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Tamarac Wallpaper Removal and Wall Repair

The short answer

We remove old wallpaper, painted-over paper and borders from Tamarac homes and condos, wash away adhesive and repair the wall so it is ready for paint or new wallpaper. Each wall is tested first so the method matches the paper and the surface beneath it.

Buying an older home or condo in Tamarac often means inheriting someone else's wallpaper: a floral bathroom, a kitchen border, a bedroom papered and then painted over to save time. Getting it off is rarely just a weekend chore. Decades of humidity, unprimed drywall and multiple layers turn a simple peel into a slow scrape. True Wallpaper Installation strips wallpaper for homeowners across Tamarac's 33319 and 33321 ZIP codes, driving about 8 miles northwest from our Fort Lauderdale base. We take the paper down, clean off the glue that most DIY attempts leave behind, repair the wall underneath, and prime it so your painter or our installers can start on a sound surface.

What We Usually Find in Tamarac Homes

The housing stock here leans toward homes and condos built some time ago, and the wallpaper inside them tells that story. Each situation calls for a different approach.

  • Vinyl papers in bathrooms where the face peels and the backing stays behind
  • Kitchen and bedroom borders hung over paint with strong adhesive
  • Paper that a past owner painted over, which resists water
  • Two or three layers of paper stacked over the years
  • Papers hung on bare drywall that was never sealed

Our Removal Process

First, the room is prepped: floors covered, furniture moved or wrapped, outlets and switches taped off. Then we test a patch to see how the paper releases. Strippable products come down dry. Vinyl faces are peeled, and the remaining backing is soaked and scraped. Painted-over paper and traditional papers are scored with a perforating tool so water and remover can reach the glue.

We work in sections, giving the solution time to soften the adhesive rather than forcing the paper. Wide scrapers held at a flat angle keep gouges to a minimum. After the paper is gone, the walls are washed repeatedly until no paste residue remains, because even a thin film will cause new paint to crackle.

Borders deserve a special mention. They were often applied over a painted wall with a strong border adhesive, and the strip of glue they leave behind is easy to miss once the paper is gone. If it is not cleaned off, it shows up later as a faint horizontal band under fresh paint, especially in raking light from a window. We wipe and check that line by hand. Painted-over paper takes the longest of anything we remove, because the paint film blocks water. Scoring, patience and repeated wetting are the only reliable way through it, and we budget time accordingly rather than rushing and tearing the wall.

Fixing the Wall Afterward

Unsealed drywall often loses some of its paper face during removal. Those torn areas need a solvent-based or shellac primer to lock down loose fibers before any water-based product goes on, or they will bubble. After sealing, we skim and sand to restore a flat surface, filling dings and old anchor holes along the way.

Plaster over concrete block generally survives removal better, but it may show cracks or soft spots once exposed. We repair those and prime the whole wall so the finish coat looks even.

When Removal Reveals Moisture

Bathrooms and exterior walls sometimes hide mildew or staining behind old paper. In Tamarac's climate, with a long wet season from May through October and hurricane season stretching from June through November, water can find its way in around windows or through aging seals. If we uncover damp or discolored areas, we stop and show you before covering them. Sometimes it is an old stain that just needs sealing; sometimes it points to a leak worth fixing first.

Removal Plus a Fresh Finish

Many Tamarac clients book removal and new wallpaper together, which keeps the project to one schedule and one crew. Others only want the paper gone so they can paint. Either way, we leave the walls primed and ready.

We also remove wallpaper in Sunrise, North Lauderdale, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes and Plantation. Photos of the papered rooms help us estimate how long the job will take.

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What to expect

How a visit goes

  1. Honest wall assessment

    If a surface needs stripping, skim coating or time to dry, we tell you before work begins, not halfway through.

  2. Careful layout

    We measure, plan the repeat and decide where the pattern starts so motifs line up across corners, doors and windows.

  3. A clean finish

    Seams are tight, edges are trimmed cleanly at trim and ceilings, and the room is left tidy with care tips for your new walls.

FAQ

Common questions

Why is my wallpaper so hard to remove?

Usually because it was hung on unsealed drywall, painted over, or layered. Humidity over many years also strengthens the bond.

Can I just paint over the old wallpaper?

We advise against it. Seams often show through, and paint can loosen the paste and cause bubbles.

Will removal damage my walls?

Some surface damage is common on unsealed drywall. We repair and prime those areas as part of the job.

Do you work in condos?

Yes. We follow building rules on hours and protect common areas when bringing equipment in.

Is the remover solution safe for my home?

We use water-based removal solutions and ventilate the room as we work.

Ready to plan your wallpaper project?

Tell us about the room, the paper you have in mind and the condition of the walls. We will follow up to look at the space and map out the work.

(912) 873-9767
Call (912) 873-9767 Request Service