How do I paint over wallpaper that will not come off the walls in my older Moncton home?

Painting over stubborn wallpaper is possible, but it requires careful preparation — skip any steps and you will end up with a lumpy, peeling mess within a year or two. The general rule in the painting trade is that removing wallpaper is always preferable to painting over it, but in older Moncton homes where the wallpaper has been on so long that it has essentially become part of the plaster or drywall beneath, removal can do more damage than leaving it in place.

Before you reach for a brush, you need to assess what you are dealing with. In many pre-1980 Moncton homes, walls are plaster over wood lath — and wallpaper on plaster tends to bond so thoroughly over decades that attempting removal shreds the plaster surface. If your walls are drywall and the paper has glued itself into the drywall facing, removal often pulls the paper facing right off the board, leaving a fuzzy, damaged surface that is nearly impossible to paint properly without skim-coating. In either case, painting over the wallpaper can be the more practical choice.

The critical first step is sealing all edges and seams. Every lifted edge and visible seam will telegraph right through your paint. Use a wallpaper seam repair adhesive (available at most NB hardware stores) to glue down any loose sections, pressing firmly and letting it dry fully — usually 24 hours. Next, skim coat over any raised seams with lightweight joint compound, feathering it out several centimetres on each side. Sand smooth when dry. This step determines whether your finished walls look flat and professional or like you painted over old wallpaper.

You must use an oil-based or shellac-based primer — not latex — as your first coat. This is the rule experienced painters live by for wallpaper painting. Water-based latex primer will reactivate the wallpaper paste underneath, cause the paper to bubble and lift, and ruin all your prep work. A shellac-based primer like Zinsser BIN or an oil-based primer like Zinsser Cover Stain locks everything down, prevents bleed-through of wallpaper patterns or dye, and gives your latex topcoat something solid to bond to. Apply the primer in a thin, even coat and allow it to dry fully — usually 1-2 hours for shellac, 4-8 hours for oil-based.

NB climate consideration: In Moncton's humid summers, give primer extra drying time before applying topcoats. The moisture content in older Maritime homes can be higher than you expect, especially in exterior-facing walls. If you notice any bubbling in the primer coat, stop, let it dry completely, and re-assess — bubbling usually means moisture is present, which is a more serious problem that painting over wallpaper will not solve.

After priming, apply two coats of quality latex wall paint — a satin or eggshell sheen will help hide minor imperfections better than flat. Roll with a 10mm nap roller in a smooth, even W-pattern, working in sections. Avoid pressing too hard with the roller, as excessive pressure on old wallpaper can cause hidden seams to lift.

When to hire a pro: If the wallpaper is textured or has a deep embossed pattern, if there are multiple layers, or if removal has already damaged the wall surface significantly, a professional painter can properly skim coat the entire surface before painting — this will always give a better result than painting directly over damaged or heavily textured wallpaper. For heritage homes in Moncton's older neighbourhoods, where walls may have three or four layers of paper dating back decades, a pro assessment is well worth it.

---

Find a Painting Contractor

New Brunswick Painting helps you find local painting professionals through the New Brunswick Construction Network:

• Expressions Painting ✓
• Loves Painting Ltd. ✓
• Worry No More Handyman Service ✓
• Worry No More Handyman Services ✓