Wallpapering on wallpaper – four smart tips

Careful planning and good preparation are always needed when wallpapering – not least if you’re wallpapering over existing wallpaper. Here are some concrete tips to help you get good results.

  1. Do I need to tear off old wallpaper or is it enough to spackle over unevenness and edges?

    Feel the joints to see how tight the old wallpaper is. You should prime with wallpaper primer for a good surface for spackling and wallpapering – but it also depends on the wallpaper on the wall.

    A non-woven wallpaper is placed edge to edge and does not leave any seams. If it is a paper wallpaper with overlapping edges, you have to “plane” the joints and then spackle so that it is even. Some types of wallpaper, such as vinyl wallpaper and textured vinyl, are splittable so that the top layer can be ripped off if the wallpaper has texture

  2. I want to wallpaper a feature wall on top of a painted wallpaper. How do I do it?

    Start by filling in any imperfections and sanding and painting so that the wall is completely smooth when you wallpaper. Some wallpaper suppliers require that the surfaces to be wallpapered are first painted with a colour similar to the wallpaper. This reduces the risk of the painted surface shining through the wallpaper. The surface should be even and of the same colour.

    Painting along moldings and frames?

    Draw all markings in pencil. If you use an ink pen, there is a risk that the markings will show through the wallpaper.

  3. How do I wallpaper on top of a textured wallpaper?

    If the wallpaper has not been painted before, it should be splittable. Then you can tear off the top structural layer of the wallpaper. Then you need to prime with wallpaper primer, fill in any imperfections, sand and prime or pre-glue before wallpapering. Keep in mind that some wallpaper suppliers require the substrate to be painted before wallpapering.

  4. I want to redecorate with a lighter wallpaper, but first I need to remove a grease stain on the existing wallpaper. How do I do it?

    Wash thoroughly with a paint cleaner to dissolve the grease stain. Then prime the stain with primer to prevent further penetration. Choose a water-based primer. Keep in mind that some wallpaper suppliers require the substrate to be painted before wallpapering.