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Getting Rid of Textured Wallpaper such as Woodchip, embossed or blown vinyl

Problem:
I've recently moved into a new house and many of the walls are covered in old-fashioned woodchip wallpaper. I really want smooth walls but am worried that if I strip the wallpaper I will damage the plaster behind it. Can I avoid stripping the wallpaper but still get a smooth finish?

Fix it with:
SmoothOver Your Textured Wallpaper, SmartSmoother

You can do it:
SmoothOver Your Textured Wallpaper is available in-store from June 2006.

SmoothOver Your Textured Wallpaper is a quick and easy way to bring your wall back to a perfectly smooth finish but avoids the problems of removing textured wallpaper. The lightweight product cleverly fills between the ridges and bumps of textured wallpaper providing a smooth and sound surface that's ready to paint.

Make sure the wallpaper is clean, well-adhered to the wall and in sound condition. Any loose wallpaper should either be removed or glued back with an appropriate wallpaper adhesive and left to dry before applying the product.

Touch in any nail heads or screws with gloss paint to prevent corrosion.

Start by stirring the Polycell SmoothOver to a creamy consistency. Then load the Polycell SmartSmoother with product. It's best to work with approximately 2cm depth across the full width of the blade.

Apply the Polycell SmoothOver to the wallpaper, smoothing the product across the surface to just fill the texture. Work away from the edges and focus on a small area at a time. Test a small area first. Some bubbles may appear during application but these should be left as they will disappear on drying.

Allow the first coat to dry for 3 to 4 hours before applying a second coat. Don't worry about small irregularities or tramlines as these can be removed by light sanding when the product is dry.

Wash tools in warm soapy water. Your walls are now ready to paint.

See how easily it's done with the Polycell SmoothOver video.