can I paint over wallpaper?

[Toraleistripe]

I can't be arsed to strip it and will only be putting up lining paper anyway to cover dodgy plaster. So can I? It's dark paper and am using a lighter colour.

Nooooooo!!!! Dooooont doooo ittttt!!!!.....well you could but it won't look great and it will be such a horrendous task getting it all off when you change your mind again!

Yes - as long as it is firmly fixed to the wall. You might find it needs several coats and some finishes can show through paint. Bear in mind that when you eventually come to strip the walls, it will probably be a bit more difficult to remove paper that's been painted over.

Depends on the paper. If it's paper paper then it's no different to lining paper. But, if the previous owners of your house covered everywhere in beautiful floral vinyl paper, then no, you own't be able to paint over it.

Agh, one yes and one no! FWIW don't plan to strip it ever if I can help it. Hate stripping paper off!

Yep, I've just done that very thing (on vinyl floral paper!). I primed it first because it was vinyl. Took two coats of paint and looks fab.

What you prime with?

I've been researching this because am painting over feature walls. I know, I know.... And it seems that as long as you seal the paper first it's fine.

Primer.

I used zinsser BIN which primes ANYTHING. I really lightly sanded the paper with a sanding sponge just to score the surface a bit, washed it down, primed it when dry.

You need to seal ( paper will absorb water based paint but it will be patchy without a seal)

Oh, I didn't know about the primer. Damn.

Yes of course you can.

We had flocked paper on on our bedroom walls, have painted Laura Ashley duck egg on it and it looks gorgeous! You can see the pattern still underneath but looks good. Have also painted over embossed paper in the hallway. You need to stick down any bits that have come away and sand down the joins. Make sure you do quite a good few coats.

I've never sealed wallpaper when painting over it btw. We painted the manky patterned bathroom wallpaper when I was a student and it was fine. I painted blown vinyl wallpaper in my first house (stairs and landing) as I couldn't be bothered to strip the paper. It worked fine. Our house now is lining papered then painted.

50% of my house is painted over paper. It will be fine. Better to paint over paper than to strip and find the walls in a mess and needs either replastering or lining anyway.