Wallpaper dillema, doing my head in

[Kevina]

Please help, i am decorating my kitchen and cannot get some lining paper off that has been painted with vinyl silk emulsion, wallpaper stripper liquids don't penetrate even when scored and a paint burner doesn't work either, need it taking off as soon as possible as kitchen fitters coming next Monday

Score the paper and use a steam stripper on it. The steam will get underneath and help lift it.

A steam stripper usually gets painted paper off, especially if you score it first. Emulsion tends to go elastic and stringy when it is exposed to scalding steam and has always come off when I've tried. Steam strippers by Earlex start at around £30 in Argos or B & Q or you can hire them from harware shops. They are well worth the money and save loads of time. They don't do as much damage to the plaster as dry scraping does either and will only bring the plaster off if it wasn't secure in the first place. For best results keep all the doors and windows closed to make a very humid, hot, steamy environment and the paper will just fall off but cover the floor because the old paste turns sticky again when its been in contact with the steam.

Mieow and pamT thank you very much for telling me about the steam stripper, dh went and got one today and we have nearly stripped the kitchen. Thanks once again for the advice

Mieow and pamT thank you very much for telling me about the steam stripper, dh went and got one today and we have nearly stripped the kitchen. Thanks once again for the advice