Wallpaper Adhesives & Remover

Which Selleys wallpaper product do you need, and in what order?

Selleys covers wallpapering as a three-step sequence rather than a set of alternatives, so the question is less "which product" than "which step am I at". Hanging wallpaper or applying paper-backed vinyl artwork to a wall breaks down as: strip the old, prime the wall, then paste the new.

The one genuine choice in the range comes at the last step, where the paste is matched to the weight of the covering. Get that wrong in the light direction and heavy paper will not stay up.

Step 1 — Removing the old wall covering

Selleys Wallpaper Peel Stripper Paste removes old wall coverings including paper, vinyl and foils. The method is:

1. Mix with hot water to create a paste.
2. Use the paste to saturate the old covering.
3. Once it is thoroughly soaked, remove the paste and paper with a wide scraper.

"Thoroughly soaked" is doing real work in that instruction. Scraping early is what turns a clean strip into an afternoon of picking backing paper off the wall in fragments — the soak is what releases the adhesive underneath.

Step 2 — Priming the wall

Selleys Wallpaper Size & Wall Primer goes onto the cleaned surface before you hang. It has a water-based formula, and it includes a fungicide to protect against mould — which matters because the space between a wall and a wall covering is exactly the sort of enclosed, occasionally damp gap where mould establishes itself unseen.

The limitation to check first: Selleys states the primer is not suitable for any wall coverings that use latex adhesives. If your covering is hung with a latex adhesive, this is not the primer for it. Confirm what your wallpaper requires before you prime the whole room.

The primer also makes the covering easier to work with once you are hanging, giving you a little time to match patterns properly.

Step 3 — Choosing the paste

Two pastes cover the range, and the choice is made on the weight of the covering:

• Selleys Wallpaper Lightweight Paste — for lighter wallpapers, and for hobby and craftwork such as paper mache.
• Selleys Wallpaper Medium-Heavy Paste — for heavier wallpaper, and for paper-backed vinyl that is unpasted.

Note the word "unpasted" in the second one. Some coverings arrive pre-pasted and need only water; the medium-heavy paste is for the ones that do not.

What is published on this page

The product listing on the live wallpaper page loads dynamically, and no wallpaper products currently have individual product pages in the Selleys catalogue. The four products above are the ones named in this category's own text: Wallpaper Peel Stripper Paste, Wallpaper Size & Wall Primer, Wallpaper Lightweight Paste and Wallpaper Medium-Heavy Paste.

If you have arrived here looking for paint strippers or a graffiti remover, those sit in the paint removal category, and the paint and wallpaper parent page covers both halves of the range.

Common questions about Selleys wallpaper products

What removes old wallpaper?

Selleys Wallpaper Peel Stripper Paste, which removes paper, vinyl and foil wall coverings. Mix it with hot water, saturate the old covering, and scrape it off with a wide scraper once soaked.

Does the stripper work on vinyl?

Yes — paper, vinyl and foils are all named.

Do I need to prime before hanging wallpaper?

Selleys' sequence has Wallpaper Size & Wall Primer applied to cleaned surfaces before hanging. It helps the covering adhere, makes it easier to position, and its fungicide protects against mould.

When should I not use the wall primer?

It is not suitable for any wall coverings that use latex adhesives.

Which paste do I use for heavy wallpaper?

Selleys Wallpaper Medium-Heavy Paste, which is for heavier wallpaper and for unpasted paper-backed vinyl.

Which paste is right for lightweight paper?

Selleys Wallpaper Lightweight Paste, which also suits hobby and craftwork such as paper mache.

Can I use the wallpaper paste for craft projects?

The Lightweight Paste is named for hobby and craftwork, including paper mache.

Will the primer stop mould behind the paper?

It includes a fungicide to protect against mould. That is a protective additive, not a treatment for an existing mould problem — deal with any existing mould before you cover the wall.