Wallpaper with paint on it

[Connie Moe]

I have a ceiling (plaster I think) with wallpaper that has been painted. Can I just prime and wallpaper over it? Some of the paint is chipping so I have scraped that off. What do you think?:help: :help:

Connie

[Bill Archibald]

It is never a good idea, under normal circumstances, to paint over wallpaper, let alone install more wallpaper on top of that. There are just too many ways the old wallcovering can fail.

The only instance where it could be deemed necessary to prime over old wallpaper and hang more on top of it is when the wallpaper has been installed directly on top of raw sheet rock. And I don't like being forced to do that.

IF the ceiling under the wallpaper is indeed plaster, you should be able to strip it, although not as easily as if it had not been painted. My favorite method is to put some 36 grit sandpaper in a palm sander and go over the painted surface so that if breaks up the paint enough for my stripping solution to penetrate.

Others use scoring tools,

http://media2.askthebuilder.com/askthebuilder.com/artman212/uploads/1/250.jpg

but they often score the surface under the paper, requiring much patching.

If I were doing this, I would first attempt to "shave" as much of the painted wallpaper off. Get a wallpaper stripping tool

http://www.toolspot.co.uk/products/Decorating%20Brushes%20And%20Tools/Wallpaper%20Stripper%204in%20Blade%20With%20Spare% 20Blades_t.jpg

and try to slice the painted paper off - kind of similar to carving a very thin piece of Thanksgiving Turkey.

If you can't get anywhere with that in the loose areas at least, then go with soaking and stripping. Remember, let the solution do the work. Spray and let it soak. Keep respraying to keep it wet until the paste has re-wet. I like a 2 - 3 gallon garden sprayer
http://img.tradekey.com/images/uploadedimages/offers/5/3/A73855-20060703101753.jpg

good luck.

[jim27577]

Prime it and hang over it....if it isn't loose you will probably not have a problem....don't make something simple hard..

Jim

[Jeff Evans]

I agree with...both, Jim and Bill.:roflmao: I think Bill gave advice based on what a professional should do when faced with the liability of papering over other paper. I mean, who's gonna pay when it starts falling off the ceiling?

Sometimes we approach a homeowners question with the same trepidation we feel when we are faced with said liability. I have no qualms about telling a homeowner they can paper over their own painted over paper (a capital offense in my book, by the way) in their own home, as long as they know the risks. So go for it if you want to chance it, but know it could go south. Or in this case, straight down.:eek:

[Bill Archibald]

..if it isn't loose you will probably not have a problem......

Jim

I can understand your sentiments Jim, but those "ifs" and probablies" can get one in a lot of trouble.

As I was telling a painter freind of mine the other day, "If you have a small failure, you scrape, sand, and dab on a little paint. There are no small failures with wallpaper"

We need to take ALL steps to assure every square foot stays where it is supposed to stay. Most often this involves complete thoroughness, but the resulting alternative is what?

As a professional, I can only give professional advice

[fine paper hang]

Even though this thread is old I’d say this , If old wall cover comes off nice from plaster
And as long as a customer is willing to pay for the proper prep which would be a nice chunk of change
Why short change your self and the customer. Do the job rite since drop cloth setup is the same
2 coats oil for a nice water proof seal its still going to take a few hours and hypothetically then you wont want to hang material till the next day any way , some times prepping improper walls to a point of expectable is as hard as doing it rite the first time.
keith