A Stripper's Most Useful Toy: Zinsser's Paper Tiger
Written: Jan 03 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: works on coated or plain wallpaper, doesn't mark surface
Cons: tedious for use on large surfaces (get the three-head instead)
The Bottom Line: If life has decreed that you're to become a stripper, a Zinsser Paper Tiger Wallpaper Scoring Tool beats a pole and platform shoes any day!
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| scmrak's Full Review: Zinsser Paper Tiger 1head Wallpaper Scoring Tool 0... |
While adding a second layer of shingles to a roof is perfectly fine, putting new wallpaper over an existing layer is an "iffier" proposition. Most pros in the business shudder at the idea of painting over wallpaper: seams show, coverage varies over different colors in a pattern, and many papers have a subtle texture. Which means that, if you're tired of your current wall coverings, it's time to become a stripper.
Modern pre-pasted, strippable wallpapers are both easier to hang (though "busier than a one-armed paper-hanger" is still darned busy) and also easier to remove. Whether vinyl-coated or true paper, the trick is to get solvent and paste together to begin breaking the bond with the wall. This is especially tricky with vinyl-coated papers, which is most wall coverings ordinary people will encounter. You could scratch the paper with a knife, but you'd have to be careful not to damage the underlying surface. Or, you could use a Zinsser Paper Tiger.
A Paper Tiger is a small, plastic device that fits in the palm of your hand. It's a red knob perhaps three inches across that sits on a hollow cylinder; the whole works is about two inches high. An axle with two toothed wheels rides inside the base, pivoting on a central hub. The teeth project slightly beyond the base.
To use, press the Paper Tiger against a papered wall and move it in circles or straight lines. The teeth pierce the wallpaper as the wheels roll across the surface, plucking at the paper to create a tiny triangular tear. Once you've scored the paper, you can sponge or spray on water or a wallpaper-removal solution and let it soak - a few minutes for paper; several minutes for vinyl. Once the paste has soaked through, the paper can be pulled off in sheets. If a backing layer separates from the surface, it can be removed with a wallpaper scraper like Zinsser's Paper Scraper. The teeth penetrate only the top layer of paper unless the operator pushes too hard. I've tied it on an ordinary notepad and only the top sheet is penetrated by the teeth in normal operation.
The Tiger works on small or large surfaces, on smooth or textured paper. The wheels have enough freedom of movement to follow irregular surfaces, and can reach to within about half an inch of inside corners. Using it on an entire room is tedious - for big jobs Zinsser makes a three-armed version with a set of wheels in each arm - but for small rooms, single walls, or touch-ups (removing that hideous poker-playing dogs border), a Paper Tiger gets the job done in minutes.
Next time you decide to strip in the living room (or the kitchen or the family room...), a Zinsser Paper Tiger can help you get everything off in a hurry. It's an absolute must in the toolbox of every DIY interior decorator.
Recommended:
Yes
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