Wallpaper Removal in Toronto & the GTA

Wallpaper removal is the job that turns a weekend project into a month-long standoff. The top layer peels away in satisfying sheets, and then you hit the backing paper glued to the wall — or worse, paper that was painted over, or hung directly on unprimed drywall in the 1980s so the paper and the wall surface have become one. How hard it fights depends entirely on what's underneath, which is why we always want photos and a corner-peel test before promising anything.

Our approach to stripping wallpaper: score lightly where needed, soak the backing with warm stripping solution or steam, and strip in stages rather than gouging at dry paper — gouges become drywall repairs. Once the paper is off, the wall is washed until the old adhesive is genuinely gone, because paint applied over residual paste crawls, cracks and flakes. Then damaged spots are patched, and most walls get a skim coat and primer-sealer to leave a surface that's actually ready for paint, not just paper-free.

For a wallpaper stripping quote, send photos of each papered room, tell us the approximate wall area or room sizes, and try one test: lift a corner and see if the paper comes off dry, comes off in layers, or brings wall surface with it. That one detail tells us more than anything else. If you want wallpaper removal and painting done as one project, say so — it's the most common way we do this job.

• Stripping wallpaper from full rooms, feature walls and hallways
• Removal of painted-over and multi-layer wallpaper
• Vinyl, fabric-backed and traditional paper removal
• Border and accent strip removal
• Complete adhesive wash-down so paste doesn't wreck the new finish
• Repairing gouges and torn drywall paper after stripping
• Skim coating walls to a smooth, paint-ready surface
• Priming with the right sealer over stripped and skimmed walls
• Wallpaper removal and painting as a single start-to-finish job
• Floor protection and disposal of stripped paper

• How the paper was hung — paper on properly primed walls releases cleanly, and paper glued to bare drywall tears the surface and pushes the job toward heavier repair
• Number of layers — one layer strips predictably, while paper hung over paper, or paint over paper, multiplies the soaking and scraping rounds
• Paper type — strippable vinyls can peel dry, whereas old porous papers need thorough soaking and patience
• Wall condition underneath — walls that spent decades under paper often hide cracks, patches and stains that only show once it's off
• Room size and obstacles — kitchens and bathrooms have less wall area but more cutting around cabinets, tile and fixtures
• What happens next — paint-ready means adhesive wash, repairs, skim and primer, and quoting that honestly up front avoids a nasty surprise after the paper is down

Every home is different, so we don’t publish flat prices — the quote is free and based on your actual job.