Friday, May 7, 2010

Painting Tips and Tricks - How to Paint Over Wallpaper

It always creates excitement when you plan to decorate or improve a room especially if you personally use the area. But before putting any furniture or appliances, you consider the background of all: the wall. If the room is not brand new, it's either the wall needs repainting or there's old, rugged wallpaper that needs a complete overhaul. Now, you checked the entire wall and found you out that there's old-fashioned wallpaper that is almost impossible to remove or you would only damage the wall. Your last resort is to paint over wallpaper but imagining the paint roller or brush kissing the rugged wall screams that the result could be no better because you knew it is not easy to paint wall like that. So before heading to a paint store, consider the following tips on how to paint over wallpaper:

o Clean the entire room - get rid of obstacles, probably by putting all furniture on one side of the room then put old newspapers to protect the floors. Although you're interested to know how to paint over wallpaper, staining the floor is probably the last thing you wanted to do.

o Ensure proper ventilation - the need for proper ventilation is always present whenever there is a painting job. Whether you need a guide on how to paint over wallpaper or how to mix paints to achieve a desired color, make sure your working area is well-ventilated to allow fast-drying of paint as well as promote oxygen for the health of your lungs.

o Repair loose wallpaper - If you can't totally remove the wallpaper, let it stay but work on the areas that needs a repair. Remove loose papers without forcing the really sticky ones. Check on the edges and use wallpaper glue to paste them down. Sand down rough areas using sandpaper. Wipe clean the entire wall with a damp cloth to remove dirt.

o Apply oil-based primer - The key step on how to paint over wallpaper is applying a primer. A primer prepares the wall by creating the smoothest surface possible making it perfect for paints. However, don't use water-based primer as it will only loosen paper from the walls. Also, don't even think to use water-based primer to completely remove old wallpaper as it will not only remove the wallpaper, it may the damage the wall as well. There is nothing more terrible in sight than to see your newly-painted wall peeling.

o Keep your eyes on the wall - and search for the holes. Even the tiniest one must disappear by applying drywall mud. Remember, the objective is to level out the wall again.

o Level one more time - it is not enough to cover the holes, you must make sure that there is no excess dried mud. Sand to smooth the areas and coat again with oil-based primer. Allow the wall to dry after applying primer before painting.

o Use oil-based paint - and apply a couple of coats to get a very good result.

If the old wallpaper has textural patterns, don't expect a flawless finish. So another tip on how to paint over wallpaper is to add a texture on the wall again like sand. This will really help your eyes forget the old wallpaper look.

For more useful painting and wallpaper tips and tricks, please visit [http://www.interiorpainting-wallpaper.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mario_A_Salvi

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