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Wallpapered Bathroom - any ideas?


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Wallpapered Bathroom - any ideas?
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Naderfan
Queen of Confrontation
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio
 
2009-06-24, 19:32

I've finally decided to tear off the old, very dated wallpaper in our bathroom and paint. However, as I started peeling (and scraping, scraping, and scraping again), I realized I haven't completely thought this through. How do you peel wallpaper (and then paint) behind the toilet? I'm having a hard time reaching all the way behind it (and especially getting access to the wall behind the tank). This stuff doesn't peel off easily (and the walls themselves aren't in the greatest of shape) so I'm not having much luck with just starting above or below and just ripping long strips out.

Anyway, do you guys have any suggestions, aside from taking the toilet out, since that's really not happening? Thanks!
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709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2009-06-24, 19:41

Heh. My advice was rendered moot by your last line. Is there any reason in particular that you can't take the toilet out?
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Naderfan
Queen of Confrontation
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio
 
2009-06-24, 20:26

Quote:
Originally Posted by 709 View Post
Heh. My advice was rendered moot by your last line. Is there any reason in particular that you can't take the toilet out?
I don't want to deal with it? It's already a pain because with my 5 month old son, I'm kind of limited to working during nap time and after he goes to bed - and his sleep habits have suddenly started deteriorating. This is turning into a very slow project. Plus I wouldn't know how to take it out.
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thegeriatric
geri to my friends
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Heaven
 
2009-06-24, 20:37

Why not just remove as much of the wallpaper as you can. What's left behind the toilet and the tank wont matter, if you can't see it or reach it, then no one else will.

If you scrape to hard and the walls/plaster are old, you risk doing more damage.

Good luck.

I used to be undecided.....But now I'm not so sure.
No trees were harmed in the sending of this message. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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thegeriatric
geri to my friends
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Heaven
 
2009-06-24, 20:40

How about trying a steam stripper, be careful though as they can do damage to old plaster.

When i say stripper i mean wallpaper stripper. Keeping it clean guys.

I used to be undecided.....But now I'm not so sure.
No trees were harmed in the sending of this message. However, a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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billybobsky
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Inner Swabia. If you have to ask twice, don't.
 
2009-06-24, 23:27

Is it plaster or is it dry wall?

Either way you can tear out that section of wall behind the toilet put in a pre-painted piece of dry wall and finish the rest...

You are probably going to want to get a plumber to take out the toilet and put it back in after you paint...
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Foj
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlanta
 
2009-06-24, 23:40

Buy a house with better wallpaper??
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dmegatool
Custom User Title
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: At home
 
2009-06-25, 07:06

Quote:
Originally Posted by Naderfan View Post
Plus I wouldn't know how to take it out.
Come on, it's just 4 screw !! 2 in the tank, remove the tank. 2 on the floor, remove the toilet. But I know what you mean by "I don't want to. I was in the same situation not too long ago

But serious you don't need to remove the whole thing. Just remove the tank and you'll be good for painting behind the toilet easily. So it's a 2 minutes task

If you don't do this, try Foj suggestion :P

Dave Mustaine :"God created whammy bars for people who don't know how to solo."
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Naderfan
Queen of Confrontation
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio
 
2009-06-25, 08:22

Quote:
Originally Posted by Foj View Post
Buy a house with better wallpaper??
lol, this has definitely been a lesson in never buy from family. We bought this house from my husband's grandparents and while we got a (very) slight price break, it also meant that they didn't do any of the things one would normally do before putting the house on the market, like paint or update appliances. We had the house inspected and everything's fine structurally, it's just a lot of superficial stuff that needs updating.
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zsummers
Avast!
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: New York?
 
2009-06-25, 15:58

You see two problems--a small space behind the toilet and an unsleepy five-month old--and I see one big solution: Five-year-olds have tiny hands right? And are very flexible? And will probably get tired after about an hour?

Boom! Solved.

"How could you falter / when you're the Rock of Gibralter? / I had to get off the boat so I could walk on water. / This ain't no tall order. / This is nothing to me. / Difficult takes a day. / Impossible takes a week."
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zippy
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Unknown
 
2009-06-25, 16:27

You don't really need to remove the toilet - just the tank.

Shut off the water to the tank.
Flush the toilet to drain the water out.
Remove the last bit of water from the tank with a sponge.
Disconnect the water line going to the tank (a little bit of water will eschew from the hose, especially if it is a flexible one - wipe it up.)
Remove the 2 to 3 screws/bolts holding the tank to the top of the toilet. (You'll likely need just a big screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. Some tanks use wing nuts so you may just need the screw driver).
Lift off the tank. (the gasket can make a bit of a mess, just wipe it up). It's actually a good time to replace the innards, but if you are careful, you should be able to avoid the need. Check the gasket to make sure you don't rip it before you put the tank back on.

When putting the tank back on, be sure not to over-tighten the screws/bolts holding the tank on. You don't want to crack the tank.
Hook the water back up, turn it on and you're done. (I've also noticed that a small amount of water will often leak from the shut off valve for a few minutes/hours when you turn it back on. Just put a small towel down to collect the drippings. You can also turn the shut off valve on and off a few times to see if that doesn't help. It seems to have something to do with the seals that aren't used to being closed/opened.)



Or just clean and paint as far in as you can get. If you can't see any of the paper from any area of the bathroom that you'd be standing in (without leaning your head way back by the toilet) then no one will know.



The only other option I see is to put some kind of wood paneling (bead board) behind the toilet if it will fit. It's only about 1/4 " thick. Pre-paint it and secure it with some liquid nails and some of the pre-painted panel nails. You'll also need to apply a trim board to the top to conceal the edge of the bead board.

Do you know where children get all of their energy? - They suck it right out of their parents!
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