Painting over expensive string wallpaper...
OrchidOCD
12 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (10)
les917
12 years agoRelated Discussions
PO painted over wallpaper at some point - remove?
Comments (2)Depends on the condition of your walls and the paper. No doubt, the ideal solution is to remove wallpaper whenever possible. Added layers of paper or paint on top of it will just add to any imperfections or problems and cause them to look worse or even for the paper to come off the wall. That's the real concern. If the paper can be removed, it is best to remove it and avoid a bigger pain down the road. Now, that said, I have removed a lot of wallpaper (kitchen as well as every bedroom and bathroom in this house for starters), but my last house had wallpaper that seemed to be superglued to the walls and we could not get it off without destroying the sheetrock. We tried every method known, then sought professional help. They told us to secure or remove any loose edges or corners we might find, float the wall by skimming with joint compound (primarily to smooth out any seam line but also for any torn corners or other imperfections), sand smooth, then paint with the original shellac KILZ. This is one time to not use the water based -- the shellac will go into that paper better and help bind it to the sheetrock. From that point on, you consider it part of the sheerock and move on. You notice I didn't list dining room of this house above? Well, it was fully wallpapered too -- we were just so eager to paint over the the pink paint that we took the outlet covers off and cut those in after the first coat instead of before. The pink paint was covering a pink floral -- it had been like the rest of the house! We sought out the seems and checked them, checked the corners and decided it was secure enough that we were going to leave it. That was 9 years ago. We recently did a wall repair, floated it and repainted -- still looks perfect. Since then, I've hear applying wallpaper and painting over it as a suggestion for creating a smooth, no-texture wall finish and wondered if that would work well if you use a permanent bond to the wall rather than a typical paste that is meant to be removed. Test the wall and the paper. Worst case, new sheetrock is not that expensive (it's the labor to float it that runs up the cost). You don't want anything underneath your new kitchen to cause problems down the road. If it's an open area where you would not have to remove anything to repair, then you are just taking chances with paint and inconvenience. If you have to disconnect, remove, take apart things, then you are talking about more expense, more inconvenience, and the risk of damage or replacement of other parts of your kitchen. Either way you go, proper wall prep is worth the time and hassle -- but that's temporary and the results will be good and can last a lifetime....See MorePainting over dark wood which isn't valuable wood
Comments (54)Gorgeous door. I had painted wood banister and woodwork in my last house. It does show scuffs. And mine was the old oil based paint so much more durable than modern. This is how I feel about painting wood - if it has great grain and looks really good, then don't paint. I don't see either situation for your woodwork, but I also like wood and am really lazy so I would not paint. As far as bang for your buck, a new window is relatively inexpensive compared to all the years of joy it could bring you. As far as dark, your dark green carpeting is not doing you any favors. I had carpeting on my stairs at my last house and stuck with it because it makes the stairs seem less dangerous if I fell down them. But I would definitely go with an indoor/outdoor close weave kind of carpet, made for heavy traffic areas. Just do the treads if you need to save money. I love the idea of wall lights, sort of like what pot lights can do only appropriate for the style of your home. Gorgeous home details, BTW. Not sure how much your budget is and how much you want to tackle. I can't see how painting your woodwork will go with the style of your house and it doesn't seem like you want that much of a redo on everything else. Why do you have your entry way rug taped down? I could see adding a larger lighter rug there to tone down the dark of that groovy floor tile....See MoreDo I paint or wallpaper over 70's wood paneling?
Comments (26)OK, NOW you're getting into stuff that's WAY over my head! LOL I wanted quick and easy facelift, not major renovation! MAYBE if I were doing this WITH my husband we would go for removing the paneling, repairing the wall below it, removing the railing, etc. but this is something I want to get done in his absence when he's visiting family for a week. If we were to remove the railing, there would be major wall repairs to be done, AND, I'm not so confident that the bottom half is in as good shape as the top half.... previous owners let their dog do a LOT of damage in the house and for all I know there is scratched and chewed sheetrock under there, or worse! And, hey... nothing says that I won't go back in a year and decide I DO want to go further with this and THEN I can take on removing the paneling. This will be my FIRST project..... if I find I enjoy it, then maybe I'll want to take it to the next level. Baby steps. :) Sue...See MoreWho knew that painting and wallpaper could be so expensive?
