Painting a wallpapered ceiling

[Sambob15]

Hi

One of our bedrooms has a ceiling covered in textured wallpaper. We can't afford to do anything with this but would like to freshen it up, so are planning to put a new coat of white paint on it.

I've never painted a wallpapered ceiling before, and wondered if it could cause any problems. Is it likely to loosen the paper and make it peel off? The paper currently looks to be in decent condition, and I don't think it will have had many coats of paint prior to this one.

Thanks!

 

[Bosswhite]

Should be OK as its been painted before, ( although I would recommend removal and replacement of ceiling paper prior to painting)
Any loose edges can be stuck back with Lap Adhesive.

 

[darkan9el]

If the paint is quite thick it can generate a lot of suction and pull paper that has not been stuck on well right off. I'm talking about such as dulux trade paints, if you buy paint from such as B&Q it will be thin enough to use out of the tin. Don't try to make the paint cover in one coat do two coats, don't try to spread the paint too much with a roller, this generally gives an uneven cover and please use a decent roller not those synthetic fibre rollers that go flat, spend a few more pounds and as a DIY'er you will have a good roller for life. I always use a medium or long pile roller on textured ceilings. When waiting for the first coat to dry cover the roller head with a plastic bag. Oh and use a 2 -3 inch brush to cut in.

Good luck

 

[Sambob15]

Thanks for the replies everyone. In light of what's been said we're thinking we'll risk it. The alternative is to leave the yellowing paper as it is, which isn't very appealing. We would love to have it over-boarded and skimmed, but we've got a baby who will very soon need to move into that bedroom, so the time pressure coupled with a lack of funds mean we're stuck with a textured ceiling! Hopefully by the end of the process it will at least be a fresh white textured ceiling!

 

[Tigercubrider]

Why overboard and skimmed?
It was common to just add texture to an otherwise plain flat ceiling.

If the paper is (eventually) removed with a careful steaming it may well be flawless or just have minimal,age related damage. A spot of filler and it would be fine

My kitchen had fake artex which I steamed off. It had been covered because polystyrene tiles had been fitted then removed. After the artex was removed, it was skimmed only because the rest of the walls were done . With careful filling, it would have been fine

 

[opps]

Why overboard and skimmed?
It was common to just add texture to an otherwise plain flat ceiling.

If the paper is (eventually) removed with a careful steaming it may well be flawless or just have minimal,age related damage. A spot of filler and it would be fine

My kitchen had fake artex which I steamed off. It had been covered because polystyrene tiles had been fitted then removed. After the artex was removed, it was skimmed only because the rest of the walls were done . With careful filling, it would have been fine

Most of the houses that I work in are Victorian. I tend to assume that any ceiling with textured wallpaper was only wallpapered to hide cracks in the lath and plaster. In many cases I suspect that the wallpaper is helping to hold up the ceiling.

At the risk of making the OP paranoid (which honestly is not my intention), older lath and plaster ceilings do eventually give up the ghost and fall down without any warning. I have had it happen to many of my customers, fortunately none of them were hurt as they were not in the room at the time. Each of those customers has gone on to overboard the remaining ceilings.

Having looked through the OP's user profile, they seem to own a 60's house so I guess that the above doesn't apply.

 

[sparkwright]

If, when you paint the paper, bubbles or one very large bubble form in the paper - LEAVE IT.

And do not panic.

Once it dries it should all settle back nicely.

 

[chappers]

If, when you paint the paper, bubbles or one very large bubble form in the paper - LEAVE IT.

And do not panic.

Once it dries it should all settle back nicely.

absolutely 9 times out of 10 it will pull back in