At this point, you're better off continuing the stripping, scraping process. You'll need to GARDZ over the damage, repair it by skim coating, GARDZ again, prime if needed and then proceed to paint.

Michael

I need to clarify two points:

First, three walls in this room are old plaster and lathe, and one wall is drywalled.

Second, I am planning on wallpapering in this room with a good quality faux plaster textured wallpaper. We are not painting.

With that said, some areas on the drywall wall are down to the paper backing on the last layer of wallpaper (one step away from drywall paper coming off) and I am just wondering if I should cut my losses and wallpaper over all of this. Would it be ok to paper over the fuzzy paper backing that is left over the drywall rather than to try to remove it?

Can I size this wall, over the paper backing thats been exposed, over any other wallpaper I haven't removed yet (why bother if this is going to happen?) and just paper over it?

Thanks for your advice. The three plaster walls are stripping right down to the plaster with some elbow grease, but it is coming off.

I'm failing to see why you can't paint all the walls -- plaster and drywall. Have you talked to your paint supplier about this? Perhaps there is an undercoating that would make the final coat appear similar on both textures.

If you have gouges in the drywall you can't really paper over them and get a good result. How much drywall is it? Feasible to resurface or replace?

I'm afraid you are looking for an 'easy out' that doesn't exist.

Yes, I've been to the paint store and ordered my wallpaper from them after discussing our situation.

Repairing plaster and trying to texturize the drywall to look like plaster is just more work than we are willing to do. And frankly, I am *in love* with the wallcovering we chose (a gorgeous faux plaster) so I am fine with not painting.

I agree that the following statement, made by me in my OP indeed sounds like someone looking for a "quick fix":

"How should I proceed? Should I just stop and size the whole thing and paper over this mess?"

But, if I may make a small retraction - I was really only speaking of that one drywalled wall when I said I wondered if I should just paper over the "whole mess". Why keep fighting to take the paper off when it is stuck like glue and pulling the paper off the drywall.

So - back to my orginal question.

Can I wallpaper over the fuzzy backer paper that is leftover on the drywall (one layer from the paper liner on the drywall) if I size the whole wall? Is there any reason not to do this? (besides the fact that I should be painting these walls, in your opinion... LOL)

Will the leftover backer paper prevent the new wallcovering from sticking? Will it bubble? Will it do something unsightly to the new paper??

Are you sure the fuzzy backing you're seeing is from the wallpaper and not the paper backing of the drywall?

If the surface you're seeing is well adhered and there's no concern of the fuzzy texture transfering thru your new wallpaper, then I'd prime the wall and then hang the new wallpaper.

I'm no expert in wallpapering but the link below has more info.

Here is a link that might be useful: faq's

Here is a pic of the area in question:

{{!gwi}}

In the upper left, you see the green (top layer of wallpaper) and then the yellow (backer under the green layer) and then...

The white is old wallpaper, the tan color is the liner backer of that white wallpaper, the grey is the drywall, and the darker brown colored area is what is under the grey drywall paper.

Could I sand it, prime it and wallpaper it? Or, do I need to skim the brown area with mud before priming and papering?

I would skim coat the area with joint compound, possibly two coats, lightly sand smooth, primer and re-wall paper away.

Ditto what sierra said. I wouldn't do any sanding of the paper since it will just make it rougher.
You won't need a perfectly smooth finish as you would for paint. Just smooth enough it doesn't show thru the paper.

I would skim coat the area with joint compound, possibly two coats, lightly sand smooth, primer and re-wall paper away.

Gardz it first, then do as above, using Gardz as your wallcovering primer.

gardenwebber,

that layer of paper you are looking at will bubble when applying any moisture to it, including wallpaper.

GARDZ it, skim it, GARDZ it and wallpaper.

Michael