We have a room that is covered in this very firmly attached wallpaper that has a sort of flocked/fuzzy pattern on it. It has a certain charm, but unfortunately the flocking creates a lot of dust. (The whole place was tested for nefarious substances, it’s not toxic, though I still don’t want to breathe it in.)
Perhaps one day we’ll be able to have it removed, but for now we are hoping to paint over it.
Does anyone have suggestions for a primer or any other process to use for this type of wallpaper?
I’m thinking a thick roller will have to be used and maybe some kind of shellac based primer? Maybe we should attempt to vacuum it first?
I can’t face having to cover it with something else so I’m hoping there’s a paint solution that will suffice.
Anyone have experience with a similar kind of flocked wallpaper?
Hiya…yes you can paint over it with an oil base paint. It’s bloody hard work to get right because the fluffy stuff sucks the paint and you will go through a few bit of paint and fluffy rollers. Also, if you have any parts of the paper unstuck to the wall make sure to stick the paper back otherwise the finish will be crumply.
I did something like these yonks ago and in the end, I just steam stripped the paper off and relined the wall with thick lining paper before painting…I was abou 30 years old though and could do this sort of thing until the cows came home!
Oh…use a roller with a big pile and yes, vacuum the walls well unless you like spiders and grit in the paint.
Thanks! That’s kind of what I was expecting… the paint roller to act like a giant lint roller pulling off the flocking without leaving the paint on. I suppose it will take several coats and some patience.
I tried steaming wallpaper off a room years ago (it was arduous and got dry walled over in the end) but that was in another country. I’m not familiar with the building materials here and with electrics running on top, I can’t get involved in such a project.
Why not put the expense of covering it with various types of paint already suggested towards getting rid of what, in my opinion, will look far worse and always look like painted flock wallpaper.
The furry areas will mat together and look awful.
Come the day when you decide to remove it then the paint you want to cover it with now will be your worst enemy and double + the cost of removal.
Please, please, please DON’T paint over it.
One day the wallpaper will start to peel off and will have to be removed. Whoever ends up with that job will really dislike you if you have painted over it. To my mind it is one of the biggest crimes you can commit with home decorating.
Bite the bullet, hire a professional steam wall paper stripper, and have done with it.
If you do decide to paint, then you will always be looking at the relief pattern - just in a different colour. Those little ledges will still be there to gather dust and form anchorage points for the spiders.
If a job is worth doing then it is worth doing properly, so strip the paper off. Please.
You may find that the paper comes off quite easily, especially if the top layer is vinyl based. Try lifting a bottom corner and pull. If it comes offyou may get lucky and remove an entire sheet in one go. It will leave the backing paper but that will come off easily with a bit of water or steam.
do acrylic primers work outside? I have a metal shed with 40+year old paint (I think) that has gone powdery. It’s still in good nick, but won’t be forever and I would like to overcoat it.
also @Corona istr you recommended a different paint than the supposed extra-long-life metal paint that I was using but is no longer of the quality… I am sorry but could you remind me of the brand name of your suggestion please?
