wallpapering over varnished wallpaper

[anniebee]

Hi I am wallpapering the long wall of a stair well of a bungalow with a dormer floor. The wallpaper is currently varnished but cracked where the wall material underneath changes from skimmed walls to hardwood walls upstairs. The old people that own it don't want me to take down the wallpaper that is currently there in case the walls fall down, but I am pretty sure that if I fill the cracked areas I can wallpaper over the top. In order for the wallpaper to take, I am guessing that the best thing would be to pva the wall first. If so, how diluted should the pva be or are there any other things I should do to prepare the old wallpaper for the new wallpaper?
Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Thanks
Annie

 

[Zampa]

Varnished wallpaper..christ how old is the house???

Dont go near the PVA..it wont have anything to absorb into and will cause you even bigger problems.

I would touch a job if they didnt wat it stripped..so much can go wrong, so first things first..insist on them that you WONT gaurentee ANYTHING.

Not seeing the job its difficult to comment but if its the old fashioned varnished paper (that will be about 30 years old now) you could try giving it a light rub over to break the surface..a coat of Zinsseer bin, problem solving primer, Melamine primer, dulux supergrip or good old alkali resisting primer...or at a push thinned out oil based undercoat..

Line, using ready mixed paste..then do your top paper.

Whatever you do..DONT use PVA.

 

[anniebee]

Thanks Zampa
I'm still training at the moment and am just doing a favour for some practice. Yes the wallpaper has been on for well over 30 years, but they are old and they want function not perfection and they need to use the wall to help slide up the stairs! (I have to varnish the new paper when I have finished.)
I'm starting the prep tomorrow, so we'll see what happens!
thanks again for the advice.
Annie

 

[Zampa]

Souds like you have got your work cut out there annie..

Artex, nice and rough might be useful..they can hang on to it as they climb the stairs!!

What is the paper your going to put on and what type of varnish are you planning to use?

 

[anniebee]

I managed to convince them to let me take the paper off today. Half the wall is palstered with flaky paint and the other half is plain hardboard. I'm not sure what sort of size to use on the hardboard now.
I'm using hardglaze gloss varnish, Ronseal. They need it to be hardwearing for all their sons and grandchildren that clatter in and out. Plus its what they've always used and when you're in your 70s change is a hard thing!

 

[Zampa]

The paper isnt a vinyl is it?..you may have adhesion problems.

 

[anniebee]

no its not vinyl.

 

[Zampa]

thats a plus then! lol

Go for acrylic varnish..it doesnt yellow and doesnt smell to bad either

Good luck.