Is it possible to glue drywall to wallpaper and wallpaper to drywall: 5 frequently asked questions

Many people are curious about the potential and constraints of using drywall and wallpaper in home renovation projects. Is it better to remove the old layers of wallpaper before gluing drywall onto it? Conversely, is it feasible to affix wallpaper directly over drywall without any problems?

When organizing projects involving wall decoration, these are typical queries that come up. Here are the answers to five commonly asked questions regarding mixing wallpaper and drywall to hopefully dispel any confusion. This will walk you through what’s recommended and what can be done to get the best outcomes.

Question Answer
Can drywall be glued directly to wallpaper? It"s not recommended. The wallpaper may not hold the weight of the drywall securely.
What should be done before gluing drywall to a wall with wallpaper? Remove the wallpaper first and ensure the wall surface is clean and even.
Is it possible to glue wallpaper directly to drywall? Yes, but the drywall should be primed first to ensure good adhesion.
What type of adhesive is best for wallpaper on drywall? Use a wallpaper adhesive suitable for the type of wallpaper you"re applying.
Should drywall be painted before applying wallpaper? Painting isn"t necessary, but priming the drywall is essential.

GKL over wallpaper

Let’s first examine a few different scenarios for gypsum boards attached to old wallpaper.

Drywall over wallpaper with self-tapping screws

  1. Do I need to remove wallpaper from wooden walls or partitions on a wooden frame before leveling them with drywall??

Not required. The strength and functionality of the finish will not be impacted in any way by the intermediate coating if the gypsum board is fastened with self-tapping screws, either through plaster or directly to wood.

Nevertheless, the vapor permeability of the walls will be severely reduced by thick vinyl wallpaper. If they stay behind drywall, the space needs a functional ventilation system.

Drywall on wallpaper with glue

  1. Is it possible to glue drywall to wallpaper using plasterboard adhesive??

It’s not allowed. The following is a list of issues that will come up:

  • Sufficiently high-quality adhesion to plaster can only be provided by paper and non-woven fabric. Vinyl (dense and foamed), as well as glass wallpaper, simply will not hold the mounting glue on themselves;

Note: There should be no gloss or embossing on the surface of paper or non-woven wallpaper.

  • Both paper and non-woven fabric are made of cellulose fibers and can delaminate. Even if the plasterboard sticks, it can easily come off along with the wallpaper layer;
  • Finally, do not forget about the limited water resistance of wallpaper glue. When in contact with gypsum, the wallpaper can simply peel off the wall.

Thankfully, taking down outdated wallpaper is not that tough:

  • Paper and non-woven wallpaper can be moistened with water 2-3 times at short intervals, after which they can be easily removed in whole strips. The remains of soaked paper are cleaned with a steel spatula (see. How to quickly remove old wallpaper of different types from walls);

  • Dense or foamed vinyl is rolled over the entire area with a needle roller or cut with a sharp knife before soaking. Water will get to the paper or non-woven backing through holes or cuts. Alternatively, the vinyl coating can be removed dry, and the remaining backing on the wall can be soaked with water;
  • You can try to soak the glue under the glass wallpaper with hot (60-70 degrees) water or steam it with an iron.

Drywall on wallpaper on foam

  1. Is it possible to glue gypsum board over wallpaper using mounting foam?

Quite, as long as the wallpaper sticks to the wall and doesn’t peel off. Since polyurethane foam adheres to paper, fiberglass, and vinyl with equal reliability, the type of wallpaper in this instance has no bearing on the quality of adhesion to the leveling coating. The foam is applied in stripes or in a point pattern.

Although it is possible to glue wallpaper to drywall and drywall to wallpaper, there are particular requirements and methods that must be followed in order to guarantee a satisfactory result. This post addresses five commonly asked questions and offers helpful advice to anyone thinking about using these wall finishing techniques.

Wallpaper over gypsum board

  1. Is it possible to glue wallpaper on gypsum board?

Since both kraft paper (GKL shell) and wallpaper backing are made of cellulose, it is possible to ensure perfect adhesion between them, and they will hold perfectly when using any kind of high-quality glue. Issues will come up when you want to update the room’s design during the next renovation rather than when you’re wallpapering.

The adhesion between the cardboard shell and the gypsum core is actually probably going to be weaker than the adhesion between the wallpaper and the sheet shell. The gypsum board will most likely delaminate when you attempt to remove the wallpaper, necessitating major repairs rather than cosmetic ones.

  1. How to prepare drywall for wallpaper, eliminating delamination of the material when replacing it?

It’s very easy: you just need to cover the gypsum board’s surface with a millimeter-thick layer of putty to act as a separator.

By the way, putty will smooth out the wall surface and cover the thick reinforced seams between the extra sheets of wallpaper, making it easy to remove that pesky stuff. The rectangular edges of the drywall that is cut on site do not offer the same opportunity for the reinforcement to be invisible as the thin edges that are made in the factory.

The following are detailed instructions for plasterboard-leveled walls that you can finish yourself:

There are a few subtleties as usual:

  • Prepare the putty in portions of no more than 3-4 kg. It is consumed slowly and lives after mixing for no more than an hour;
  • Wash the tool and utensils for mixing the putty after each subsequent portion is used up. The price of failure to comply with this requirement is untidy furrows that will be left on the walls by lumps of set gypsum that have fallen under the spatula;

  • Strictly observe the ratio of dry mixture and water. Too liquid putty will flow off the spatula, too thick – you will not be able to distribute it evenly over the surface;

  • Do not putty the walls in the cold (below +5 degrees) and in extreme heat (+30°C and above). In the first case, the putty will become too viscous or even freeze, in the second – it will set before you level it with a spatula, and crack in the seams due to excessively rapid drying;
  • When mixing the putty, do not add water to the dry mixture. In this case, dry lumps of gypsum will form at the bottom of the container, which will be very difficult to break up when mixing.

The pros and cons of either method must be carefully considered before choosing whether to glue drywall to wallpaper or wallpaper to drywall. Knowing the particulars of your project is essential because every approach has its own set of difficulties and potential problems.

If you’re thinking about adhering wallpaper to drywall, make sure the wallpaper is in good condition and firmly attached. Inadequate wallpaper can affect the stability and quality of the drywall installation.

On the other hand, adequate surface preparation is essential before hanging wallpaper on drywall. An improved adhesive bond from a well-prepared drywall surface will produce a more long-lasting and attractive finish.

Ultimately, meticulous planning, preparation, and attention to detail are necessary for the success of any approach. Both of these options could work well for your needs in wall decoration if you take the proper approach.

Video on the topic

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Dmitry Stepanov

Professional decorator with 10 years of experience. I know everything about renovating apartments, houses and offices. I will be happy to share my knowledge and experience with you.

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