to peel, you think, “Oh cool! That means it will be easy to remove.” So you start picking and tearing at it. Well, resist the urge, it is just a funny joke wallpaper likes to play. You really need to be well stocked and prepared with the appropriate supplies for stripping wallpaper.

Removing Wallpaper Borders Materials:

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Wallpaper stripper (DIF or a cheaper alternative is to use 1:1 concentration of cheap pink fabric softener and water)

  • Scoring tool (aka Paper Tiger)
  • Scraper or spackle knife
  • Spray bottle
  • Lots and lots of rags
  • Sponge
  • Bucket of water

Removing Wallpaper Borders Instructions:

Start by using the scoring tool. Make lots and lots of holes until you just can’t lift your arm anymore.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

The more holes the easier it will be for the stripper to soak into the wallpaper glue.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Spray on the wallpaper stripper and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Repeat spraying the wallpaper (really soak it), and then gently try to slide your scraper behind the edge of the wallpaper.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

If you can remove the whole strip easily, go for it. In true stubborn form, my border was hanging onto the walls with a death grip. So, I sprayed more stripper behind the border and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. (Please ignore the giant gaping hole in the drywall! I patched it later.)

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Hopefully by now, it has loosened it’s grip.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Gently pull the strip off while using the knife to help separate the border from the wall.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Remove any pieces that are left behind.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Spray down the walls again with the stripper.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

Wipe it off with water and a sponge or rag.

Removing Wallpaper Borders
This should get rid of all the wallpaper glue residue. But, it is still a good idea to use a primer on walls that previously had wallpaper on them. This will protect your paint job from doing something alien like bubbling up, flaking or who knows what!

Removing Wallpaper Borders If you follow me on Facebook, you were privy to my post over at Parentables. I gave them a special all accesses pass to my brain on a recent trip to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore on THIS day.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

You can view this and more transformations over there! Be sure to leave me a comment. It seems those Parentables readers are a bit more shy than y’all!

And, one last note. I finally delivered my promised Pretty Handy Girl in a box to Cheri (pronounced like Sherry), who writes Dragonfliez Creationz. She is such a sweet person and she didn’t even complain that it took me a month to deliver her box. Cheri and I like the same burritos from Tijuana Flats (thanks to Courtney for introducing me to this Raleigh gem.) But, unlike me, Cheri has a tough side too (luckily I didn’t get to see it.) She’s giving me assertiveness training because I’m too nice.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

That’s all for today. See you next week with some more bathroom updates.

Removing Wallpaper Borders

 

Dear fellow mouse loving bloggers who have adorned your homes with these adorable mice silhouettes,

I admit it, I’ve been envious of your vermin. But, I knew I didn’t want to look all over town for those Martha Stewart mice silhouettes. So I thought I could buy them online. Low and behold, I stumbled across the tutorial to make your own! Thank you Martha. So, I downloaded the template here.

And, we set about cutting our own out of construction paper. I remembered that I had saved the excess chalkboard vinyl material from this Wallies set.

So, we used the excess to cut the mice and some other creepy critters I drew.

I’m sharing the template with you so you can make your own out of construction paper or if you happen to keep everything have some black vinyl laying around. (Simply click on the image below to view a larger size template.)

The boys had fun decorating.

And they just love trying to pet the spiders.

I just adore how my boys are fearless of creepy crawlies (both wall art and the real deal.)

Anyone else not afraid of spiders? I don’t like them in my house (and I’ve been known to kill a black widow), but I recognize that they are necessary in my yard (NOT IN MY HOUSE!)