Home Improvements

[Tomahawk]

So what's the best way to get wallpaper glue off (preferrably in sheets)? Soap and water isn't doing a very impressive job.

Also, I pulled a lot of wooden planks off the wall, but they were glued down instead of being secured by trim nails. Not only did that leave a lot of glue residue on the walls, but it also pulled some of the wall off with it. They're not holes or anything; more like divets. Do I use the mudding compound they use when they hang the drywall originally or is there a better method of patching?

[PhillyPhanInDC]

For the wallpaper, get one of these at the local hardware store:



They pierce the wallpaper thousands of times. Then use some wallpaper removal solution to break down the adhesive. It'll come off in sheets, but probably not what you are expecting. Removing wallpaper is a zesty job, and takes forever. No getting around it.

For the drywall, just use joint compound if the "divots" aren't too bad. Remember to feather the edge, sand the shtein out of it, and use a tack cloth several times before painting over it. I would also suggest priming so you don't see the patch spots after you've painted.

[Drunkmasterflex]

Use that tool, but don't by that bullshtein chemical, use a steamer.  That is by far the best way to do it.  I have removed tons of wallpaper and a steamer does the best job. 

[Tomahawk]

Thanks for the quick replies. Frugality prevents me from using a steamer, but this is what the worst of the "divots" look like:



The plan, as it stands, is to sand all the glue remnants flush, fix the holes, then sand sand and sand some more

[Seabiscuit36]

if thats a dudes hands, cut your fingernails freak

[Drunkmasterflex]

That is plaster so make sure you use plaster to patch the holes, not drywall mud.  You don't sand plaster you sponge and trowel it as it gets hard.  If you do use drywall mud, put a bonding agent on the holes first. 

[Tomahawk]

I was guessing it's plaster since it's a 1938 house but wasn't sure. There's a hole around the light switches that was covered by the plate, but there aren't any slats and I thought plaster needed the slats to bond to

And thanks for the great advice PPinDC and Drunkmasterflex-I'm not sure if it was the scoring tool or the Dif solution I bought with it, but the shtein practically fell off the wall. Saved a shtein ton of time and tedious labor

[SunMo]

burn the house down, get the insurance money, buy a new house

[Father Demon]

I hope you got a good price, what with all that jiz on the walls.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Thanks for the quick replies. Frugality prevents me from using a steamer, but this is what the worst of the "divots" look like:



The plan, as it stands, is to sand all the glue remnants flush, fix the holes, then sand sand and sand some more

Wall photo or money shot under a microscope?

[Tomahawk]

Little bit of both - that's the aftermath after I spanked off and shot onto the wall

[Tomahawk]

burn the house down, get the insurance money, buy a new house

I don't know how well a brick house will burn, but I'll go get gumby-legged drunk tonight and pass out right after I light a cigarette so we can find out

[Tomahawk]

Sanding the glue down was labor intensive bad idea. Using a 4" scraper works much much better

[Eagaholic]

here's a nice little piece of equipment you won't to be without when doing those around the house projects

http://www.viddler.com/explore/failblog/videos/350/

[phillymic2000]

its freakin awesome how the guy continues to sell the ladder after he bounces his face off of it.