The short answer
We hang and remove wallpaper in Broadview Park, about 15 miles southwest of Pompano Beach. Most homes here are older block houses, so our work usually starts with assessing and repairing the walls before installing any new wallcovering.
Broadview Park is an unincorporated community in Broward County, about 15 miles southwest of our shop in Pompano Beach. Much of the housing here is older single-story construction: concrete-block exterior walls, plaster or drywall interiors, and rooms that have been repainted, patched and sometimes papered several times over the decades. That history is the real story of any wallpaper job in a home like this. The finished look depends far more on what happens to the wall before the first strip goes up than on the paper itself, so this page walks through how we read a wall and what we do about it.
Five things we check on an older wall
When we walk into a room for the first time, we are looking for problems that would telegraph through new paper or cause it to fail. Here is the short list.
- Old wallpaper under paint. Painted-over paper is common in older homes and has to come off, or be sealed and skimmed, because new paste can reactivate the old glue.
- Hairline cracks along block walls. Exterior walls made of concrete block can show fine cracks in the interior finish that need to be filled and bridged with a flexible compound.
- Glossy or oil-based paint. Paste struggles to grip a slick surface, so these walls are dulled and coated with a bonding primer first.
- Moisture marks near windows and the AC air handler. Stains or soft spots mean water got in at some point, and the cause needs to be fixed before covering the evidence.
- Uneven patches. Years of repairs leave ridges and dips that look obvious under a thin or shiny paper.
Removing what previous owners left behind
Removal in a house that has changed hands a few times is rarely simple. We often find one paper under another, or a strippable vinyl top layer that peels away and leaves a stubborn paper backing glued to the wall. We score and soak the backing, scrape it gently and wash off the residual adhesive, because leftover glue can interfere with the primer and cause bubbling later.
Sometimes the drywall facing tears during removal. That is not a disaster, but it must be sealed with a specific primer before it is skimmed, or the skim coat will blister. We plan time for that from the start so it does not turn into a surprise.
Building a smooth base
Once old coverings are gone and any damage is repaired, the wall gets a skim coat where needed, a light sanding and a primer designed for wallcovering. Primer does two jobs: it gives paste something consistent to bond with, and it makes the next removal far easier, whether that happens in five years or fifteen.
On walls that are sound but rough, a liner paper can be hung first to even out the surface. This is a traditional technique that suits plaster walls and works well under heavier decorative papers and grasscloth.
Then comes the part you see
With a prepared wall, the options open up. Broadview Park homeowners ask us for accent walls in living rooms, vinyl wallcovering in kitchens and baths that face daily humidity, murals for children's rooms, and peel and stick paper for quick changes. Ceiling paper is a nice touch in older homes with flat ceilings that otherwise feel plain.
We also install commercial wallcoverings for small businesses and offices in the area, using heavier materials built to resist scuffs and frequent cleaning.
Climate considerations in central Broward
Inland Broward does not get the salt exposure of beachfront towns, but the humidity from May through October is just as heavy, and afternoon storms are a near-daily pattern in summer. Keep the air conditioning running steadily in the days before your install and avoid opening the house up while paste is drying. During hurricane season, from June 1 to November 30, we monitor forecasts and move dates when needed.
We regularly work in nearby Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, North Lauderdale, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Margate, so Broadview Park fits easily into our weekly routes.