Vinyl removal on painted drywall/plaster

[Shrikezero 0]

Anyone have some suggestions on removing vinyl from painted walls? Especially drywall or plaster.

My problem isn't the elbow grease of picking. That's a given in this business. No matter how carefully I peel/pick/grimace it always ends up peeling some of the paint and in the worst cases pulls the surface of the drywall. This happens regardless of how well the walls were painted/primed.

These doodads make a huge difference, but even these don't prevent it all. (side note, these things are awesome when removing from anything else)

http://www.uscutter.com/Lil-Chizzler-Removal-amp-Application-Tool-405-Pack41_p_177.html

While you ponder, I'll just be over here with my patching compound and touch-up paint.

[MrMopar64 47]

Have you tried heat like a blow drier.... 631 vinyl should not have that issue according to orcal

Good Luck

MM64 

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

agree 631 should come off without removing the paint or drywall.  What vinyl is it??

[Shrikezero 0]

I'm an in-house sign shop for a large hospital campus. The previous sign guy was buying vinyl from who knows where. All the rolls have no name, item #, blank cores, nothing. (I have a sneaking suspicion they were off batches that were reworked and sold at a discount) And when I first started I threw out 20+ "brand new" rolls of vinyl with QC dates in the early nineties.

So, no clue what kind of vinyl it is.

For the new vinyl to replace it I'm using 3M's Scotchcal. I've been pondering changing over to oracal when the 3m runs out. I just have to make sure it matches well enough to the rest of the sign system. The bulk of the vinyl work I do is on glass, plexi, and the occasional metal surface.

I should have tried the heat. I've got two more locations I'll need to rework. I'll try it on there.

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

try the heat and move slowly get a corner heated and loose then keep a little pressure on it as you heat it should peel off. the 3m is going to be hard to remove. orcal 631 for wall art will remove easy (unless it is fresh paint) the little chisler is great for solid surfaces but I would expect it would tear up drywall and paint

[Shrikezero 0]

After a lengthy discussion with way too many VPs, I've convinced them that moving forward we put up a sheet of the same material we use for wall protection in the hallways. That way in 3 months when they decide to change the text again I can pull the vinyl off of a hard durable surface instead of the drywall.

As a matter of fact as I'm writing this I'm thinking I'll convince the Carpenters to set it up so I can pull the sheet down and change the vinyl in my shop instead of on a ladder in the middle of the hallway.