Can I paint over wallcovering?

A.We typically do not recommend painting over wallpaper. However if you choose to, there are many issues to consider. The seams may not lie down properly. Moisture from the paint could cause blistering or peeling. Over a heavy vinyl the paint's adhesion may be minimal. The texture from the wallpaper may not look very good on a solid wall. Note that the seams may be visible in some areas. Any of these things could cause a problem. For these reasons we always recommend testing the system prior to taking on the whole job. Keeping in mind the points stated above, the only paper that may be primed is nonporous paper. If removal of the paper is not an option first clean the surface. Then lightly sand the seams to make them as smooth as possible. Test a quick drying alkyd primer like the Sherwin-Williams ProBlock Alkyd HS Primer on the wallpaper. If the primer dries without lifting or blistering, move to the next step of applying a finish coat over the primer.  more