Asked on Mar 07, 2016

Skim coating over wallpaper?

Dee Lynch
by Dee Lynch
I just saw a program that skim coated over wallpaper..... Will it work and will it seal the wallpaper permanently onto the wall? Have you ever done it? And how thick should it be?
  8 answers
  • Jim L Jim L on Mar 08, 2016
    Hmmm...I think that this could be asking for trouble later on. IF the skin coat does not stick uniformly and starts for flake off, you will have a major problem. My advice would be to get a professional to remove the paper then prime and paint.
  • Dee Lynch Dee Lynch on Mar 09, 2016
    Thanx, for your advice, it makes sense, I saw it on HGTV I think and questioned it myself.....
  • Jhmarie Jhmarie on Mar 09, 2016
    Rarely, when removing the wallpaper will cause too much damage to the wall, such a choice might be acceptable. It is always best to strip the wallpaper, wash the glue off, prime and paint. Removing wallpaper can be a huge pain, and it is easy to consider short cuts. However, do it right and you will have longer lasting, better looking results, and the next owner of your home will not curse you to a hot place when they are trying to deal with it:)
  • Hope Hope on Mar 09, 2016
    I think this is what we've done with our walls. We have an 1892 house, and there are 5-7 layers of wallpaper on the walls! After trying several techniques to get the wallpaper off, I thinned some 'mud' and spackled the entire walls with a light enough coating to cover the seams and ridges. Some places I had to use a knife to cut out the ridges, then putty. I let it dry, and sanded it down lightly, wiped it off with a damp cloth, and painted it. The only room that has trouble is the upstairs bathroom, where the moisture has made it peel. We'll be sheetrocking that room this summer.
  • Deb Deb on Mar 09, 2016
    Don't cover, and don't be intimidated. You are entering the best season to remove the paper -- not too cold, nor too hot! Diluted white vinegar in a spray bottle, 3-inch putty knife, good, loud music from your youth, and old clothes (bathing suit and dead t-shirt could be fun!). That's all you need to be happy later. Oh, if it's vinyl-coated, a utility knife to score the surface. And keep another job going as well, because it you have to wait for the vinegar to do the work, you may rush without a good cheap paperback and a timer!
  • Sun One Sun One on Mar 09, 2016
    always consider the 'foundation' upon which you build. a good, clean foundation will give you the best results. this is also good advice for just about everything in life.
  • Deb K Deb K on Aug 09, 2023

    Hello Dee, hope this helps you out.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kcV_vdS6DI