Can You Paint Over Paper Wallpaper. When the time comes to strip that old wallpaper and freshen up the room with a coat of paint you may find that although the paper itself comes off easily the backing is challenging to remove. If your wallpaper is in good condition without peeling areas and holes try painting over it instead of replacing it for a fresh new look.
To avoid this it is best to remove the wallpaper from the wall. To successfully paint over wallpaper you need to first confirm that the wallpaper is smooth and well attached to the wall. The only tell-tale sign that you painted over your stubborn wallpaper will be the seams--but with some extra work you can hide those.
First and most importantly the drywall or plaster walls under the paper will remain intact.
Begin by filling any holes or dents in the surface with drywall joint compound. Firstly touch the wallpaper to see if any edges or corners are coming away from the wall. As long as the underlying paper is adhering tightly to the walls and you disguise the seams the paint job will make the surface look like a regular painted wall. However if your wallpaper has sustained damage you will need to fix it before you can start to paint over it.