Paint over Wallpaper

[patlaw]

My daughter and son-in-law just bought their first home. They move in next week. While there today, I noticed that the kitchen and dining area are paint over wallpaper. The wallpaper appears to be adhering to the drywall okay, but that's not that way I would do things. They're going to have the inside painted next week. Is it worth paying extra to have the wallpaper removed? I think so, but a lot of attitudes toward such things have changed over the years.

 

[Raymond]

If the wallpaper is noticeable, i would go ahead and have it removed. One less thing they will have to worry about fixing in the future.

 

[Berta]

I had wallpaper over hardboard. It was terrible. If the finished product looks fine now, just paint it.

 

[JimD]

It depends on how easily the wallpaper will come off. We had a house once where the previous homeowner used white glue to hang wallpaper. Walls were not primed first so the paper was very solidly glued to the drywall surface paper. My late wife laboriously removed the wall paper and patched the walls. I would probably have smashed the drywall and replaced it. Just painting over the wallpaper makes it harder to remove. We have some areas in the current house where the wallpaper doesn't want to come off. Not clear what the issue is. Other areas it came off nicely.

Long way of saying I would have the painters try it but if it doesn't come off well, it might not be something to persist with - if they want to get in the house on-time.

I pretty much agree with the current LOML. Wallpaper is nasty stuff best left in the store or the trash. But sometimes it comes off fine if it was put up right. But when it is painted over, my experience is that it is a very bad sign.

 

[JEHenslee]

I painted light beige paint over forest green wall paper recently. It took 2 coats and looks great. The wallpaper was in good shape, not peeling anywhere. I have taken down a lot of wall paper before to paint and it is always different depending on type of wall paper, glue used, how much, if primed for wall paper first. So you won't know how easily it will come off till you try it or whether you will damage the sheet rock in process.

If the wallpaper is in good shape. Paint over it. It is way easier.

Thx

 

[bluedawg76]

considering they're having the interior painted, then yes, I would have the wallpaper removed. Well worth the money IMO. If I was doing the painting myself, I'd consider paying someone to remove the wallpaper and skim coat the walls. I really dislike removing wallpaper.