Can You Paint Over Wallpaper?

That is an excellent and common question. For professionals like RVA Pro Painters, the short answer is: While you can technically paint over wallpaper, they strongly recommend and offer services for removing it first for a truly professional, long-lasting result.

Painting over wallpaper is often considered a shortcut that can lead to problems down the road.¹

Here is a breakdown of why professionals usually advise against it, and the one scenario where it might be considered:

🛑 Why RVA Pro Painters Recommends Removal

RVA Pro Painters, as a company focused on quality and longevity (they offer a 2-year workmanship warranty), aims for the best possible surface.

• The Bubbling Risk: When you apply a water-based paint (like most latex paints) or primer, the moisture can reactivate the wallpaper adhesive underneath.³ This often causes the paper to bubble, wrinkle, or peel away from the wall. This is a common and immediate failure.

• Visible Seams and Texture: Even if the paper is perfectly adhered, the seams, overlaps, and any subtle texture on the wallpaper will be magnified by the paint.⁴ The wall will not look like a smooth, traditionally painted wall.

• Future Removal Headache: Once paint is on the paper, it becomes exponentially harder and more destructive to remove later.⁵ The paint seals the paper, preventing water and removal solutions from penetrating to the adhesive, often resulting in tearing up the drywall’s surface layer.

RVA Pro Painters explicitly highlights this on their website, stating:
“While you certainly can paint over wallpaper, it can be tricky. Painting over wallpaper poses a number of obstacles for achieving a polished, professional finish.⁶ Between seams, tears, and bumps, preparing your wallpaper to be painted over can take just as much work, if not more, than removing it.”

✅ The Professional Solution: Wallpaper Removal

RVA Pro Painters offers complete Wallpaper Removal as a core service.⁹ Their process is designed to prevent damage and prepare the wall correctly:

1. Removal: Gently stripping the paper and adhesive using commercial-grade removers.

2. Wall Prep: Sanding and patching any remaining glue residue or damage to the drywall underneath.

3. Priming: Applying an oil-based primer (or a specialized sealant like Zinsser Gardz) to seal the porous wall surface and lock down any remaining adhesive before painting.

4. Painting: Applying the final coats for a smooth, warrantied finish.

⚠️ The Exception (When Painting Over is Considered)

In very rare cases, professionals might agree to paint over existing wallpaper, but only under strict conditions:

• The Wallpaper is Perfect: It must be fully adhered to the wall with zero peeling, bubbling, or loose seams.

• Smooth Surface: The paper must have no texture or pattern that will show through the paint.
  Oil-Based Primer is Used: An oil-based or shellac-based primer (like Kilz Original or Zinsser B-I-N) is mandatory.¹⁴ These primers seal the surface without introducing water, preventing the adhesive underneath from reactivating

Even when following this process, the professional will likely note that the warranty may not cover issues related to the underlying paper peeling or bubbling.

The easiest and best way to get a new paint color is to choose removal first!
Would you like to know more about the drywall repair process that follows wallpaper removal to ensure a perfectly smooth wall?