Guides

Wallpaper on old houses and plaster walls

Many older homes in Portland and Vancouver still have plaster, not drywall. Paper can look beautiful on those walls, but the prep and the removal are different.

From recent jobs

Traditional paper in dining rooms, powder rooms, and on feature walls.

Blue-and-tan floral print wrapping a dining room around a pair of French doors.

Painterly blue wildflower paper wrapping a small powder room with a pink pedestal sink.

Soft painted landscape mural with trees and clouds on a dining-room wall.

Prep, sizing, and primer

Plaster needs to be sound, clean, and sealed before paper goes up. Cracks, crumbling spots, and old glue have to be dealt with first. A wallpaper primer or sizing gives the adhesive a consistent surface to bond to and makes the paper easier to remove later. Skipping that step is how paper fails, or how the wall gets damaged the next time it comes down.

Removing wallpaper from plaster walls

Removing wallpaper from plaster walls is slow work. Plaster can be soft, cracked, or already patched, and a steamer or too much water can do real harm. The goal is to get the paper and the old adhesive off without digging into the plaster. Once it is down, the wall usually needs repairs and a fresh primer before paint or new paper.

If you start a removal yourself and the plaster starts to pit or flake, stop and send a photo before going further.

Wallpaper on plaster in a 1920s house

A 1920s house often has plaster in the main rooms and a small bathroom that has been papered more than once. Those bathrooms can have layers of old paper, failing adhesive, and moisture in the walls. Wallpaper on plaster in a 1920s house is doable; it just takes a careful look at what is already there. We will tell you what we see after we look at photos, or in person if the wall needs it.

A wallpaper installer for old homes in Portland and Vancouver

If you want a wallpaper installer for old homes in Portland, or a similar house on the Vancouver side, text photos of the walls, rough measurements, and a link to the paper if you have one to 564-444-0432. Mention anything you already know, such as plaster, previous paper, or a steamy bath, so we can plan the prep.