can I wallpaper on top of wallpaper?

Question

Moved into new house which has been wallpapered through out with woodchip so want to strip as little as possible.

Answer 1

Sure, but it works best if you use joint compound and skim coat the seams of the old paper, and then size it before you apply the second layer. I use 45 minute set fast as a skim coat, so as to not get the old paper to wet and loosen it from the wall. If there is any old paper that is loose just cut it out with a knife and skim coat that area too.

Answer 2

Wallpaper needs a nice surface to adhere to. Any lumps and bumps underneath will show through so this woodchip will make the finish look awful. If a job is worth doing then do it properly. Use a steamer to take off the woodchip and then use a scraper on the bare walls to get rid of all those tiny bits that are left. Then put up the new paper. Stripping off the old should take no more that 2 full days, dependent on the room size. Don't forget to do the ceiling and other painting before the wallpaper. Best of luck.

Answer 3

To not strip the woodchip would be false economy. It can be a lot of hard work but is always best to remove all old woodchip before applying any new paper. If you didn't, the new wallpaper, as well as not sticking properly, would look terrible as all the 'bumps' of the woodchip will show through.

Best to strip the woodchip with either a steam stripper, or score the woodchip with a scraper or some old carpet gripper to break the surface, then apply water over the woodchip, allow to soak in and then scrape off the old fashioned way with a scraper.

You may be lucky, the woodchip may not have been hung very well and may just come off the walls in strips. Try some first see how you get on.

Good luck !!

Answer 4

Flat paper is fine, but wood chip? Not a chance, move house immediately. It can be stripped, will be a mare though. Hire or borrow a good steamer, they really do take the hard work out of stripping woodchip. You might aswell get it off now if you intend on staying there for a while or you'll end up wallpapering over wallpaper over wallpaper and then end up in a house with the cubic capacity of a dolls house. Go on, you can do it!!

Answer 5

I agree with the "can't wallpaper over woodchip" forum. However I have removed woodchip from a whole house using a steamer. Don't hire one as they are so cheap and you can take your time.
If one person hold the steamer on paper starting at top of wall down to bottom then a second person (if you have one) can be stripping it whilst you steam the second section. It works well this way as you dont have to keep stopping the steamer whilst you strip. The paper comes off easier if you strip straight after steaming.
Then you only need to "Polyfill" bad areas before putting on new paper. Good Luck.

Answer 6

if you wallpaper over woodchip the paper you are covering it with will either not stick properly or if it does will look terrible cause of the texure of the woodchip underneath. I recomend stripping the woodchip. I know its a pain in the a s s to get off but it will look better in the long run. You can hire wallpaper removers for quite cheap from local diy stores.

Answer 7

The problem with woodchip is peeling it off,but at the same time it would be hard to get rid of the chip effect by lining over it. A good heavy gauge would probably still let the effect show through.So i would say stripping is your only option >Hot soapy water is the trick ,soak the walls a few times before starting. Then again a mate of mine plastered on top of chip paper in the whole house and had no problems with it in the last 5 years.

Answer 8

You should'nt really wallpaper on top of wallpaper, whatever the type, but especially not with woodchip.
You need to strip off all of the woodchip (which will be a difficult enough job in itself) before preparing the walls and starting from scratch. Good luck with that one!

Answer 9

Strip the walls then paper over, you'll save yourself the trouble now while your doing all the DIY to get your house the way you want it and not only that its better to do it now rather then when you want to change the room again over time and will find yourself having to remove wallpaper and the woodchip before papering over, best to do it now

Good luck

Answer 10

I suggest you strip the woodchip off, because if you wallpaper over it it may not be smooth and the texture of the woddchip would show through!
Good Luck

Answer 11

Hi 1weerab

False economy to try to paper over woodchip as the end result will be messy & a waste of your time & the new paper

If you live anywhere in london I can send someone to strip it off for you at a cost of about £60 per room