Here are some of the highlights from the January 19, 2013, Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford radio show.

Wallpaper Remover Formula

In answer to requests from viewers, here’s the formula we use to remove wallpaper, courtesy of our friend Brian Santos, The Wall Wizard.

Start by using a wallpaper scoring tool (PaperTiger), to perforate the wallpaper.

Next, mix up the following solution in a 5-gallon bucket:

  • 3 gallons hot water
  • 22 ounces wallpaper remover concentrate (DIF)
  • 1/4 cup liquid fabric softener
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons baking soda

Use a pump up sprayer to soak the walls with the mixture, then cover the walls with thin (0.7 mil) plastic sheeting, pressing the plastic on the wall with a wallpaper brush.

Allow the walls to soak for three hours to overnight.

Remove the plastic sheeting, and peel off the wallpaper.

Questions Answered on This Week’s Show

  • How to repair a buckled section of laminate flooring.
  • Whether to store boxes in the crawl space under a house.
  • How to stop a roof valley between a barn and shed from leaking.
  • Problem with squeaky hardwood floors over a radiant heating system.
  • Whether to put engineered wood flooring over a sweating tile floor.
  • How to repair a cracked and water stained ceiling.
  • What to use to coat gravel in a patio to make it look shiny.
  • Improving the look of a room that has board and batten walls.
  • Repairing a cracked ceiling around a hot water vent pipe.
  • Whether to put backer board down before tiling a plywood countertop.
  • How to repair a fiberglass shower that’s chipped around the drain.
  • Problem with grout not adhering in one spot to a new tile floor.
  • How to fix a rocking toilet in a bathroom.
  • Whether to cover all of a crawl space with plastic sheeting.
  • How to remove double stick tape from plastic window insulation kits.
  • Problem with out of square windows and sliding patio door.
  • How to remove wallpaper that doesn’t want to come off.
  • What is the best way to repair small cracks in a basement floor.
  • How to remove outdoor carpeting on a concrete slab porch.
  • Attaching laminate flooring on a brick wall.
Editorial Contributors
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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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