Painting over kitchen wallpaper?

[Pink Elephant]

Not happy with our kitchen but with other things that need doing to our house beforehand and the cost of a new kitchen we're looking at the possibility of painting over the existing wallpaper.



Thumbnail, so you can enlarge to get a better view if needed.

It's a strange textured sort of paper and the patterns on it are raised. With that in mind and the fact it is in the kitchen (so it'll have had steam and whatever else landing on it) and we don't know how long it's been there for (bought the house with this in place) i'm just wondering
a) how would you prep the paper for painting
b) what paint would you use? Some of that Dulux kitchen stuff or something else?
c) Will those patterns be visible through the paint (we'll be using a light colour)?

 

[KenGMac]

Pink Elephant, good evening.

OK I have seen this paper,

Problem with applying paint is that the surface of the old paper is that [possibly] years of cooking steam have adhered to the paper, and the paint will not stick?

And the dark features WII show through on any new paint applied now.

Have you considered removing the paper? then applying the paint?

If the plaster below the thick paper you have on the wall now [applied ] now is in poor condition simply apply a thick layer of lining paper and apply emulsion paint.

Ken

 

[opps]

As KenGmac says, whichever paint you use the raised patterns will still be visible.

You may additionally find that you can see all of the joins.

The "safest" paint to use will be one that adheres and isn't waterbased (you don't want to reactivate the old paste).

Zinsser BIN, whilst not cheap will cover all but the greasiest paper in two coats. It can be tinted (approximately) to your desired colour. Being shellac based, it is extremely durable.