Cover up wallpaper lines?

Hi Sandi you could try sanding them down lightly with fine grit sand paper before painting.

You can't really do it but if they are coming apart, you can glue them back down. I would advise against it though. It's not that difficult to remove wallpaper. Here's how I have done it:

Peel as much as possible from the walls.

If you can't get to the backing, you may need to score the paper with a tool. Paper Tiger is easy to find. Light pressure because you don't want to damage the wall behind the paper.

Mix 50/50 fabric softener & warm water in a spray bottle or garden sprayer. I've read that vinegar is as effective but I have never used it.

Allow the mixture to sit for 5 - 10 minutes so that it saturates the adhesive on the paper backing.

Scrape with a plastic scraper.

Once it is all removed, wash the walls with warm soapy water (blue Dawn is my go-to) and a microfiber cloth.

You could fill them in with a bit of lightweight drywall joint compound and sand them smooth if they are very narrow lines where the wallpaper meets. If the wallpaper seams are from overlapping they will be harder to hide. Sanding might work. It is difficult to hide the line when painting wallpaper. It's a pain to take off but it is better if you are going to stick to paint!

Have you tried to remove any of the wallpaper? It may be strippable which is a LOT easier to remove than the really old stuff.

I always recommend removing the wallpaper. It may bubble from moisture in the paint. The seams can separate. It will be hard to remove in the future. The only time I do recommend painting wallpaper if the walls were not primed or sized before hanging. If the seams are rough use some no shrink drywall patching compound to fill them. Let dry overnight. Next day go over the seams with a damp sponge to smooth them out. Prime with Kilz primer then paint. Sometimes primer itself will fill seams in.

Hello Sandi,

The only way would be to add a trim or tape or wallpaper border down over the joints after painting or maybe run a line of another colour to one side of the joint!

be creative!

This is one reason people that old wall paper down before painting. How bad are the seams? Are they laying flat? A picture would be helpful. Thanks!

Here are a few practical tips to try. https://www.hunker.com/13413145/tips-for-painting-over-wallpaper-seams

I would remove it. You could try putting some plaster over the seams but It would probably be less work to remove the paper

The only way to ensure that the paper doesn't pull up, show through or bubble is to remove it. It sounds like a daunting job, but it really doesn't have to be. If you are in a rental you would need to get the landlord's OK first. But take it from someone who thought it was too much hassle, you will just end up redoing it later on as it can bubble and pull away, and end up looking terrible.

I would remove it as the paint won't adhere as well to the paper

If you’re convinced you’re going to paint it and sand the seams first, the back side of the wall paper will be exposed which will probably “bleed through” the paint with a brown stain.

Therefore, priming with a stain blocking primer is essential.

I would remove the wall paper if you have plans for the wall, adding paint over the paper introduces moisture and could loosen the existing wall paper, creating a project bigger than what you had in mind. If you don't want to remove the wall paper, then you could add a thin strip of a contrasting colored wood or plastic over the seams.

You can’t, really. Getting the paper wet with paint will only exacerbate any issues you have with the paper. Plus you could make things worse and double or triple the work. Best bet is to remove the paper.

Here is a video that helps with painting over wallpaper seams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxTAQN4sc6A

You don't!

I painted wallpaper and then attached stripes of wood over the joints. Here is the post showing you how to do this. https://lifeonsummerhill.com/diy-farmhouse-style-wainscot/