Paint/glaze over existing well fastened vinyl wallpaper? Experiences?

Question

My vinyl textured wallpaper is delightful, well adhered/glued, tough as nails, and in need of a transparent paint or glaze to modify the color tone. Does anyone have experience in either glazing, or making a transparent 'wash', in order to permanently lighten/obscure design lines? I would like to give it a lighter, softer look. The colors are cream, beige, white, blue. I'd like to give it a lighter, creamier, tawnier tone. I'm hoping that someone has successful experiences. My Benjamin Moore paint specialists tell me not to attempt such a thing. 
Brighter prospects for success will help. Thank you so much.

Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com · Answer

Painting over wall paper of any kind is always frowned upon not only as a non-professional method of doing this, but you risk the chance that the moisture from the paints will cause the paper to release and peel. 
In your case the amount of paint you would be using to lightly wash over the color would be minimal so I do not think that would be an issue. 
However, Vinyl paper was designed for one reason, the ability for it to be able to be washable. Its durable finish resists soils from sticking to it. And in any painting of a wall paper product or anything for that matter adhesion is the trick for longevity and success of the final finish. In your case the normal painting would include using a high quality primer to provide 'bite' onto the surface in which the color coat would adhere to. This alone would effectively prevent the wash from giving you the look you desire. 
This is not to say it will not work, but if the attempt to paint it fails and you then need to remove the paper to save the wall and fix it. The work involved then would be much harder then if you simply bite the bullet and remove the well adhered paper first and start fresh. 
There are many great products and home made ones as well that can remove paper in short order. Its not like many years ago that removal took days instead of hours to complete.

Carolyn Faye Blizzard Lanier · Answer

I think you will be better satisfied if you remove the wall paper, I live in a mobile home and I had put wall paper up but I got tired of it so I finally remove it and painted all the walls and I really like my walls now, I think if you paint it the paper at the seams will start pulling up. The way I removed my wall paper was mix some fabric softener and warm water and spray on the wall and let sit for a little while and then put the wall paper off. It is a job but in the long run its the best ideal to pull the wall paper off.

MM&D · Answer

I have to agree with the above. My experience says - start peeling. I have painted over wallpaper before and ended up with a mess. (back in the 'my first house days') That being said - I'm sympathetic because of all the wallpapers to remove, vinyl is the least cooperative for the reasons stated above. Make sure you really score and soak it - or use a steamer. Or you will end up with chunks out of your drywall. Sorry we don't have a positive solution for you!

Maria Ward · Answer

I live in a 100plus y/o house which had many layers of wallpaper in the kitchen. I tried to remove the paper but it just wouldn't budge! So... i gave in. I used a primer first then I painted. That was 5 years ago and all is well. I would definately try to remove the wallpaper, but if all else fails go to plan B:)

Jackie Curlee · Answer

I would try it but dont put it on heavy and let dry well between coats. tried it and it worked

Karen Lundquist · Answer

A regular (non oil based) paint worked for me. Applied with a light hand, watched for bubbling.

Saundra K · Answer

Thank you, all !, for your responses. I admit that there was more information which I had not shared...hoping for the most simplistic of responses. If truth be told, the original walls were quite uneven, and my husband used a wallpaper felt liner to cover those before applying the wallpaper itself. So basically a removal would be so complicated, requiring us to replaster the walls, etc. Which is why I had hoped for some positive responses. Thank you for all the warnings concerning loosening of the paper. I thought its durable nature would outweigh any negative loosening, but had not counted on non adherence to the vinyl surface. Therefore, its washability might be negated. Grrrr. Okay, back to the drawing board: I have read that there are VINYL WALLPAPER ADHESIVES which make adherence of a NEW VINYL WALLPAPER on top of the old to adhere.
 
