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Serving Miami and nearby cities Open 24 hours, 7 days a week · (561) 933-9440

West Miami Wallpaper Removal and Installation

The short answer

WallStyle Installers removes old wallpaper and installs new wallcoverings in West Miami, FL. We take layered or painted-over paper down carefully, repair the plaster or drywall beneath, then hang paper that suits the home.

West Miami is a small, mostly residential city in Miami-Dade County, about 13 miles northeast of our base. Many of its streets are lined with older single-family homes, and older homes tend to hide wallpaper stories: a floral border from one era, a vinyl print from the next, sometimes paint rolled over the whole thing. For many West Miami clients, our work starts with peeling back those layers. Once the walls are bare, sound and primed, we install the new covering they actually want.

Removal Comes First

Hanging new paper over old is tempting, but it rarely ends well in our climate. The old adhesive can soften as humidity rises in summer, and the added weight and moisture can bubble the whole assembly. Taking the old covering down gives the new one a clean, stable base.

Here is how we approach a removal in an older West Miami house:

  • Test a hidden spot to find out how many layers there are and whether paint is on top
  • Dry-strip the face layer where the paper allows it
  • Score painted or vinyl layers so a removal solution can penetrate
  • Soak and lift the backing in sections, working with the wall rather than against it
  • Wash off leftover paste, which otherwise reactivates under new paper
  • Let the wall dry completely before any repair or primer

Plaster, Drywall and Everything Between

Some older homes have plaster walls; others have drywall that was added during a remodel. Plaster is tough but can crack or delaminate in spots once paper comes off. Drywall can lose its paper face if an earlier installer skipped primer. Either way, we repair what we find: fill cracks, re-bond loose areas, seal torn drywall facing with an oil-based or shellac primer, and skim coat if the surface is uneven.

That repair stage is where a lot of the quality of the final job is decided. Paper reveals every ridge and dip, so we sand and check walls with a light held flat against the surface before moving on.

A Word About Old Paint

Homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint somewhere in their history, and in older West Miami houses that paint can be hiding under or on top of old wallpaper. Scraping and sanding that layer can release dust you do not want in your home. If your house dates from that era and we find painted layers during removal, we will pause and suggest testing before going further.

Most of the time the paint turns out to be newer latex and the job continues as planned. When testing does show lead, you can arrange the proper abatement first and we return to finish the wallpaper work afterward. A short delay is better than spreading dust through bedrooms and living areas.

Choosing What Goes Up Next

With a fresh surface, the options open up. Grasscloth suits the character of older homes and adds texture to living and dining rooms. Botanical and tropical patterns are popular in sunrooms and breakfast areas. In bathrooms and kitchens, vinyl stands up to steam and cleaning. A mural can turn a hallway into a focal point, and a patterned ceiling gives a bedroom a finished, intentional look.

If you are not ready to commit, peel-and-stick lets you test a bold pattern on a single wall. Accent walls are also a smart way to bring in color without overwhelming a smaller room.

Humidity, Storms and Older Homes

South Florida's wet season runs May through October, bringing heat, humidity and afternoon thunderstorms; the stretch from November into April is warmer and drier than most of the country but easier on fresh work. Older homes sometimes have less airtight windows and doors, so humid air finds its way in more easily. We check moisture levels before hanging and ask that the AC stay on at a steady temperature during and after installation.

Hurricane season runs from June through November. If wind-driven rain gets into a wall, we can remove the affected paper, dry and repair the surface, and re-cover it once it reads dry.

Serving West Miami and Nearby

We also travel to South Miami, Miami Springs, Doral, Coral Gables and Sweetwater, and we handle commercial wallcovering for offices and small businesses in the area.

Services in West Miami

Nearby areas

What to expect

How a visit goes

  1. Honest assessment

    If a wall is too damp, too textured or a poor match for the paper you picked, we say so and suggest a fix or an alternative before work begins.

  2. Careful layout

    We measure, check pattern repeats and plan where each strip lands so the finished room looks balanced from the doorway.

  3. Clean, respectful work

    Floors and furniture are covered, fixtures are removed and replaced, and paste and trimmings are cleaned up before we go.

FAQ

Common questions

Don’t see your question? Call (561) 933-9440 and we’ll talk it through.

Can you install new wallpaper over the old layer?

We do not recommend it. Old paste can soften in humid weather and cause the new paper to bubble, so we remove the old layer first.

My walls are plaster. Is that a problem?

No. Plaster takes wallpaper well once cracks are filled and the surface is sealed with the right primer.

How long does removal take?

One layer on primed drywall can come off in a few hours per room. Multiple or painted-over layers take longer, sometimes a full day.

What happens if the drywall gets damaged during removal?

We seal any torn facing, patch and sand it smooth, then prime before hanging new paper.

Is grasscloth a good fit for an older home?

It often is. Its texture complements older architecture, though we keep it out of bathrooms and other damp spots.

Ready to plan your walls?

Tell us about the room, the paper you have in mind and your timing. We will set up a visit to look at the walls and talk through the next steps.

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Call (561) 933-9440 Request Service