Short answer
Wallpaper removal in Naperville is mostly about the paste, not the paper: any adhesive left on the wall will crack and blister new paint. Fixr publishes a national range of $650 to $950 for a 10 by 8 by 8 foot room.
Why the paste matters more than the paper
Pulling the paper off is the visible part. The real work is dissolving and washing away every trace of old adhesive, which stays tacky and reactivates under water-based paint.
Then the wall itself gets a hard look. Drywall that was never primed before papering can tear, so any damage is sealed with an oil or shellac primer before patching or paint.
What wallpaper removal costs in Naperville
The Fixr figures below are published national ranges to plan with, not our quote.
| Job | Typical range | Unit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper removal (10x8x8-foot room) | $650 to $950 | total (national range) | Fixr |
| Wallpaper removal | $0.75 to $2 or more | per sq ft | Fixr |
What moves the price
- Number of paper layers on the wall
- Painted-over or vinyl paper versus strippable
- Paper hung directly on unprimed drywall
- Repairs and skim coating after removal
- Bathrooms and stairwells with tight access
Taking down wallpaper yourself, or handing it off
A strippable border in one room is manageable, but whole papered rooms and painted-over paper are where the hours pile up.
Fine to try yourself
- Borders and peel-off vinyl tops
- One small room with sound drywall
- Washing paste with warm water
Usually worth a painter
- Painted-over or multi-layer paper
- Paper hung on unprimed drywall
- Stairwells and tall foyer walls
Strippable papers
Many papers from the last few decades were sold as strippable: the top vinyl layer peels off dry in sheets, leaving a paper backing glued to the wall. That backing still has to come off. We soak it with warm water and a little remover, let it sit, then lift it with a wide scraper held low so the blade does not gouge the drywall. Once the backing is gone, the wall is washed until it no longer feels slick, rinsed with clean water and allowed to dry fully before anything else happens.
Painted-over wallpaper
Paper with paint on it is harder, because the paint film keeps water from reaching the paste. The surface gets scored lightly so moisture can get behind it, then steamed in sections with a wallpaper steamer. Patience matters here, since forcing a scraper before the paste softens tears the drywall face underneath. Sometimes the paper was hung straight onto unprimed drywall and will not release cleanly at all. In that case we take off what comes away, seal the rest with a solvent-based primer and skim the wall smooth.
Wall repair after removal
Even careful removal leaves some damage: torn paper facing, scraper marks, old anchor holes and seams that were hidden for twenty years. Torn brown paper must be sealed with an oil-based or shellac primer before any patching, because water-based mud makes it bubble. After that the gouges are filled, the wall is sanded and spot-primed, and it is ready for color. If you are hanging new paper instead of painting, the wall still needs a primer made for wallpaper so the next removal goes easier.
Papered rooms from the 1970s to 1990s, including Will-O-Way
In Naperville CUSD 203's attendance area, 71.4% of homes were built between 1970 and 1999, the same decades when borders, papered kitchens and patterned bathrooms were everywhere. In Will-O-Way, many houses date from the 1960s to the 1980s, with a median year built of 1987, so a bathroom or dining room there can easily hold more than one layer of paper, sometimes painted over. With 84.2% of homes in the district owner-occupied, plenty of these rooms are still wearing paper chosen by an earlier owner.
Paper to primer: the order we work in
- Protect. Floors covered, outlets taped off, furniture moved to the middle.
- Score and soak. Painted or vinyl layers scored, then soaked or steamed in sections.
- Scrape and wash. Paper lifted, then paste washed off until the wall is no longer slick.
- Seal and repair. Torn facing sealed with oil primer, gouges filled and sanded.
- Prime. A primer coat so the wall is ready for paint or new paper.
How long you will be without the room
Most bedrooms and baths take a day or two for removal and wall prep, plus drying time before primer. Painted-over or layered paper can add another day.
Jobs that often go with this one
Drywall Repair
Holes, nail pops and cracks
Skim Coating & Smooth Walls
Textured walls troweled smooth
Wallpaper Installation
Accent walls and full rooms
Interior Painting
Single rooms to whole-house color changes