For the past two weekends, we have been removing wallpaper and popcorn ceiling. These are frustrating, time consuming, soul sucking tasks. Wallpaper is the worse of the two, in my opinion.
If it were not for our WONDERFUL friends and family (you guys know who you are), we would not of gotten as far as we have. We also wouldn’t have a hair left on our heads. This process is very exciting, but it is very tedious and frustrating as well. Luckily, we have amazing people working with us, all of whom have the most amazing sense of humor.
If you have pulled down wallpaper, you know how incredibly awful it can be. Everyone has a suggestion on how to remove it. We tried every suggestion. The only trick that SEMI-worked was mixing fabric softener in hot water and painting it over the wallpaper. We drenched those walls and still had to chip away millimeter by millimeter.
If you are about to try this endeavor, my suggestion to you would be to burn the room to the ground. Just kidding, but it is really tedious and frustrating. Use lots of water, fabric softener, patience and good scrapers. All of these things are at Lowes, except the patience. You will have to ask the good Lord for that one.
The popcorn ceiling was not near as bad. Really, in comparison to the wallpaper it was a sunny walk in the park. We used a Roundup 1-Gallon Plastic Tank Sprayer to wet the ceiling and then scraped it right off. If you try to do it, make sure you get it pretty wet and go over the whole ceiling at least twice before prepping for paint or texture.
Parker and I tag teamed the kitchen and dining room last Sunday and got it completely texturized. We used a Kobalt 3-ft Gravity Hopper Gun to texturize the walls, and when I say we I mean him, because there is no way these noodle arms were going to hold up that mac daddy. It was fantastic, I can’t imagine texturizing without it. I followed Parker with a Kobalt 14″ Blue Steel Taping Knife and smoothed the texture. If you try this yourself, make sure it is not to wet or to dry. I learned the hard way, thank God for my husband’s patience.
Before we texturized, my niece and I taped off the crown molding, windows and cabinets. If you ever have to do this to paint or texturize you MUST use a Tape & Paper Dispenser. It will change your life.
It has been very hard and exhausting, but also exciting and a lot of fun. We still have a long way to go but I feel good about our progress. You will be seeing MANY more posts from me and our home renovating journey.
