Have you had any experience removing Grass Cloth wallcovering? It was put on over painted sheetrock just 4 to 5 years after moving into this house.
Now with almost 20 years wear (still in fairly good shape), I just wonder what might be in store for us. Hopefully it can be removed without destroying sheetrock, yet I fear there may still be some damage. Will be placing home on market next year & foresee potential buyers may not desire such. Color is neutral so that should not be a problem; just feel as if it is soiled. Also not a good option where children & pets might reside. Appreciate your suggestions!
Sadie
Replies
Since it's not a vinyl wallcovering, you might have good luck with a wallpaper remover liquid. Brain dead ... can't think of the name ... DIF? Lowes has it. Mix it with hot/warm water and put it on heavy, let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Might have to realpply. Get a wide putty kniofe, maybe 4 inches, and just scrape it off. Put drop clothes on the floor.
If you remove the grass cloth, won't the harvest gold and avocado appliances look out of place?
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Did you put up the grass cloth? If so do you remember what kind of glue you used?
Grass cloth is usually put up with a water soluble glue instead of the vinyl stuff so it should not be that difficult to remove. Just soak with hot water and if it's too slow do what Ed said.
No, we did not put up grass cloth; instead had an installer do the work. Have not incurred any failure with adhesion. Just hope the application is one that will be easily removed. Consequently, have no idea what application used. Wetting sounds viable if the product mentioned by Ed fails to work, but would wetting not damage the sheetrock?
ps Ed, avocado & gold appliances not applicable; just black & white in kitchen with cherry cabinets while wallcovering is only in family room & halls. The avocado & gold color appliances were from the early 60's and 70's. This covering was installed mid-80's. Actually trends are not important to me; just do what I find pleasing. Has been far better than all the hue of wallpapers used by so many in the 80's which necessitated complete makeovers in decor. I buy only what I wish to live with for years & would continue using if staying in this home longer. Always said a new car dealer, furniture store or remodeler would go broke if depended upon our monies spent. 'Tis neither "cat nor childproof" so need to plan for removal so as not to loose a sale on the home as result of being a "downside" to any potential buyer. After all, one never sees such expense on walls of new homes & that will be our competition!
Wetting sounds viable if the product mentioned by Ed fails to work The stuff I'm talking about is also a wetting product. I don't know how it differs from water, but it does a good job of removing non-vinyl wallcovering. And if it is vinyl, there are devices that score bunches ofm holesw in the vinyl to let the water get to the glue.
The sheetrock can tolerate quite a bit of water on the face, as long as it's allowed to dry completely. Also, there is probably a layer of sizing or maybe even paint that will help protect the sheetrock.I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Sadie,
I had the same thought as you - grasscloth just doesn't work with children, pets, OR smokers. I love the texture, but it is so difficult to install properly that I will probably never do it. You're smart to take it off - a potential buyer like Ed may not realize that he is looking at the top end of the market. I've only ever used DIF, but my understanding is that this is primarily detergent. So before you go out and spring for it, you might try spraying it with dish soap and water, wait a few minutes, and then try to remove.
By the way, Ed, I've only ever seen it in very high end homes. People spend a lot of money having texture painted onto their walls, but this is the real deal.
Rather than dishsoap, I've heard a number of people say liquid fabric softner, like Downy. I haven't tried myself, I too use DIF.If that doesn't work, you might try the way mirrors are removed. Get a piece of nylon zip cord, like a mason's line, pull it tight with a couple of handles, and try "sawing" through the adhesive.
I have not seen grasscloth in any house in many years, except for stuff that was left over from the 70's. It may be highclass in some situations, I just haven't seen it.
You could use dish detergent, if you're sure it's the same, but a bottle of DIF is only $3-4 and it does what it's supposed to. Not like it's caviar.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
From today's BH&G decorating site, it appears fabrics & textures once again being promoted. Don't believe they ever truly went away. Vendors always coming up with a new "must have" for those decoratoring same as with cars, etc. I definitely do not like the new textured walls, a trend only to fade with time. Actually these textured walls are too much like the old stucco walls in our first home. Could not place a nail without a few crumbles plus great place for small cob webs! I can find better things to do than knocking the cob webs from walls!
If dynamite is not an option...... LOL
I agree with the suggestion for Diff. Just be sure to keep it wet and let it soak well before attempting to remove.
Your gonna damage the sheetrock, no matter what you do. Just accept this as the case, and deal with it. The damage will not be that bad (though you will think it is bad while you are doing it). Hopefully, all you will have to do is some patch work and sizing... but be prepared to skim-coat it if you need to.
If you do have to skim-coat it... fill the larger holes (and let it dry)... then use sheetrock mud (the green topped stuff), thinned with a high quality primer. Bout the consistency of baby-food. Trowel it on with a drywall knife... then give it a final smoothing with a "knockdown trowel" (available at any good paint store). Light sand... then prime one more time for good measure before painting.
And Ed... what's wrong with avocado appliances? You mean they aren't in "vogue" anymore? LOL
I'd leave it alone - it IS in fact coming "in" again. If it looks dingy try a fabric spray. You don't know that the buyers will have either kids or pets.
However, if you DO insist on gettting rid of it I suggest you rescue about 4 cats from the pound. I can tell you from personaal experiece that they can take care of the problem ;-].
Spread some Visqueen on the floor and lock a couple of goats in the room for a week. No more grass cloth.
And once the project is done ...
You have a BBQ.
Smoked goat. Yummy.