Painting Over Wallpaper

Ok, first let me say that I am in no way advocating this ridiculous notion of putting that horrible old blah paint over the top of some beautiful wallpaper. But now that I have said my peace, I suppose that I can help you if you are in a tight spot.

First things first, we need to see if your wallpaper is going to come loose if it gets wet. Go and get yourself a wet towel or sponge and soak a section of your wall with hot soapy water. Let that sit for 5 minutes or so and check to see if the wallpaper is turning loose anywhere, bubbles or loose seams.

If you are having loose spots or bubbles, you will need to remove the wallpaper before you paint. If you do not have any loose spots or bubbles, it is probably safe to say that you will be able to paint right over the top of your existing wallpaper.

Before you do any painting, you will need to check all of the seams on your wallpaper to make sure they are flat with no raised edges. If you have raised edges, you will want to sand them down with a 100 grit sanding block,( available at Lowe’s or Home Depot ). If you can’t get them smooth enough, you should take a little drywall mud and skim over the seams to ensure a nice smooth surface. You can refer to my article on simple drywall repairs for this.

Okay, now that the seams are smooth and nothing is bubbling up, you should be safe to put your coat of primer on the walls. Make sure you give this at least one good coat, maybe even two; you do not want your wallpaper showing through. After you have primed your walls and they have dried, it is time for your first coat of paint. Normally you will need two coats of paint to get a good looking surface.

A couple of things you might want to do for cleaning purposes is cover your floor and base boards. If you drip paint, wipe it up before it dries. I’m sure that you will have no problems with what I have described but if you do, just remember you shouldn’t have been desecrating wallpaper to start with… but seriously, don’t hesitate to call. Mike 864-621-8571