Anybody dare to comment on these? I truly am appreciative of all the great experience and advice! Thank you again. Saundra

Saundra K · Answer

Thank you, all  !, for your responses.  I admit that there was more information which I had not shared...hoping for the most simplistic of responses.  If truth be told, the original walls were quite uneven, and my husband used a wallpaper felt liner to cover those before applying the wallpaper itself.  So basically a removal would be so complicated, requiring us to replaster the walls, etc.  Which is why I had hoped for some positive responses.  Thank you for all the warnings concerning loosening of the paper.  I thought its durable nature would outweigh any negative loosening, but had not counted on non adherence to the vinyl surface.  Therefore, its washability might be negated.  Grrrr.  Okay, back to the drawing board:  I have read that there are VINYL WALLPAPER ADHESIVES which make adherence of a NEW VINYL WALLPAPER on top of the old to adhere.
 
Anybody dare to comment on these?  I truly am appreciative of all the great experience and advice!   Thank you again.  Saundra

Saundra K · Answer

Thank you, all  !, for your responses.  I admit that there was more information which I had not shared...hoping for the most simplistic of responses.  If truth be told, the original walls were quite uneven, and my husband used a wallpaper felt liner to cover those before applying the wallpaper itself.  So basically a removal would be so complicated, requiring us to replaster the walls, etc.  Which is why I had hoped for some positive responses.  Thank you for all the warnings concerning loosening of the paper.  I thought its durable nature would outweigh any negative loosening, but had not counted on non adherence to the vinyl surface.  Therefore, its washability might be negated.  Grrrr.  Okay, back to the drawing board:  I have read that there are VINYL WALLPAPER ADHESIVES which make adherence of a NEW VINYL WALLPAPER on top of the old to adhere.
 
Anybody dare to comment on these?  I truly am appreciative of all the great experience and advice!   Thank you again.  Saundra

Saundra K · Answer

Thank you, all  !, for your responses.  I admit that there was more information which I had not shared...hoping for the most simplistic of responses.  If truth be told, the original walls were quite uneven, and my husband used a wallpaper felt liner to cover those before applying the wallpaper itself.  So basically a removal would be so complicated, requiring us to replaster the walls, etc.  Which is why I had hoped for some positive responses.  Thank you for all the warnings concerning loosening of the paper.  I thought its durable nature would outweigh any negative loosening, but had not counted on non adherence to the vinyl surface.  Therefore, its washability might be negated.  Grrrr.  Okay, back to the drawing board:  I have read that there are VINYL WALLPAPER ADHESIVES which make adherence of a NEW VINYL WALLPAPER on top of the old to adhere.
 
Anybody dare to comment on these?  I truly am appreciative of all the great experience and advice!   Thank you again.  Saundra

Saundra K · Answer

Thank you, all  !, for your responses.  I admit that there was more information which I had not shared...hoping for the most simplistic of responses.  If truth be told, the original walls were quite uneven, and my husband used a wallpaper felt liner to cover those before applying the wallpaper itself.  So basically a removal would be so complicated, requiring us to replaster the walls, etc.  Which is why I had hoped for some positive responses.  Thank you for all the warnings concerning loosening of the paper.  I thought its durable nature would outweigh any negative loosening, but had not counted on non adherence to the vinyl surface.  Therefore, its washability might be negated.  Grrrr.  Okay, back to the drawing board:  I have read that there are VINYL WALLPAPER ADHESIVES which make adherence of a NEW VINYL WALLPAPER on top of the old to adhere.
 
Anybody dare to comment on these?  I truly am appreciative of all the great experience and advice!   Thank you again.  Saundra

Southern Home Improvement, LLC · Answer

Okay, don't fret, we've done this numerous times, in many cases where the paper was adhered directly to unprimed drywall, or improperly prepared plaster. The key is whether the paper is still securely fastened. If it is your biggest problem is solved. If there area ANY lose spots they should be readhered, or removed and the area spackled. We have had good results with either Zinsser Bull's Eye, or Glidden Gripper primer. Then paint over with a premium quality top coat. We've even painted over vinyl wall paper using this technique, and I was skeptical at first, but here's the result. Perfectly smooth with no streaks.

Paint/glaze over existing well fastened vinyl wallpaper? Experiences?

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Paint/glaze over existing well fastened vinyl wallpaper? Experiences?

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