Painting over wallpaper?

[wpcoe]

A condo I'm considering buying has herringbone-textured wallpaper. I mentioned to the real estate agent that I didn't like it and would probably have it removed. He first acted shocked and told me it was expensive acrylic wallpaper (as if that was supposed to make me suddenly like it) and then said it was easy to paint over, and in fact it had already been painted once.

From online research, there certainly are differing opinions on how to paint over wallpaper, but the method that seems to make the most sense is to use a non-latex primer first, then use a top coat of your choosing. Apparently the moisture from latex (primer or finish coat) applied directly to wallpaper can activate the glue and cause bubbling and/or loosen the paper? I'm not fond of the relative potential mess using a non-latex primer, but it seems the best way.

Has anybody here actually painted over wallpaper? If so, what method did you use, and how satisfied were you with the result?

[GinBoy2]

I painted over wallpaper many many years ago and I forget what the paint was. However what I do recall was it wetting the underlying paper and I ended up with horrible bubbles in the underlying paper.

So, I 'think' careful priming and letting that that dry well is the key to the eventual topcoat producing a satisfactory outcome is key

[Brit_Doggie]

did paint over textured wallpaper some years back no bubbles as the paper seemed to be stuck with superglue,not happy with effect after water leakage from room above spoiled the job so stripped paper off with much effort well 1 wall anyway lol, good job i have my back to it whilst sitting here.

[GinBoy2]

did paint over textured wallpaper some years back no bubbles as the paper seemed to be stuck with superglue,not happy with effect after water leakage from room above spoiled the job so stripped paper off with much effort well 1 wall anyway lol, good job i have my back to it whilst sitting here.Is that

Is that a bit like putting the awful picture that Grandma painted for you behind you, but at least when she visit's it's on display? LOL

[bankruatsteve]

I think you want to test a sample section. If the wall-paper adhesive is strong, then it might be better to paint over. If it rips off easily, then do that. Then, that will require some scraping, cleaning to get rid of the glue - but probably better for painting over in the long run. IE: don't paint over wall paper unless it's the sensible approach after testing.

[sirineou]

You have the correct information,

Wallpaper is removed by wetting it preferably with warm water, or a steam machine.

Using latex paint is the same as applying water to the wall paper

The correct procedure would be to first use an oil base primer to seal the paper, then use an oil based finish paint

Be advised, that if you do that and at some later time you wanted to remove the wall paper it will be difficult, because now the paper is sealed and the water, or steam,and or wallpaper removal chemical will not penetrate to the glue, in such case there is a tool, which consists of s roller with pins on it, it perforates the paper allowing the water to penetrate and loosen the glue

Edited March 8, 2015 by sirineou

[rak sa_ngop]

I had the same predicament 2 months ago. The recommendations for special cleaning fluids, primer and then oil-based paint seemed rather excessive to my (simplistic) view.

I cut a strip of what I though was just ordinary wall paper and found that it was indeed coated (plastic?).

I used a watered down kitchen surface cleaner to wash down all the walls.

I bought an acrylic emulsion matt paint from Homepro.

I started out trying a paint brush and sponge painting technique to avoid roller 'spray' onto my carpets. This however resulted in uneven drying marks.

I then switched to roller application. Some walls had to be coated 4 times, especially if they caught the light to show drying marks, but generally 3 coats was OK.

I am extremely pleased with the results. I am not sure what the' bubble problem is'.

Some of my painted surfaces are a bit 'gritty' but that may be due to an poorly finished underlying wall surface.

I dread to think what sort of problems I would have had if I tried to strip the walls, especially with the coated wallpaper which probably would not absorb water easily and therefore strip with difficulty..

As suggested above, do a test paint of one wall. Hopefully this will give you a satisfactory result and easy solution to your problem.

[konisaan]

OP, why don't you just strip the wallpaper? It can be time consuming but I find the plastic wallpapers come off easier. Apart from labor there are virtually no other costs involved.

[wpcoe]

Thanks for the feedback, folks. If I buy a place with wallpaper I will closely check the condition to see if I would want to paint it. I had been thinking, "What the heck, I'll paint it and if I don't like it, *then* I'll strip it off," but then sirineou pointed out that once the paper is sealed with the oil-base primer, that won't be so easy.

I've never dealt with wallpaper before: never installed it, never removed it, never lived anyplace that had it, so I appreciate the first-hand reports and suggestions. If I remove it, as much as I am a real DIY-er, I think I'd pay somebody to do that.

The particular place that prompted me to post, though, might be a problem if, as the realtor said, it had already been painted once. I have no idea what that "expensive acrylic wallpaper" would have looked like naked, so just glancing at it couldn't tell if it were coated in paint already.

