Orinigal wall paper removal

Bob Giaier · Post by **Bob Giaier** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:54 am

My wife and I are in the middle of rebuilding our new (new to us) 73' tri cabin. I call myself the laborer and she of course is the decorator. Her plan is to make the boat look like the 70's styles. I'm not exactly sure what that means.. but I'm hoping she doesn't use too many peace signs and flourescnent light posters. Anyways, she is trying to get the wall paper off the walls. In most places it just pulls off, but areas like the walls in the aft head and the wall directly opposing the aft cabin stairs/wall, the stuff won't come off. I'm trying to let her do here thing while I pull fuel tanks and rebuild the aft deck. You know heavy labor stuff that has to do with whether the boat floats or runs. I guess the decorating is important too.

Any suggestions (on the wall paper removal) would be appreciated.

Bob

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:08 am

Is she using a heat gun to soften the glue on the vinyl backing?

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:42 am

It's a horrible job. I found that a heat gun doesn't really help because it makes the vinyl tear more easily. I guess it depends on how anxious you are to get the old stuff off. Using the sharp corner of a paint scraper while applying traction to the vinyl will SLOWLY remove it, if you don't mind spending hours, and hours, and hours [ and it takes good hand strength]. On the other hand it's quicker to fabricate new panels out of 3/8 plywood for the covered panels. Can also, in other areas just cover the old stuff. Can't really use wallpaper to cover the old stuff because the original vinyl is textured [and the pattern will show through]. By stapling new vinyl covering along the edges, stretching very well, using trim to cover the staples you also get a very nice effect.
I recently bought some marine vinyl, [leftovers] for a song, and it looks awesome. [About halfway done the master stateroom]

you can also paint over the old vinyl [not first choice]
good luck

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 11:23 am

If the heat gun is used sparingly it will loosen the glues stick without softening the vinyl... I do agree it is a lot of work to pull it off and then the cleanup of the wood base becomes even more of a chore... so if the existing surface is not full of tears do what I am doing....
I am just covering my old vinyl with new as the surface is undamaged but just old looking.

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 1:24 pm

A friend of mine just painted the vinyl in his F-32 and looks great.

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 6:51 pm

They make wall paper remover. It works OK, but theres really no sortcut to the elbow grease method.

If done carefully, oven cleaner may work ... but be sure to ventilate (for your health).

Bob Giaier · Post by **Bob Giaier** » Mon Apr 12, 2010 8:03 pm

First of all thank you for the great suggestions. We will try the heat gun next weekend. We've been hauling the heat gun up to the boat with all the other tools for the last month and never used it. Go figure.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Gaian · Post by **Gaian** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:25 pm

I just bought the same boat and am going to have to do the same t hing. Let us know how it comes out and post some pics of the finished product.

Gaian

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 10:06 pm

We covered our old vinyl with new vinyl wallpaper last weekend... my better half said it was no problem.
Purchased the vinyl paper from Home Depot and the lady there said to just treat with vinyl size to prep the old vinyl surface.

Going back up next week and will try to get some photos... 'tis a small space so they may end up being meaningless.
Once she did the paper she decided the old counter tops and backsplash looked pretty bad (which I had removed to make the papering easier to hide behind joints) so they are now at my local counter top joint (as templates) along with new marine ply and I should have new one's by the end of this week.
My new composting head arrived yesterday so I will be getting that setup too.

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:15 am

and now it will never stop.......

Bob Giaier · Post by **Bob Giaier** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:30 pm

Just a follow up on the idea of using a heat gun. We did try the heat gun last week and it does work. The problem now is that we have allot of glue residue left on the wall. We tried sanding with a mouse sander with 80 grit. We blew up the sander. Seems like there must be a better way. I'm considering a belt sander on it now.

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:53 pm

Your experience is one of the reasons I concluded that the best route was to cover the old as it did not have major damage.

How thick is the glue residue?
How thick is the Vinyl paper you are putting on the wall?
Is it a smooth finish or does it have some surface structure to it?
Will applying vinyl size and new paper not hide these imperfections?

Our new paper had a surface design pattern which hid any imperfections, even the seams of the old paper after we applied it.
I suggest you look at new vinyl paper with some surface structure and not worry about it........ I don't think a glass smooth finish to start with will give any better finished look to the area.

Bob Giaier · Post by **Bob Giaier** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:09 pm

I do believe you're right on putting a vinyl paper over it. We were going to paint it instead. I'll report back on which way we go.. thanks for your help

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:37 pm

I just finished redoing the forward stateroom with vinyl. I used Marine grade vinyl, mostly over the old vinyl paper, because of the nightmare removing the old stuff, the glue residue, and the bits of ply pulled off by the glue. I attached the vinyl with a combination of indoor outdoor double-sided carpet tape, staples, and 3M spray adhesive. Vinyl wallpaper will show all the substrate defects.

I'm now finishing the top of the closets, [which was covered in a horrible orange marble formica] with teak [jointed/planed today]. Good luck.