If you are unsure about your technique and worry about damaging the wood, test the process out on a small, hidden area before attempting the entire wall.
Things You Will Need
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Lay towels on the floor and push them up to the wall to protect your floor from water drips and falling damp sections of wallpaper.
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Pry up the edge of the wallpaper, starting in the corner, with a putty knife. Pull the paper back at an angle; avoid pulling it straight out, which may damage the wood. Continue until you've removed the top layer of decorative paper; there will likely be backing left stuck to the wood.
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Saturate a small corner of the wood using either a spray bottle or a paint roller dunked in water. Gently scrape the remaining paper with the putty knife at a 45-degree angle, taking care not to scratch the wood. Continue until you have scraped the whole wall.
The Drip Cap
- Depending on the type of wallpaper and the surface beneath, removing wallpaper can be fairly simple or a bit time-consuming.
- If you are positive that the wallpaper you want to remove is covering wood, it is safe to use water during the removal process, as wood is less susceptible to water damage than drywall.
- Pry up the edge of the wallpaper, starting in the corner, with a putty knife.