[STMx]

Do you want to use other wallpaper? On the Internet you can order any wallpaper with any picture, even unique, if you will send them a photo.

[wpcoe]

No, I actually don't want wallpaper. I was just wondering if I could get reasonable results by painting over paper that's already there. It's a herringbone-pattern texture and *might* look okay painted, but only if there aren't rips/tears, bubbles, loose edges, etc. I've heard that removing wallpaper can be a messy challenge, but painting is something I can do myself.

[MAJIC]

I painted over wallpaper many many years ago and I forget what the paint was. However what I do recall was it wetting the underlying paper and I ended up with horrible bubbles in the underlying paper.

So, I 'think' careful priming and letting that that dry well is the key to the eventual topcoat producing a satisfactory outcome is

[MAJIC]

I painted over wallpaper many many years ago and I forget what the paint was. However what I do recall was it wetting the underlying paper and I ended up with horrible bubbles in the underlying paper.

So, I 'think' careful priming and letting that that dry well is the key to the eventual topcoat producing a satisfactory outcome is

Don't do it! as several Posters have said,it causes bubbling, and from that point onwards,the mess will get worse. Often as well as bubbles the paper will shrink and make the joins very obvious. If it's not worth starting fresh,then its not worth doing,short cuts often end up the long route around!

[ExPratt]

Paint over it first with uni-bond adhesive to seal it then paint it , but as mentioned there is a chance it will bubble up, whats the problem with stripping it ?, if the walls are rough , like most of the finishing work in Condo's you can use plain lining paper and then paint it

[kevvy]

Prep is always important to achieve the best paint job possible, but when painting over wallpaper, it’s critical. Prior to priming and painting, tack down all loose wallpaper seams and edges or sand them down with sandpaper or an abrasive pad so they’re level with the wallpaper surface. Fill in seams with spackling compound, if necessary, and sand when dry.(google)

[Beardog]

Just strip the wallpaper I don't think I ever heard to many people to satisfied when it either lifts or the paint peals or chips later. Even in the states My folks tried that & the painter did all the right prep & a year later it sucked. Unless you feel like the one lucky farang I would do the job right & start fresh The condo cant be too huge. But if your on a budget & want to scrimp you may pay the piper later & end up doubling the cost when you strip it down to start over. School of hard Knocks. But the smart ones learn after they error.

[wpcoe]

Any guesses how much it would cost to pay someone to competently strip the wall paper from a two-room (living room + bedroom) 64 sq m condo with normal height (2.5m?) ceilings. Just looking for a rough estimate.

I'd do it myself, but I've never dealt with wallpaper, so think I'd rather have a "professional" do it.

If stripped carefully and properly, would the rendered surface under the paper need further prep before painting it?

[Beardog]

Not sure on the price but your in Pattaya eh? find an outfit with a high power sprayer. They won't need to flood the condo wallpaper lifts off fairly easy & quickly with little water & a lot of pressure. I am sure if you are in a major city someone will have that setup it is by far the easiest or a hot steamer set up so it comes off the wall. So the painters can prep & paint the wall after. Unless there is epoxy underneath Thai glues come right up. But scraping it off could take a while & leave the cement uneven with gouging tool or Spackle blades digging in & causing blemishes.

[watcharacters]

You would be likely to regret painting over wallpaper even if it's a pain in the butt to remove .

[wpcoe]

Yes, the condo would be in Jomtien. Wish I could find some outfit that advertises: "Removing wallpaper is our specialty. Decades of quality experience, references available on request," but we all know how likely that is.

Let's try a different question: Has anybody in the Pattaya/Jomtien area hired someone to remove wallpaper and been satisfied with the work?

[Wiggy]

I've just painted over paper on my condo ceiling with white emulsion. No problems thus far. The ceiling is dry wall/fibre board, but I'm not sure if that makes a difference. It looks pretty good after two weeks, so I'm sure any problems with bubbling/peeling/adhesive weakening would have occurred by now.

[oneday]

Labor is cheap here. Hire someone to remove the wall paper is my advice.

I wonder if Thailand has that handy little round tool that has some small spiked wheels housed in a hand-size device. You run this over the wall paper like a madman to make tiny holes everywhere so when you use warm water or steam to get the paper off the water and/or steam penetrate easily loosening the glue..

[StefanBBK]

Years ago I painted over wallpaper. Regular latex based paint. I guess the key is to apply very little paint at a time, so it can dry before activating the glue.

You mention it was said that the wallpaper was already painted once before? In that case I would think it is safe to paint it again.

Try on a smallish section. Good luck!

