Painting over wallpaper

[SandraAmy]

I want to do a quick job of painting over existing wallpaper, but the colour keeps leaching through. How can I stop this, please?

 

[sixeighth]

Is there a lot of the colour leaching through - just spots here and there or mostly all over?

 

[SandraAmy]

There are gold coloured stripes which are leaching through, even after two coats of emulsion, a coat of PVA diluted 1 to 5, then another coat of emulsion. (This is only a test area!)

 

[misterhelpful]

a coat of PVA diluted 1 to 5 (This is only a test area!)

Aargh, disasterous decision! Good job it's only a test area - PVA is unsuitable for use with paint.

If the paper is a shiny vinyl then this could be the problem as paint doesn't stick very well to it - you can expect to give it several coats before it covers.

Just like clothes, some wallpapers are not colourfast and the dyes will bleed through wet paint. If this is the case you will need to use a stain blocking primer like Zinsser Coverstain before emulsioning. Not certain of it's suitability on wallpaper but seem to recall using it in the past - check before buying.

 

[SandraAmy]

Thank you for that information. We need to do a quick job on our B&B hall and staircase before the season gets going. A bit of a panic really. It's an embossed paper with gold stripes - been up about 20 years I think.

 

[misterhelpful]

It's an embossed paper with gold stripes - been up about 20 years I think.

From experience, I would imagine it will cover with a few coats of emulsion then, rather than needing stain block.

Fingers crossed!

 

[SandraAmy]

Thank you, we'll give it a go!

 

[sixeighth]

It might need a lot of zinnser given it's a hall and stairs. You could just coat it with oil undercoat but that's going to leave a smell/fumes for days and a difficult job in the future if the walls do need to be stripped.

 

[SandraAmy]

I've been looking at the "Zinsser Bulls Eye Virtually Odourless" primer on line. It's going to be expensive, but still cheaper than the labour (and disruption) involved in stripping it all off and making good. The house is 150 years old! Who knows what lies underneath!!

 

[sixeighth]

You might get a fast drying time with the zinnser (check the tin) to allow you get started on the emulsion.