Wallpaper: when you want it, it can be beautiful, artsy, or fun. But when it is outdated, not your style, or you just don’t want it, wallpaper can become a terrible nuisance. Removing old wallpaper is a notoriously frustrating task. So, many people who want to redo a room that has old wallpaper in it wonder, “Can I paint over wallpaper?”
When Is It Okay to Paint Over Wallpaper?
Usually, painting over wallpaper is not your best option. There are several reasons that it is not generally advisable:
After wallpaper has been painted over, if that wallpaper ever starts to peel, bubble, or crack, it will destroy the paint as well. The paint and wallpaper will both need to be removed, but the paint will make the wallpaper far harder to remove than it would have been originally. This makes repairing the wall very messy and difficult!
Many wallpapers have a texture to them. Even a subtle texture pattern will often show through multiple layers of paint. It is sometimes possible to use a skim coating to smooth out the texture before painting. However, for an inexperienced person, applying a skim coating can be a difficult. Often in this case, removing the wall paper is a better option.
Painting over wallpaper requires significant stages of preparation in order to achieve good results. To ensure beautiful and lasting results, the amount of work it takes to properly paint over wallpaper maybe as much effort as removing the wallpaper.
There are some situations where painting over your wallpaper may be your best choice:
Occasionally, wallpaper is installed directly onto drywall that has never been painted. When this happens, often the wallpaper cannot be removed without significant damage to the drywall itself. If you begin to remove wallpaper from your wall, and it appears to have been installed directly onto bare drywall, you may want to consider painting over the wallpaper rather than attempting to remove it.
If you have wallpaper that is very well affixed to the wall without any significant peeling or bubbling, and it does not have any texture to it, it may be a good candidate for painting over.
How to Paint Over Wallpaper
For those times when removing wallpaper doesn’t seem to be an option, it is possible to paint over it. Here are the basic steps you will want to take to help ensure lasting good results.
- Look carefully for any peeling areas, edges or corners. These will need to be glued down neatly.
- Sand all the seams, so that they are smooth and you will not see a line under the paint.
- Most importantly, prime your surface. You will need an oil-based, stain-blocking primer, which will seal the wallpaper and help prevent moisture from seeping in and loosening the wallpaper glue.
- Finally, when your whole wall is smooth and thoroughly primed, now comes the new paint! All your work begins to pay off as you see the beautiful new color transform your space.
Professional Wallpaper Removal
Cherry Hill Painting has many years of experience with wallpaper removal and interior painting. If you are considering redecorating your spaces with wallpaper, give us a call. We will gladly schedule an estimate and discuss how Cherry Hill Painting can serve you!
At Cherry Hill Painting, we care about our customers, and we strive to provide them with the best possible value from our service. We have been serving the New Jersey and Philly area since 1968. Our services include wallpaper removal, interior painting, exterior painting, and more.