Comments (24)I removed the wallpaper from an entire house of similar age and style, although on a smaller scale. Other than one small storage space and bedroom closets, every wall in the house was unpainted plaster under the wallpaper. I had one guy who did the quality of work I wanted at a reasonable price and I kept him occupied for many months, now going on 12 years of personal and business projects. When you own a beautiful vintage home, it is important to find someone who will honor the quality and craftsmanship and be happy to have the opportunity to work on your house. Owning a beautiful vintage home is a lifestyle choice and I was willing to spend the money and devote the hours required for many years. It is expensive to do the work right and cheap fixes cause more problems and cost more money in the long run. There are many competent painters out there but many of them are focused on the profit side and historic house projects are more difficult to predict and manage. I would be looking for a small company where the owner runs the jobs himself and stay away from companies with multiple crews doing different projects. Rarely does the attention to detail extend equally to every member of a large crew and I want the boss on site. In my house, only the ceilings were canvassed. We ended up removing the canvas in a couple rooms because once the canvas is torn, it is quite common for the problem to spread. We were able to repair one portion of the living room ceiling but it was not guaranteed to work. That room was about 350 sq ft and I was willing to take the chance rather than pay more to remove to bare plaster and skim coat. I did a good portion of the wallpaper removal myself, working with the painter on a time and materials basis. He was not comfortable giving me a bid for that part of the work because wallpaper removal is just too variable. One benefit of plaster walls is the surface is more forgiving than drywall. If you are relatively handy and healthy enough for the work, it is not difficult, just time consuming and boring. Turn up the music, protect the floors and woodwork and just get busy. I was very fortunate that only the crown molding in the foyer, main floor hallway and back hallway had been painted. We stripped that paint and it was a good decision despite the amount of work involved. It is expensive, but done right, it will never need to be done again....See MoreOrchidOCD
12 years ago
justgotabme
12 years agodianalo
12 years ago
PROLori A. Sawaya
12 years agoOrchidOCD
12 years agojustgotabme
12 years agosweeby
12 years agopowermuffin
12 years ago
Related Stories
DIY PROJECTSHow to Use an All-Over Wall Stencil
Step-by-Step: Punch Up a Wall With a Bright, Bold Stencil Pattern
Full Story
HOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: Creative Renters Triumph Over the ‘No Paint’ Rule
Not allowed to paint and limited with nails, a design-minded couple uses furnishings and textiles to make their rooms stand out
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESOver-the-Top Sophistication in a Holiday Show House
Decadently designed rooms for all seasons and purposes create showstopping displays in a Manhattan mansion
Full Story
KITCHEN DESIGNKitchen of the Week: Making Over a Rental for About $1,500
Fresh paint, new hardware, added storage, rugs and unexpected touches breathe new life into a Los Angeles apartment’s kitchen
Full Story
WALL TREATMENTSCan't Find the Right Wallpaper? Make Your Own
For one-of-a-kind walls, just use your imagination. Custom wallpaper is easier and less expensive than you might expect
Full Story
DECORATING PROJECTSGet a Wallpaper Look With a Hand-Painted Touch
Stencil a pattern for all the beauty of your favorite wallpaper at a fraction of the cost
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESBrush Up on Paintable Wallpaper for a Posh Look
Customize your wall treatments the affordable way, with richly textured wallpaper painted any color you like
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESSpotted! Decorating Schemes Turn Over a New Leaf
Think big when it comes to bringing the outside in via tropical leaf prints
Full Story
KITCHEN CABINETSColorful Ways to Make Over Your Kitchen Cabinetry
Try these inspiring color updates to spice up your kitchen a little — or a lot
Full Story
GUESTHOUSESHouzz Tour: An Elegant Studio Apartment Over the Garage
A dark space full of odd angles becomes a beautiful and functional college apartment
Full Story
Lori A. Sawaya