Home Repair and Paint Guide

... To get started, you need a tape measure, four foot level, four inch putty knife, paint roller and pan, two inch paint brush, step ladder, razor knife, smoothing brush, and a large table or flat working surface. The surfaces to be papered must be smooth and free of all debris and high/low spots. Any defects on the walls will be magnified by the wallpaper, so take your time and make sure all problems have been corrected. You can hang new wallpaper over old, but it’s usually best to remove old wallpaper and start with a clean surface. Moisture from the pasting process can loosen the old paper, and ink can bleed through new paper unless you seal it with a special primer/sealer. Old vinyl paper could prevent adhesion of the paste. Only consider applying new wallpaper over old if the old paper is in good condition, smooth, only one layer thick, and will accept the paste. Make sure the old paper is tightly bound to the wall and has no loose areas. To prepare a papered surface, re-paste and roll any loose seams, repair nicks and rough spots, and flatten overlapping seams by removing the excess with a razor knife. Starting at the bottom, wash the wall with a solution designed for this task, or use ammonia and water, and let everything dry completely. To check if ink will bleed from the old paper, moisten a small piece of the old paper with a clean sponge. If ink comes off on the sponge, apply a primer/sealer designed for the purpose. If the existing paper is nonporous, use vinyl-to-vinyl primer to ensure adhesion and prevent mildew ...