Should I remove old wallpaper before painting or can I paint over it in my NB home?

You should remove old wallpaper before painting almost every time. Painting over wallpaper is a shortcut that looks fine for a year or two, then causes headaches that are far more expensive to fix than simply doing the removal properly from the start.

The core problem is that paint adds moisture to wallpaper. The seams lift, bubbles form between layers, and the pattern of the original wallpaper telegraphs through even thick coats of paint, giving walls an unmistakably lumpy look. Wallpaper also has edges and seams that are slightly raised from the wall surface — once painted over, these show clearly in raking light from windows or lamps. In older NB homes where multiple layers of wallpaper were common — it wasn't unusual for Moncton or Fredericton homes from the 1950s through 1980s to have three or four layers — painting over the stack just makes the problem worse.

The one situation where painting over wallpaper can be acceptable is when the wallpaper is old, very firmly adhered, completely flat and seamless, and removing it would damage the plaster beneath. This is sometimes the reality in pre-1950 Saint John or Fredericton homes where wallpaper was hung directly on plaster with old wheat-paste adhesives, and any removal attempt tears the plaster face right off. In that specific case, carefully gluing down any loose seams, applying an oil-based stain-blocking primer, and painting carefully can be a reasonable compromise. But it should be a last resort, not a first choice.

For NB homes built from the 1950s onward, the walls are almost certainly drywall, not plaster, and wallpaper removal is worthwhile even though drywall is more easily damaged in the process than plaster. The key is using the right technique: score lightly with a scoring tool, apply warm water or wallpaper stripper solution (DIF concentrate is widely available in NB), and remove in sections before the paper dries out. Patience saves the drywall surface.

Once the wallpaper is down, you will likely need to repair some surface damage, seal the wall with a quality primer, and skim coat any areas where the drywall paper got torn or the surface got rough. This is extra work, but the finished paint job will be smooth, durable, and properly adhered — not a ticking clock waiting to bubble and peel.

If you're unsure about the scope of the removal in your home, a professional assessment can help you decide whether removal or painting over is the better path for your specific walls. New Brunswick Painting can connect you with experienced local painters who handle wallpaper removal regularly.

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