Replies

1. 
   AndyEngel | Feb 07, 2014 02:47pm | #1

   Sure it is. Vinyl wallpaper is harder, but not impossible. Generally, you wouldn't need to score if it's not vinyl. Going over the existing paper has been done, but you're depending on the adhesion of the existing paper. That can be a disaster if the moisture from the new installation happens to loosen the old. I've removed walpaper with a plastic scraper, a sponge, and warm water. Tedious, but not a huge deal. And if the person who hung the paper before you was a decent human being and sized the wall, the paper comes off even easier.

1. 
   jyang949 | Feb 07, 2014 08:35pm | #3

   Forgot to mention that I want to paint, not repaper

   And, of course, the appearance of the paint will be affected by the condition of the substrate. I'm not sure if removing the wallpaper will leave the drywall with a fuzzy surface. The wallpaper looks like grasscloth and was installed in the late 1970s, but I doubt that sizing was used.

   Well, probably the only way to know is to remove a piece and prime the drywall. 

   Janet

2. 
   cussnu2 | Feb 07, 2014 03:49pm | #2

   In some cases, it is possible to paint over wallpaper if you are okay with the texture.  The only way to find this out is to try it.  The paint may cause it to fall off in which case you are only out the small amount of paint you used on the test area.  It all depends on what the current wallpaper is like but its worth a shot and one heck of a lot easier than removing the paper if you can get away with it.

3. 
   ACFM | Feb 09, 2014 02:27am | #4

   Options

   Basically you have two options.  The first and best option is to remove the old wallpaper.  There are several ways to do this: steam, chemical solutions, and of course scraping.  Like the others already said you hope the walls were sized or painted before haning the current wallpaper. If the walls were untreated prior to haning the wallpaper give it up and paint over it.

   You can paint over the old wallpaper if it is well adheared to the wall.  I doubt you know if the wallpaper glue is water based or not.  If it is water based painting over it with water based paint (latex) could loosen the wallpaper glue and cause the wallpaper to fall off the wall. The soultion is to prime with an oil based primer to seal the wallpaper then you can paint over it with latex paint of your choice.

   Have fun.

1. 
   DanH | Feb 09, 2014 08:24am | #5

   I've never seen wallpaper installed with anything other than water-based glue.  You do get "wall coverings" that are installed with smelly stuff, but they are either cloth or thick vinyl.