painting over wallpaper


  #1  
Old 03-24-02, 04:02 AM
angelamapes
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painting over wallpaper

Help! We just bought an 18 year old home that has wallpaper everywhere. I want to re-paint the parts that have been painted over and I want to strip the rest of the paper off.Some of it has already been painted over - so well that I didn't know it was even wallpapered under it.

I have a few questions - Here they are:

1 I want to re-paint the parts that have been painted over and I want to strip the rest of the paper off.

I tried to strip the lower half in the dining room and it took me 2 hours to do a very small section. It looks like it was professionally done - it adheres to the wall very well.

Can I paint it? What kind of paint is best? Prime first?

2 I also want to border over another border, can I do that?

One last question?
3 Should I use a stripper solution or vinegar and h20 or a steamer? I have heard stories about each!


 
  #2  
Old 03-24-02, 08:01 AM
T
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Some of it has already been painted over - so well that I didn't know it was even wallpapered under it.
Funny thing that!! ...Customers that have asked me to paint over wallcovering in the past have all said the same thing!!
I`ll have to start recommending it...Under the correct circumstances...Of course..





1.Can I paint it? What kind of paint is best? Prime first?


In the U.K we rarely use primer on wallpaper or walls...On your side of the pond it seems that you do...So Refer to..

http://forum.doityourself.com/showth...threadid=86072



2 I also want to border over another border, can I do that?
Strip off the vinyl layer(if it has one) first and soak the backing with hot soapy water via a garden spray cannister..
You can go over the top with border adhesive (...ordinary wallpaper paste is fine over paper surfaced border)but the bottom edge of the first border will show through..If it is the same size then the double thickness will be apparant..

3 Should I use a stripper solution or vinegar and h20 or a steamer? I have heard stories about each!
I use none of the above....Just very hot water a little washing up liquid in a garden spray cannister..soak two or three times and allow to soak each time for 5 to ten mins....Apart from the steamer,I have nothing against any body using wetting agents if they think it works for them....

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Moderator... I have noticed that there are new threads such as this one that could have been answered in other threads with the same title [like the one below this one!!]
Why not close this one and post a link from here to the other??...

Better still..Why not stick popular threads with frequently asked questions at the top of the wallpaper forum?? That way we wont be constantly repeating ourselves huh??
 

Last edited by toptosher; 03-24-02 at 08:26 AM.
  #3  
Old 03-24-02, 10:36 AM
W
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1. Remember that your weak link here is wallpaper paste. How much paint will it hold before it gives out? Using proper wallpaper painting techniques will allow you to paint away like crazy. Trusting someone else's techniques can lead to failure and a doubling of your efforts. If it was my house I wouldn't paint over it. I would strip it off and start fresh.

To find out how to paint wallpaper, refer to the link above.

Border over border can be done, but there are thickness and width issues. You can only do this if the borders are the exact same width. If the new border is wider, you are asking for failure at the overlap joint. Also, you will have two borders on the wall, and with all that paper, you will be able to see the transition from wall to border, if this is acceptable to you, go for it. Use border adhesive even if the border is pre-pasted.

My wallpaper stripping page should answer your question as to how to remove your paper. You will notice no mention of steamers on that page though. Some like them, I have never used one. All the advice from fellow wallpaper professionals I know is the same: Stay away from them.
 
 

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