Wallpaper Removal Services in Reno, Nevada

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Wallpaper Removal Including Adhesive, Repairs and Priming

The decorative layer peels off in satisfying sheets, and then the backing paper stays glued to the drywall and the weekend disappears. Wallpaper removal is six tasks wearing one name: steaming and scoring, adhesive washing, wall repair, skim coating, priming, and only then paint. Bighorn Painting & Drywall quotes all six, because the order matters as much as the tools, and stopping short anywhere along that list produces the bubbling seams that appear weeks after a room already looked finished.


Paste is the part that gets underestimated, since residue reactivates under primer and washing has to continue until a damp sponge finds nothing slick or tacky. Method depends on the material too, and 15+ years of stripping sorts two or three stacked layers quickly. Walls across Reno, Nevada are patched, skimmed level, and sealed with an oil or shellac based primer once everything has finally come away. Borders hung over painted walls are steamed slowly rather than simply ripped away.

Our Wallpaper Removal Services

Steam Wallpaper Removal

Heat and moisture break down adhesive far more effectively than chemicals alone. Commercial steamers work section by section, softening the bond until paper releases in large pieces rather than fingernail sized flakes across the floor.

Adhesive and Glue Residue Removal

Getting the paper off is only half the job. Remaining paste always has to be washed away completely, because any residue left behind reactivates under primer and causes bubbling that appears days after painting.

Multi Layer Wallpaper Stripping

Some walls hide up to three generations of decorating decisions. Each layer gets addressed separately, since adhesives from different eras respond to different methods, and rushing through them together tears the drywall facing badly.

Wall Repair After Removal

Stripping almost always reveals damage the paper had been covering for many years. Torn facing, old anchor holes, and gouges get patched and sealed, restoring a sound substrate before any smoothing or priming begins.

Skim Coating and Wall Smoothing

Walls under old paper are rarely as flat as they looked. A thin compound coat across the full surface levels torn areas and seam impressions, producing a uniform plane that paint can sit on evenly.

Priming and Painting After Stripping

Bare, previously papered walls need sealing before color. An oil or shellac based primer locks down any trace of remaining adhesive, then finish coats go on with no risk of bubbling or uneven absorption afterward.

Benefits of Wallpaper Removal

Clean Walls Ready for Paint

You end up with a proper surface instead of a compromised one. Fully stripped, washed, repaired, and sealed walls accept color the way new drywall does, with no residue waiting to cause problems months later.

No Bubbles or Peeling Edges

Painting straight over old wallpaper always ends the same way. Removing it entirely eliminates the lifting seams and blisters that appear once moisture reaches the adhesive, which saves redoing the entire room twice over.

Damage Repaired Along the Way

Whatever the paper was hiding gets dealt with properly first. Cracks, holes, and torn facing surface during stripping and get fixed immediately, so you are not discovering problems halfway through a paint job.

A Dated Look Finally Gone

Borders and floral patterns anchor a room in a decade almost nobody misses. Removing them opens the space visually and gives you a blank slate, which changes the feel of a whole house immediately.

Protected Floors and Trim

Steam, water, and wet paper make a genuine mess without proper preparation. Covered floors, carefully masked baseboards, and controlled moisture keep all the damage confined to the wallpaper itself rather than everything below it.

Professional Finish Without the Frustration

Nobody enjoys spending three weekends scraping and still finding glue everywhere. Handing it over means the whole job finishes in days, the mess leaves with us, and your evenings stay yours throughout the process.

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Removal Finished Through Repair, Skimming and Primer

Stripping wallpaper is the classic job people begin optimistically on a Saturday and abandon by Sunday afternoon. Handled end to end by Bighorn Painting & Drywall in homes across Reno, Nevada, it becomes steaming, scoring, washing, repairing, skimming, and priming carried out in sequence until the walls are genuinely ready for whatever comes next. Floors are covered, trim masked and kept dry, and moisture controlled so the damage stays confined to the paper itself. What is left is a smooth sealed surface with no residue waiting underneath, no ghost of an old border, and none of the weekends the job would otherwise have eaten. The room simply starts over.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we just paint over wallpaper instead of removing it?

It works briefly and fails eventually. Moisture in the paint reactivates adhesive, seams lift, and edges curl within a year, at which point removing everything becomes harder than doing it properly right at the start.


How long does stripping a room usually take?

An average dining room takes one to two days including washing and any repairs. Multiple layers, painted over paper, or heavy adhesive can push that considerably longer, and skim coating adds drying time afterward.


What if the drywall tears during removal?

Some tearing is completely normal, particularly where paper was hung on unprimed board. Torn facing gets sealed and skimmed rather than left exposed, since raw paper swells under paint and creates a fuzzy texture.


How do you know all the adhesive is gone?

Water is the simplest test. A damp sponge across a clean wall should not feel slick or tacky, and any slipperiness at all means paste remains and washing continues before priming is considered.


Do walls always need skim coating after wallpaper comes off?

Not always, though it is common enough that we quote for it. Homeowners throughout Reno, Nevada rely on Bighorn Painting & Drywall to assess the surface honestly once stripping actually reveals what is really underneath.


Is chemical stripper or steam better for old paper?

Steam handles most vinyl and heavy papers, while enzyme removers suit delicate or painted surfaces. Over 15+ years across Reno, Nevada, Bighorn Painting & Drywall has learned the wall itself decides that, not us.


Will removing wallpaper damage our trim and baseboards?

Careful masking prevents that almost entirely. Steam and moisture are kept off woodwork, scoring tools stay away from edges, and any adhesive that reaches trim gets cleaned off before it dries into the finish.


Can wallpaper be removed from a bathroom with tile and fixtures?

Bathrooms are common candidates and present no real obstacle. Fixtures get protected, tile edges masked, and ventilation managed so the steam does the work on the paper without soaking everything else in the room.

Can we just paint over wallpaper instead of removing it?

It works briefly and fails eventually. Moisture in the paint reactivates adhesive, seams lift, and edges curl within a year, at which point removing everything becomes harder than doing it properly right at the start.


How long does stripping a room usually take?

An average dining room takes one to two days including washing and any repairs. Multiple layers, painted over paper, or heavy adhesive can push that considerably longer, and skim coating adds drying time afterward.


What if the drywall tears during removal?

Some tearing is completely normal, particularly where paper was hung on unprimed board. Torn facing gets sealed and skimmed rather than left exposed, since raw paper swells under paint and creates a fuzzy texture.


How do you know all the adhesive is gone?

Water is the simplest test. A damp sponge across a clean wall should not feel slick or tacky, and any slipperiness at all means paste remains and washing continues before priming is considered.


Do walls always need skim coating after wallpaper comes off?

Not always, though it is common enough that we quote for it. Homeowners throughout Reno, Nevada rely on Bighorn Painting & Drywall to assess the surface honestly once stripping actually reveals what is really underneath.


Is chemical stripper or steam better for old paper?

Steam handles most vinyl and heavy papers, while enzyme removers suit delicate or painted surfaces. Over 15+ years across Reno, Nevada, Bighorn Painting & Drywall has learned the wall itself decides that, not us.


Will removing wallpaper damage our trim and baseboards?

Careful masking prevents that almost entirely. Steam and moisture are kept off woodwork, scoring tools stay away from edges, and any adhesive that reaches trim gets cleaned off before it dries into the finish.


Can wallpaper be removed from a bathroom with tile and fixtures?

Bathrooms are common candidates and present no real obstacle. Fixtures get protected, tile edges masked, and ventilation managed so the steam does the work on the paper without soaking everything else in the room.