Expert: Ed Kuchar - 4/23/2007

Question
QUESTION: My nephew bought an old house.  Removed the wallpaper (it stripped of very easily) and the walls look and feel textured.  I think it is the wallpaper glue which he has to remove before painting.  He likes the texture and only wants to sand it a little and then paint.  Will his idea work or will the paint buckle and peel?
ANSWER: If the texture is from the wallpaper paste, it should come off. One way to tell if it is wallpaper paste is to wet a spot on the wall with a sponge and see if the "texture" softens up after a few minutes. If it does and it wipes off, then it is probably paste.
After the walls are wiped down and cleaned, the walls should be primed before you paint.
Hope that helps........any questions or Clarifications, just ask..........Ed

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes, but he likes the texture and wants to leave it.  If it is wallpaper paste, can he paint over it.  Or MUST he take it off.  I told him he had to remove it or the paint job would not work.  He WANTS to leave it for the texture.  Can he paint over it if it is wallpaper paste?  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Answer
Yes, he can leave it. Assuming it is paste, he has to prime it first with an oil base primer, preferably 2 coats. (What the oil base
primer does is seal everything in. No water or moisture from the new paint can get behind the primer).
After it is primed,then apply the paint. (preferably 2 coats).