Technically, painting over wallpaper is possible, but is it recommended? Painting companies generally steer their customers away from it because there are some drawbacks that you will want to avoid. At Blue Chip Painting, our interior painters strive for excellence and want to make sure that the result of our projects are stellar. Let’s dive into this topic, and discuss cons of leaving the wallpaper on the wall.
3 Reasons Painting Companies Don’t Paint Over Wallpaper
- Blisters
The number one reason to avoid painting over wallpaper would be blisters. The glue on the back of the wallpaper is water soluble. And if you are familiar with modern architectural paints, they are water based. When the paint goes on to the wallpaper, it soaks through and can loosen the glue causing it to lift off and bubble or blister the wallpaper. The appearance is a wall with bulges coming out from it. Less than professional.
It is possible to first apply an oil-based primer to the wallpaper to block the water based paint from soaking through, and if you absolutely must paint over your wallpaper this process is recommended, however painting companies know that this still does not guarantee a pockmark free wall.
- Seams & Texture
When you look closely at your wallpaper, you will notice that there is a vertical seam that runs from the baseboard to the ceiling every few feet. This is because wallpaper comes in a roll and is applied to the wall in vertical strips. Every successive strip leaves a seam between it and the previous one. When you paint over the wallpaper, this seam will not disappear. It will remain visible.
Secondly, some wallpaper has a texture to it. Paint will not smooth this out. The wallpaper’s texture will remain, which will make it more obvious that it was painted over.
- Harder to Remove
The last reason why painting companies recommend not painting over wallpaper is because it makes it harder to remove in the future. The paint seals the wallpaper making it more difficult to dissolve the glue behind. More damage to the wall will result from having to force the wallpaper off the wall, which will require repairs.
In Conclusion, removing wallpaper before painting is the best idea. Leaving it on will leave less than desired results and cause more work down the road when you do decide to remove it. Interior painters at painting companies like Blue Chip Painting will offer the service of removing the wallpaper. The end result will be better and your future self will thank you.
For a free estimate to remove your wallpaper and paint your home. Please reach out through our estimate form and contact us today!