Spackle over wallpaper?

[LFBB]

Placed an offer on a property in Florida today. It's an old lady house in that It's well kept but full of wallpaper. Removing it is WORK! So I'm thinking, as long as it not loose I can spackle over it. A thin coat, primer and paint.

What do you all think? I'm getting ahead of myself but would like your opinions.

[Sans Peur]

The spackle will pull the paper and wrinkle.

Ask me how I know.

[Smitty45]

What Sans said !^ Have you tried using an clothes iron and a wet towel ?

[Fandarr]

I agree, wallpaper removal is a nightmare. Spackle right over it will create more problems, if not immediately it will in the not to distant future. If you don't want to remove it you can always hang 1/4 drywall over it, but that creates trim issues. There is no great solution, pick your poison.

[noelm]

Remove wall paper, remove drywall and start again, pay someone to do it....your choice.

[LFBB]

I tried removing wall paper once in my life, NEVER AGAIN! What a nightmare.

I'd take down the existing dry wall and put up new before trying to remove wallpaper ever again.

Sucks that the spackle won't go over it without a problem, but thanks for keeping me from making a mistake.

[KMac]

That wallpaper will shrink and eventually peel.. I wouldn't do that.. I used hot water on a sponge to get mine down.. Steam machine works, too. But, once the glue dries out again, just use a palm sander and smooth it out. Or, as noelm said, replace the dry wall.

[blaster]

Hard no! Take off the wall paper. Soak and scrape. Heat, steam and scrape. Hire someone. Don’t cover wallpaper or you will just end up doing it again.

[Sailsalot]

I ( sometimes ) do this for a living and here is the best method for removal and I recommend removal as others have here. - Get a 6 inch taping knife and make sure it is sharp. While holding knife use other hand to press down on blade as you try to scrape wallpaper. Try to get the top layer off which is usually a vinyl coating with the design on it.

Don't try to scrape all the way down to the drywall although it may strip that far at spots. Once the top layer is off, spray wall with water by using a hand-help pump up sprayer that we call a Hudson sprayer . Let wet area or wall set a few minutes and backing should easily scrape off using your 6 inch knife. It may take repeated wettings depending on the type of paste originally used.

In the event that you can't get the top layer to scrape off . ( remember to keep your 6 inch knife sharp and apply pressure ) you can scrape the seam areas where there is any loose paper or raised areas. You can then spackle over the seam areas only . If you spackle apply enough pressure to lay a smooth bead of spackle with your knife. repeat spackling if needed and you will need very little sanding of spackle if done in this way. Then prime entire wall with an oil base primer before painting.

There may be some bubbles appear if you spackle seams and prime but they will usually lay back down if you don't mess with them while wet and just let dry. The oil primer is recommended as it helps seal the wall so the latex paint isn't as likely to penetrate. If in a situation where you can't use an oil primer because of health or other reason, wallpaper can be painted over with just latex after seams and any other loose areas have been spackled and sanded, but, as mentioned earlier, not recommended as bubbles may not lay down when dry.

Note: When using a 6 inch taping knife it may be a good idea to slightly bend the 2 sharp corners of knife using pliers . Then mark your knife in a way that you always keep the same side down. The slightly bended areas will be bent upwards . These are only very slight bends and by doing so it will keep the knife from digging in at corners while scraping .

[Tiretyme]

I personally used a wallpaper steamer from a rental place.
One of the best rentals I ever made.
No damage to gypsum board at all.
Even went over it again to get any leftover paste off, then painted—perfect

[jmike]

When I bought my house it had some nasty old paneling in the dining room. It that was glued on tight like dicks hatband. I just went over it with a nice bead board wainscoting, floor to ceiling, crown molding and new base with fancy corner trim. Painted it semi gloss white for easy cleaning and it has a very beachy look to it.

If you want to tackle wallpaper removal do what the others suggested. I've been around that block before. The toughest I ever had to remove was some boarder paper at the ceiling. Had to rent a steamer for that. I've also had to remove vinyl paper, removed the top layer and soaked the remains with a lot of water, came off easy with a 6" taping knife

[LFBB]

So my idea is a dud, next case, what is a price for someone to remove old wallpaper?

[jmike]

Give it a try before you hire it out...you might get lucky with removal.

[LFBB]

I tried wallpaper removal once before and it wasn't good. I might give it a try but I don't know how well it will turn out. This paper has been up since 1982, original to the home. From the photos it seems up real well.

[Billinfla]

IF you damage the paper surface of the sheetrock you are screwed!

[V_Thirteen]

IF you damage the paper surface of the sheetrock you are screwed!

Insofar as getting a smooth finish, or generally? I've fixed that with joint compound without a problem, but I generally apply a hand finish / knockdown.

Wallpaper on the inside of an exterior wall in Florida is a mold problem waiting to happen, provided the wallpaper is not very permeable.

[Billinfla]

[QUOTE=V_Thirteen;n150497]

Insofar as getting a smooth finish, or generally? I've fixed that with joint compound without a problem, but I generally apply a hand finish / knockdown.

Wallpaper on the inside of an exterior wall in Florida is a mold problem waiting to happen, provided the wallpaper is not very permeable
You can pucky over small Dings in sheetrock, but missing chunks are a problem. Ya gotta smooth the paper edges,,I usually seal everything with oil/shellac product, sand it it smooth when it dries. Hot mud works best.