old wall paper, paint over or remove?

[Ronnie Boyd]

If I paint over old wallpaper and cut the seams and repair and use a oil base if that easier than removing the wallpaper.

What do you any of you suggest? Thanks

[Laird Wynn]

I have pulled a lot of wall paper in my days.  

Your result will depend on the substrate.   

Here is my approach with plaster:

1.  remove any water resistant coverings like vinyl.  Unless its a foil paper this usually comes off pretty easily in sheets.

2.  Use a tool called a Paper Tiger to score the wall paper.   Really go after it in this step.  The Paper Tiger will make tiny holes in the paper.  The more holes you make the faster the next steps are.

3.  Mix a product called DIF  with very hot water in a garden sprayer or, if you have one, an airless paint sprayer.

4.  Let is soak in an respray.

5.  repeat this step several times.  

6. Use a combination of 4" razor scrapers and drywall knives to remove paper with as little damage to plaster possible.

7.  Wipe the wall down with the DIF solution and a sponge to remove excess glue.

With Drywall its a bit dicey.   Try to pull the paper in layers.  when you get to the drywall make sure that the drywall was properly prepped before the wallpaper was applied.  If the drywall was prepped correctly the paper will pull off with a little help from DIF.

If the wall paper was not prepped, you will pull the face paper off the drywall when you remove the wallpaper and this makes a mess!   If this is the case,  remove any vinly top layers then use two coats of BIN alcohol based shellac.  It dries fast and will seal the surface of the paper.  Skim coat on top of that then prime and paint.   

I've tried it a million ways and the above will get you the best results most easily.