Last Updated on November 5, 2023 by Stewart
When it comes to removing old wallpaper, it can be a bit of an exasperating task if doing this with a scrapper. The alternative is to use a wallpaper stripper. Not only is it more efficient, but it can also prevent RSI and joint strain when compared to using a scraper on its own to remove old wallpaper.
There are quite a few different wallpaper strippers on the market, some of which are better than others. I’ve collated my favourite ones during my rigorous testing to help you make the right choice. Decorating should be an enjoyable task, and using one of these wallpaper strippers will make the process a lot easier, and less stressful!
Wallpaper strippers work by using steam to heat up the old adhesive and then using the tool to effortlessly remove the old wallpaper from the wall.
I tested these wallpaper strippers on various walls with wallpaper that had been up for various periods of time. This has allowed me to come to an informed decision on what the best wallpaper strippers are.
Wagner SteamForce Plus Stripper
Wagner are well known for their excellent range of paint sprayers, but they also have wallpaper strippers as well. They have quite a few on the market, but my favourite on is the SteamForce Plus for a few reasons.
The first is just how easy it is to use the system. It’s as simple as filling up the 4 litre tank with water, plugging it in and turning it on. There are no fiddly dials or settings to apply, it’s literally set and forget. Thanks to the 4 litre tank, it means that you can continuously steam the walls for 70 minutes before it needs replenished.
When testing this, the steam was produced very quickly and the lightweight steam plate meant that I could do entire lengths without my hand or arm getting sore. When you buy the Plus variant, you also get a hand scraper and a secondary steam plate. The secondary plate is smaller in size. I really liked this addition since it allowed me to get into the more awkward areas, such as sockets and switches.
A hand scraper also comes with the Plus variant. For an extra £7, these two additions are definitely worth it.
Regardless of the length of the time that the wallpaper has been on the wall for, the SteamForce Plus had no issue at removing it with ease. It heated up the old adhesive so well that removing it with the hand scraper was a breeze. The overall finish was flawless and the wall was ready to take a new wallpaper after I had finished using this.
I also really like that the hose from the stripper to the steam plate is also really long. The benefit of this is that you don’t need to hold onto the tank whilst you’re steaming the wall.
This is a modestly priced wallpaper stripper that is a phenomenal product and considering how much it would cost you if you got a professional in to do the same task, you’re saving a lot of money doing this yourself.
- Quick and easy stripping of old wallpaper with water vapour using steam.
Last update on 2023-12-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Black+Decker Wallpaper Stripper
Another highly reputable brand, Black+Decker have been in the DIY business for years.
This is slightly more expensive than the Wagner mentioned above, and it only comes with one steaming plate, and there isn’t a hand scraper included in it. However, this is a very powerful wallpaper stripper.
In terms of weight, it feels the same as the Wagner, and you can also have this one on the floor and don’t need to fold it whilst carrying out the stripping.
The party piece of this unit though is that it can also remove vinyl decorations and paint with ease. Vinyl can be really tricky to remove, often requiring various passes before it can be peeled off. This isn’t the case with the Black+Decker. One pass was more than enough to remove old vinyl. In comparison, using the Wagner on vinyl required several passes.
Similarly, removing old paint from the wall was really easy with the Black+Decker. The massive steaming plate made short work of paint, vinyl and wallpaper I used it on. The maximum run time from the 4 litre tank is one hour, but that’s due to its more powerful heater.
I found it comfortable to hold for prolonged periods of time, and the finish was second to none.
If you need to remove wallpaper, vinyl and also paint, then this is the option for you.
- For quick and easy removal of wallpaper from walls and other flat surfaces
Last update on 2023-12-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.