Taking the Wave Out of a Wall

House Doctor | Gary Dymski

October 11, 2001

Q. We recently removed some wallpaper and were left with several bumpy spots. We did the best we could at the time to smooth out the wall, including sanding, but it still has wavy areas. What would be a good - and not too expensive - way to remedy this situation? - B. Bellini, Hicksville

A. I'm guessing you have one of two problems. First, you might not have been as thorough as you think at removing the wallpaper. Next, you might just have an uneven wall that has buckled or settled over the years. Let's address each situation.

Under all that paper is quite a bit of wallpaper glue. The paper might be long gone, but there's more to removing wallpaper than peeling paper. Perhaps the glue has been left behind. This glue residue can leave wall surfaces splotchy and uneven. Over the years, some readers have recommended a solution of one part vinegar to two parts warm water for removing glue residue. Sponge the solution on the walls and let it set for several minutes. Rinse with cool, clean water and let the walls dry thoroughly. You also can use one of several commercial remover liquids. The liquid often is diluted and then applied pretty much the same as the vinegar solution. The commercial removers are available at paint or hardware stores and home centers.

If you're sure you've removed all the glue residue and the wall is still wavy and bumpy, the wall might have buckled over the years. This could be why wallpaper was applied in the first place; the paper hid the wall's imperfections better than paint. If it's a "rock" wall - meaning sheetrock or drywall over wood studs - you could remove the old drywall and install new drywall.

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To tell if it's drywall or plaster, take a utility knife and cut away a small piece from the surface. If the wall is hard and difficult to penetrate, you probably have a plaster wall. If you can penetrate the wall and can peel away a paper surface that reveals a chalk-like layer, you have drywall.

To repair the plaster, you could try finding a drywall hanger or an expert in wet plaster to apply a skim coat over the wall. Good luck here. It will probably be difficult to find someone who will do such a small job. You can try skimcoating it yourself, using a premixed drywall compound and a wide drywall finishing knife, but this is not an easy job. The wall first should be sanded so the compound will more easily adhere to it. Apply thin coats of the compound - it has a tendency to shrink when it dries - in small areas, about 4 feet by 4 feet. Once the compound dries, it should be sanded smooth, and then the entire wall should be primed and painted.

If the plaster wall isn't too large and you don't have dimension concerns (thickness of the wall), consider applying new drywall over the bumpy, wavy, uneven wall (especially if it is plaster). You can use 1/4-inch 4-foot by 8-foot sheets that are light and flexible. You will have to tape, sand and perhaps use corner beads. However, this will be less sanding and finishing work than applying a skimcoat.

If you do have dimension concerns, you can carefully remove moldings and replace them when you're finished. As for electrical outlets and wall switches, mud rings, or extension pieces, are available to make the boxes fit flush to the new wall. Also, longer screws can be purchased so outlets and switches can be adjusted to the depth of the wall.

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