[footyseeker]

I'm a decorator based in NZ. A frequent visitor to thailand and TVF. Feel free to have a look at my website for advise regarding your situation:

http://hangman.kiwi.nz/diy/#alternative%20approach

The article refers to prep for a re-paper, but for your needs, at the end of the section where it says your wall is ready for the new paper, instead of the new paper, give the whole wall and quick sand and then it's ready to paint.

Also any filling you do prior will need to be finish coated with a softer/finer plaster to be sanded smooth as it will be visible seeing as you're not covering with new paper.

Good luck.

[Dogbarker]

Thanks for the feedback, folks. If I buy a place with wallpaper I will closely check the condition to see if I would want to paint it. I had been thinking, "What the heck, I'll paint it and if I don't like it, *then* I'll strip it off," but then sirineou pointed out that once the paper is sealed with the oil-base primer, that won't be so easy.

I've never dealt with wallpaper before: never installed it, never removed it, never lived anyplace that had it, so I appreciate the first-hand reports and suggestions. If I remove it, as much as I am a real DIY-er, I think I'd pay somebody to do that.

The particular place that prompted me to post, though, might be a problem if, as the realtor said, it had already been painted once. I have no idea what that "expensive acrylic wallpaper" would have looked like naked, so just glancing at it couldn't tell if it were coated in paint already.

Hi I have painted over condos in several condos before with extremely good results.

Ensure no mould on the paper . If it has been painted before it will be easier as less soaking in - wash walls first to remove dirt with a mild detergent - get teh person to change water frequently!

bubbles will usually appear and then dissaper .

DO NOT USE OIL BASED PAINT it will make the place smell and make the paper harder to remove when you do .

DO NOT USE LATEX .. it will be extremely difficult to remove it .. and if you use a steamer it will end up bubbling and be a real pain .

Use standard emulsion type paint .( vinyl is usually Ok .. but beware of some issues of separation over time .. .

expect to use two coats .

If the wall has been apepered there may be a poor surface underneath .. remember it is unlikley to be a smooth finish as in Europe ..

My condo manager was really against painting over teh paper in my units until he had done it ...

good luck

[Thongkorn]

You can emulsion, ( water basted paint) over wallpaper, if the papers is a good one you should have any problems, You may need two coats depending on the colour, I would not use a steamer unless you know what the plaster or wall serfice is like underneath the paper,Steaming can bring plaster off the walls, or wall covering , if its not good. Use hot water with washing up liquid, Put lots of washing up liquid the hot water, this attacks the paper bonding(Glue), leave it for a while let the water soak in then use a scrapper to remove the paper, If you get Bubbles after emulsion the walls just prick them with a sharp needle and let them dry .

[outlaw11wa]

Seriousely my friend you will be better to take the wallpaper off. I recently had two rooms that the paper was in disrepair and it needed to go. I put the job off for months because of memories of stripping walls of paper before. An arduous and boring job. Finally I took a trip to the local Bunning Warehouse intent on hiring a steamer or such. While weighing up my options I came across a chemical solution. Not the old style paint on and wait product from years ago. I purchased a 1lt bottle of a product that contains an enzyme the neutralizes the glues used in wallpaper. This product recommended lightly scoring/perforating the old paper to help penetration. On the same shelf was the purpose built tool for doing just that and not expensive. Fits in the palm of your hand and has fine toothed wheels on the underside that quickly and gently prick the paper. Put a small qty of the concentrate in a pump up garden sprayer, wet one wall. By which time go back to the start and lift an edge and start gently peeling. It falls off with little scraping. I was astounded how easy it was. Oh, wash it all down with lite solution of sugar soap after, which you would always do before painting anyway.

Good luck

[wpcoe]

I'm leaning toward removal of the wallpaper at this point. Where in Thailand can those items from the local Bunning Warehouse be purchased, and any idea what they'd be called in Thai?

[peterb17]

I think you will find that the herringbone ' paper ' is actually a sort of fiberglass , it's not paper or lining paper- it's tough stuff and covers a multitude of sins- will last for years.

In Jomtien this finish was pioneered by Bruno- in all his miriad developments- always the same tiles, pools, bathrooms, cornices , wardrobes etc etc

I had it done in my condo , because I liked a bit of texture to the walls.

Has gone out of fashion these days, where a matt neutral colour is the way to go - ( remember all those sponged , rag rolled finishes.)

The builders used a TOA exterior totally Matt paint - and looks good.

It would be banned in the UK - where anything that does not smell of lavender and omits nothing but water is totally banned.

As a kid- remember all those oil based paints - linseed etc- they where tough.

But of course we all died of cancer etc.

[Jonmarleesco]

I imagine, being Thailand, removing the paper would leave the wall in a mess. You will create more adhesion by roughening the wallpaper surface with sandpaper, and a coat of primer similar to pre-papering primer might help. But you can always try a test piece and see the result of that before working on the whole wall.