How to remove paint from walls

When you’re decorating a room, you’ll want the best finish possible. Depending on the condition of your walls, that might mean removing the existing paint first. Here's how.

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Whether you decide to hire a professional painter and decorator or to decorate a room yourself, you’ll want to know how to get the best results. Depending on the condition of your walls, you may need to remove the existing paint before you begin. Here's how to remove paint from walls to get the best finish possible.

When is removing paint from a wall a good idea?

In many cases, you don’t need to remove existing emulsion paint from interior walls. If the wall is in good condition, you can apply a new coat directly onto the existing wall surface.

There are some situations, however, where it’s best to remove the old paint before you start. Some reasons that indicate that you need to remove old paint from walls include:

The walls haven’t been painted in many years
There are many layers of paint on the walls
There are areas of chipped, peeling, or flaking paint
Bubbles or blisters have created pockets of air under the paint
The wall is covered in dark paint, and you want to paint a lighter colour

Most of these reasons will be clear to see. The first two points, however, will need you to have some knowledge of the history of the property.

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How to remove paint from walls

The best way to remove paint from walls depends on the condition of the walls and how many layers of paint are present.

Certain types of emulsion may also be more difficult to remove than others.

There are three main ways to remove paint from walls:

Scraping
Steaming
Chemical stripping

Whichever method you use, you will need to wear a face mask, cover your carpets and soft furnishings with dust sheets and have a bin bag at hand to dispose of the old paint.

How to remove wall paint with a scraper

This is the simplest method of removing paint from walls. Using a metal scraper or putty knife, carefully scrape off any areas of loose paint holding the tool parallel to the wall.

Work methodically, scraping away the old emulsion in small sections. Always take extra care not to be too rough as this could damage the layer of plaster underneath.

Once you’ve scraped off as much old loose paint as possible, sand down the surface using fine grit sandpaper to create a smooth area.

How to remove paint from a wall by steaming

If you can't remove the paint with a scraper without damaging the plasterwork, you may need to use a handheld steam stripper.

Wearing heatproof gloves and goggles, steam small areas of the wall at a time. Do not hold the steamer in one place for more than 30 seconds as this may damage the plasterwork.

Once the paint is sufficiently heated, it can be easily scraped off with a scraper using the same method as above.

When you have removed all the paint, sand the area until it is smooth.

Removing paint from a wall using a chemical paint stripper

Chemical paint strippers are the best choice for large areas or extremely stubborn sections of paint.

Always choose a paint stripper that is designed to remove emulsion paint and is safe to use on plastered walls.

Before you begin, read all the instructions carefully, wear the required protective equipment, and work in a well-ventilated area. Then follow the steps below to remove all the paint from your walls.

Apply the paint remover onto the walls using a wide paint brush
Leave the formula on the wall for the stated time
Check the consistency of the paint after the stated time has elapsed
When softened, carefully remove the paint using a scraper or putty knife
Use fine grit sandpaper to create a smooth surface

Water-based solvent-free chemical paint strippers are the safest to use. Always check the product before you begin.

If you’d prefer to hire a professional to complete your paint stripping project, the best place to start is by conducting a Checkatrade search. All Checkatrade members are fully vetted and qualified to work in their specialist trade.

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If you don’t fancy tackling your wall paint removal project yourself, don’t worry. You’ve come to the right place.

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*Claims are sourced from a survey conducted by Deep Blue Thinking on a nationally representative UK sample in November 2021.

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