Preparation - walls and ceilings 3

Preparation - walls and ceilings 2

Distemper coated surfaces

This is not suitable to receive modern paints or paper and should be removed.

The process for its removal is similar to that for stripping wallpaper.

Papered surfaces

Previously painted wallpaper may be washed and repainted as for painted plaster, provided it is sound.

Otherwise, as for all the other wallpapers, it should be stripped. It is possible to paint over wallpaper but with some exceptions. Always test a small area first as the liquid content of paint may cause the paper to lift.The dyes used to create the pattern in the paper may bleed through new paint. In this case you will need first to paint the surface with aluminium sealer.

It is not recommended to paint over vinyl paper as this is designed to prevent anything sticking to it.

If you intend to hang another wallpaper it is always best to remove totally the existing paper. It is not good practice to hang paper over paper, except in the case of lining paper or previously painted paper in sound condition.