I think I started this project back in September 2011. Really started on a whim actually. One day I felt like ripping wallpaper so that's just what I did. We've been in the home 5+ years and I've always hated the kitchen walls. So, I just started ripping. But, it was brought to a halt only a few minutes later when I realized that I was damaging the drywall underneath it. Seriously thought, "I'm doomed." For a while I was convinced that only a pro could fix the damage that I was causing as I continued to peel away the wallpaper. Note to anyone out there who chooses to put wallpaper on their walls: PRIME first! Heaven forbid someone might want to come behind you and strip the wall of this awful stuff. The lack of primer was why this happened. Anyway....I finally got all the wallpaper off a few weeks ago. Yes, possibly the longest, slowest and most tedious step of this entire process.
This was just step 1.
Step 2: Sand down the damaged walls.
Step 3: Seal the damaged drywall with a drywall sealer specifically made for this purpose (FYI: Zinsser Gardz will do the trick).
Onto Step 4: skim coat.
We just finished this task earlier today. I'm all excited again because these walls finally look like "walls" again! Thanks to my sister and her husband (who knew a thing or two about drywall) for lending us a hand today.
Still have 4 more steps to go: sand again, texture, prime and then FINALLY paint. Possibly the biggest project I have ever undertaken. But, I am learning an awful lot about walls. Probably more than I ever wanted to know. Now my kitchen is a complete mess. Actually, it isn't as it's been cleared out of everything. I really wish I could do every step back to back and then put my kitchen back together. Crazy schedules haven't allowed that to happen. But, we're getting there... and it will look sooo much better when we're finally done!
