How to remove glue from plasterboard wall?

[ennoh]

I have just removed a bookshelf which has been glued to a plasterboard wall.  How can I remove the glue as I want to paint the wall?   The glue is rock solid

[JacobZ]

Hi @ennoh,

It looks like they've used a construction adhesive such as Liquid Nails, which will cling to your wall extremely strongly. Unfortunately, there is a good chance you will remove some of the paper surface of the plasterboard while removing the glue. This is not hard to repair before painting, but you should be aware of it.

You can use a strong scraping tool such as this Kango 100mm Stainless Joint Knife to remove the glue. Angle it towards the glue and slide down towards it with some force. Once you gut under the edge of it, you should be able to repeat this process to remove the rest of the glue. Don't be too concerned if some of the paper comes with it.

If any of the plasterboards paper is removed, you can use the same joint knife to apply a skim coat of Gyprock CSR 2.25kg Less Mess Topping Compound to coat any areas where the paper tears away from the plaster beneath. You can then give the topping compound a sand before painting.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[ennoh]

Thanks Jacob, Is there any other product to use after I have removed the glue?      I will have no further use of the topping compound you recommended, so something smaller would be best.

[JacobZ]

Hi @ennoh,

You could use something like this UNi-PRO 500g Multi Purpose Interior Filler.

It won't be quite as smooth as the topping compound, so make sure you give it a good mix, and if needed, add a little bit of water. This will help make the filler airier and smoother, allowing it to apply easier.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob