A Heat Gun is a hand-held tool that can be used for DIY and home improvement projects. They emit high levels of heat that can soften and loosen up adhesives, paint, and putty from all sorts of surfaces. They work best with metals, stone, concrete, and wood.
One of the big features of a heat gun is that, unlike other heated tools, they do not cause fire hazards as they are completely flameless. The hot air emitted from these guns can get extremely hot, but it won’t char or burn surfaces either. Therefore, it is a great option for use at home.
Today, we will be looking into how to use a heat gun to remove wallpaper with a detailed list of steps that you can follow through with.
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Why is a Heat Gun the Best Way to Remove Wallpaper?
The reason why a heat gun is the best way to remove wallpaper from walls is that it creates the perfect amount of heat to get rid of all different types of adhesives. This includes stickers your kids attached to walls that you tried to scrape off and even wallpaper that needs to be removed.
One of the basic reasons why they are the best is because you can direct the airflow in the direction you like so you work with more accuracy. Another reason is that a lot of different models of heat guns let you adjust the temperature.
Now, with basics out of the way, let’s head over to learn how to use a heat gun to remove wallpaper!
How to Use a Heat Gun to Remove Wallpaper?
If you want to learn how to use a heat gun to remove wallpaper, we recommend you have a pair of heat-resistant gloves, an adhesive removing spray, a cloth, a heat gun, and a paint scraper or knife.
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Here are the basic steps to follow on how to use a heat gun to remove wallpaper:
- Your first step will be to switch the heat gun on. You will then need to wait for a few minutes so that the gun is allowed to warm up adequately. Since the goal today is to loosen up and remove the adhesive behind a wallpaper, we recommend sticking to a temperature no higher than 320-degrees F.
- Next, comes the important bit. You will then place your heat gun at least a 6-inches distance from the wallpaper. Make sure your heat gun is not constantly at one spot, it should keep moving so the paper isn’t burnt or damaged. You can begin peeling or scraping the wallpaper off from one corner and slowly work your way around the entire wall.
- You might see some specks of the wallpaper that haven’t come off, you need to focus on bigger pieces as these can easily be removed in the coming step.
- If there are any bits or residue of the wallpaper left behind, you can easily deal with those by making it wet and then easily rubbing or scrapping it off.
- Finally, now that you are done with the removing process, it is important to allow your heat gun to cool off completely before it is stored or placed anywhere. Keep it away from flammable materials and it is best kept on a storage stand.
Some additional information to remember:
While a heat gun can adequately remove most kinds of wallpaper including vinyl wallpaper, it might not do as well with vinyl-coated wallpaper. You need to recognize the kind of materials you are working with as heat guns can only do so much!
What are some safety features to keep in mind when using a heat gun to remove wallpaper?
There is no doubt a heat gun is a helpful tool. Unfortunately, it can also be quite a dangerous tool if not properly handled. That’s why safety precautions are so important and must be heeded. Here is the main safety mechanism that you need to look after:
- Of course, since you will be working indoors to remove wallpaper, the most important rule is to keep all windows and doors open. A well-ventilated room is vital, you can also open up fans and exhausts if they are there. While there is no chemical element involved, you don’t want to take any risks and it might get quite hot in the room.
- If there is lead in the wall behind the wallpaper, you must wear a respirator or a reliable mask so you don’t breathe it in. Exposure of metal to high heat from the heat gun can cause the formation of toxic fumes that can be detrimental to your health.
- Wear heat-resistant safety gloves. Removing wallpapers can be tedious work, therefore make sure you wear gloves for safety in case you accidentally come in contact with the heat. Bear in mind some models can go as high as 750-degrees F, so caution is necessary! You must also remember not to touch the nozzle of the heat gun.
- Do not use a power socket or extension cord that cannot handle the voltage needed to ensure the heat gun is running properly. These machines suck up a lot of power so you need to be extra vigilant about the voltage.
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That’s all from our side on how to use a heat gun to remove wallpaper! As can be seen, by this article, the key is to loosen up the adhesive that holds the wallpaper to the wall! Once this is achieved, you can easily scrape and peel the wallpaper off!
This way, you can save tons of money, earn a new skill and not have to deal with hiring professionals! Hopefully, today’s guide has enabled you to make the most of your wallpaper situation!
