# Wallpaper over plaster



## Electric_Andy (17 Feb 2020)

We have to wallpapper my partner's dining room, so we took off the old wallpaper yesterday. It almost fell off because the bare plaster underneath seemingly hadn't been sealed.

My question: We have lots of spare paint. Can we seal the plaster with an emulsion/water mix, or does it have to be proper sealer? My Dad has used watered down PVA glue before but I can't remember if it was successful. Just don't want to buy additional sealers when I have spare paint I could use for free.


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## sheddy (17 Feb 2020)

Try 2 test patches ? 
emulsion mixed with 10% water and a 2nd one with diluted pva ?


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## MontyVeda (17 Feb 2020)

can't just wallpaper paste be used as a sealer... slop it on, let it dry, then wallpaper as normal.


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## johnnyb47 (17 Feb 2020)

I've used to be a plasterer for years and recommend PVA. Mix it with water and paint it on the wall. It will seal in the dry powdery plaster when it dries out.


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## screenman (17 Feb 2020)

Electric_Andy said:


> We have to wallpapper my partner's dining room, so we took off the old wallpaper yesterday. It almost fell off because the bare plaster underneath seemingly hadn't been sealed.
> 
> My question: We have lots of spare paint. Can we seal the plaster with an emulsion/water mix, or does it have to be proper sealer? My Dad has used watered down PVA glue before but I can't remember if it was successful. Just don't want to buy additional sealers when I have spare paint I could use for free.



Did you use a steamer? I agree with PVA for papering over.


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## roadrash (17 Feb 2020)

Another vote for pva from me


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## Electric_Andy (17 Feb 2020)

pva it is then, thanks. No I didn't use a steamer; the previous wallpaper had been put on over unsealed plaster so it pretty much pulled off with no effort


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## raleighnut (17 Feb 2020)

As posted earlier wallpaper paste, it's known as sizeing, even if you treat it any other way it'll still need that paste to allow the paper to slide when you're hanging it.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r...r-77898.html&usg=AOvVaw3GX8s26OldiGZ6bVvP2vOB


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## Ian H (17 Feb 2020)

I've always used paste, as recommended in older DIY texts. I wouldn't recommend PVA if it's an older house with solid walls. Solid walls need to breathe.


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## Skibird (17 Feb 2020)

Electric_Andy said:


> We have to wallpapper my partner's dining room, so we took off the old wallpaper yesterday. It almost fell off because the bare plaster underneath seemingly hadn't been sealed.
> 
> My question: We have lots of spare paint. Can we seal the plaster with an emulsion/water mix, or does it have to be proper sealer? My Dad has used watered down PVA glue before but I can't remember if it was successful. Just don't want to buy additional sealers when I have spare paint I could use for free.


50-50 Emulsion/Water but not silk, just matt


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## TissoT (17 Feb 2020)

As said above wallpaper paste applied straight on the skim/plastered walls ... that's all is needs.


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## Electric_Andy (17 Feb 2020)

TissoT said:


> As said above wallpaper paste applied straight on the skim/plastered walls ... that's all is needs.


As in, normal wallpaper paste of the bare plaster wall, let it dry, then stick up the wallpaper as normal? It's an interior wall so plasterboard.


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## Sterlo (18 Feb 2020)

They say size doesn't matter but my wallpaper fell off.


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## slowmotion (19 Feb 2020)

Packets of wallpaper usually tell you the correct dilution for sizing walls.


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## irw (20 Feb 2020)

Point to note- if it's a thin/light coloured paper, you might be wise to do a watered down emulsion coat on the wall first, or your wallpaper may end up not quite looking the shade you think it should. Since the first wall that I didn't(!), and thence regretted, I always do either a white base, or something of a similar colour/shade to the paper that's going on.


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