Can you put wallpaper over wood paneling?

Question

we have some old wood paneling in our house that is floor to ceiling from the 70s. if we took it off we would have to put new drywall up and everything. can you just put wallpaper over it? if so, how would you go about doing so? are there any special steps that need to be taken?

Answer 1

It's possible

Answer 2

Split Dog's got it.  The paper is called wall covering, or anaglypta  (an a glip ta), and yes, it goes on the walls horizontally. Just make sure you give it a solid 48 hours to dry.

Answer 3

If your paneling is in good shape use prepasted wall paper and it should do fine. Go ahead and buy a gallon of prepasted glue, in case you have minor flaking in the wallpaper. Most of the time, the wallpaper comes with the manufactures's instructions on how to install it. Good luck.

If you paint the paneling, use 3/4 - 1" nap. It will save brushing in all the cracks.

Answer 4

would not recommend paper over panelling. You can paint it to get rid of it, those grooves in the paneling will always weaken the paper with no backing behind. If you take some #00 grade steel wool, and rub lightly over all the surface, wipe with a damp cloth. This will take the sheen off of the wood and introduce some hair sized scracher which will allow the primner to adhere. Then, prine in any direction which is comfortable. Finally, paint over the paneling and be done with it. Important to follow all the above mentioned step. Don't scrimp or you will have to do it twice. Use a brush to paint all the grooves in the panelling, then use a 3/8" nap roller for the finish coat.

Answer 5

you can but you have to scrub the walls down and clean them first..

Also.. you might want to think long and hard about it before you cover up wood paneling with wallpaper.. think if your going to be there forever or if your going to want to change wallpapers in 10 years..

It's going to be a pain to remove the old wallpaper from the wood to put new on.

If you double layer new on top of old wallpaper on a panel like that it will look bunched and stand out too far from the wall.

So think wisely.. I would just take the panelling off and put up some plain white glossy panels first then do the paper.

Good Luck

Answer 6

i did the same thing until we could afford to do the rooms...get a good quality wallpaper...you can even buy paintable wall paper....use a good paster...mine actually lasted 20 yrs before we redid the room this spring....

Answer 7

I've done this in older houses.  You can do it but it will look awful.  There is something about the wall paper adhesive...it isn't designed to be attached to wall paneling.  It will blister under the paper.  Also, the lines or grooves in the paneling will be visible under the paper.

What works better, not great but better, it to paint the paneling.  But, buy apply small amounts at first to see if the paint will stick to the paneling without peeling.  Doesn't matter if it's latex or oil based, it's the panel surface that will determine if it will stick.

Good luck!

Answer 8

Yes you can but you have first scrub the walls then fill the grooves with joint compound and sand them then clean the walls ahttp://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/faq...    

Answer 9

As a house painter for many years I would say you can only if there are no wide seams where edges meet one another in the paneling. If there are you must spackle the seams first and after drying, lightly sand until smooth then coat the wall with an oil base primer and sealer let it dry over night and then you can put your wallpaper over it. Make sure you by the right glue, they come premixed also use medium sandpaper.

Answer 10

you could but it wouldnt be great. if you do, fill all the seams in the paneling with some spackling so you have a totally flat surface.

Answer 11

My daughter and I did this to my mother-in-laws trailer. You will need to clean the paneling with TSP and then you prime the walls with waterbased KILZ-IT. After that you buy wallpaper sizing and apply....let dry and wallpaper away. If you are going to go to all this trouble for wallpaper why don't you follow the same steps ....clean-prime and then paint. Much cheaper and painted paneling looks good if you paint it a light color. Wallpaper has so much going on that's it hard to decorate around it.