Technical question about wallpaper over wallpaper

9 years ago

I just rented an apartment with an issue we had agreed would be repaired. The plaster behind this wallpaper has failed and is crumbling. The problem is an old one and was solved by wallpapering the plaster into place. However, some had been peeled away revealing the problem. It turns out the owner only repaired the obvious damage and won't do more.

How can I fix this so the wall doesn't fail on my dime? I'm a designer, but have never met with this problem before. I've consulted some pros and have been given different answers.

My thought is to paint the repair a similar red as the wallpaper and then apply new wallpaper over it. If I paint over everything, I fear the wallpaper will fail and I'll be responsible for the wall. I'll need special prep work to apply the paper, but I think it will stay in place. And I'll need to choose a dark shade to cover this mess.

Thoughts?

Featured Answer

groveraxle

9 years ago

I think this is more a landlord/tenant problem than a design dilemma because the obvious answer is to remove all the wall paper and repair the whole wall. Does the landlord really expect YOU to repaint/repaper to make the room presentable? He would not be able to rent it to anyone else in its current state.

At the very least, I think you should renegotiate with the landlord for a hold-harmless clause in your lease. If you are to make this wall presentable, then whatever happens after should not be your responsibility.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

User
9 years ago
Would it be possible to put up board and batten or bead board?
User thanked User
Related Professionals
Greensboro Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Waianae Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Miami Furniture & Accessories · Newnan Furniture & Accessories · Peachtree City Furniture & Accessories · Clark Furniture & Accessories · Temple Terrace Furniture & Accessories · Deer Park General Contractors · Gainesville General Contractors · Greensburg General Contractors · Jackson General Contractors · Marysville General Contractors · North Highlands General Contractors · Security-Widefield General Contractors · Austintown General Contractors
apple_pie_order
9 years ago
The new wallpaper is likely to fail on your dime. This is a red flag on future maintenance issues for your rental.
User thanked apple_pie_order
User
9 years ago
Groveraxle makes a good point. Communicate with the landlord.
User thanked User
PRO
User
Original Author
9 years ago
I am completely aware that this is a landlord issue. He's working with a management company, and the two together have a "policy" of doing as little as possible. Who knew? They were great until I moved in.

I had the city inspect the property, but they only wrote up the obvious damage. The landlord agreed that the wall would be completely repaired, but then saw his loophole and only did the small repair.

I've spoken to a lawyer. We agreed that It's less expensive to perform cosmetic surgery than pay for his time. If the wall later fails, and nothing is done, it's time to lawyer up. Escrow is out because they've repaired what the city told them to do.

It's time to move on and make it look reasonable. Does anyone have experience painting over wallpaper?
PRO
User
Original Author
9 years ago
I'd like to fix this with as little cost to myself, naturally. I'm not giving the landlord any gifts. I'm painting the rest of the apartment. That's enough. The kitchen is not visible to the rest of the flat. No one is going to congregate there. It's rather last on my list.

The rest of the home is a lovely, pre-war flat with high ceilings and beautiful molding. Now that I've gotten over the legal stuff, I see the kitchen as a design challenge that could actually be fun to tackle. I could just hang some beaded curtains at the doorway and call the kitchen a Hippy Hash Shack. ;-)
User
9 years ago
I've seen textured white wallpaper that's made to be painted over. If you purchase this I think the people that sell it could advise you about application.
aqsscvds
9 years ago
Have you thought about applying fabric with starch? There are a lot of tips online and, don't quote me but, I don't think it should affect the wallpaper, unless the color bleeds a little, and then it is only cosmetic.
Good luck
snauzoo
last year
If you get the existing wallpaper wet, which it will from paste, it will start to bubble. You could seal it with an oil based sealer or try killz PVA, but it may bubble anyway and then what? if you paint it with water based paint you definitly will have problems. Any water atop that will be absorbed thru….but there are new peel and stick papers that supposedly come off without damaging the underlying layers. I just spent $2000 removing an entire kirchen’s worth of 25 yr old wall paper, which included texturing the drywall under it, and finishing the ceiling as well, twice, because the hubby forgot to wash it first… wallpaper has become a bad word here lately In your case this is not your problem but it could rapidly become one if you fail in your efforts. Maybe you can find a convenient patch of mold or dry rot and force the owner to act responsibly