Is preping a paneled wall needed for wallpaper?
by
Debbie
+12
I want to put vinyl peel and stick wallpaper on a paneled wall. Do I need to prep the paneling?
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Hi Debbie, If you think you will want to remove the wallpaper some day, then painting the paneling would make that job easier.
Yes, the cracks must be fill or they'll show. A friend used Sheetrock mud, sanded, papered...lovely improvemen.
I think the stuff is called TSP for cleaning the panels before you wall paper. I have been wrong before.
Make sure the paneling is clean and dry. Fill the grooves with no shrink drywall patching compound. Let it dry overnight. Next day use a damp sponge to smooth out the patch. Prime the paneling with a good stain blocking primer. Then you can choose to paint or apply the peel and stick.
I did this many years ago. Not sure what current trend is but, way back when, I first washed down all the walls then I filed in all the grooves with a putty (like the kind you use to fill in nail holes on walls). I used a putty knife to help fill in and smooth it out. It was a long tedius job but it made the wall paper look elegant and professional as there were no indentations. Good luck!
One more thing...there was no need for sanding the putty as the knife smoothed it out nicely.
Clean it well. Fill in the grooves if you don't want them to show.
I would scrub it down with TSP first, to get off any dust, smoke etc. It would make it adhere better.
You're welcome.