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One of the biggest downsides to peel-and-stick wallpaper is that it doesn’t last quite as long as traditional wallpaper. The life span of peel-and-stick wallpaper is about five years, depending on the quality of the wallpaper and how well you prep the wall before applying. The good news is that, because of its shorter lifespan, peel-and-stick wallpaper is a great choice for people who enjoy switching up their interiors more frequently.

You can wallpaper and paint over certain types of wallpaper, but it’s usually a better idea to remove it first. Removing the wallpaper and prepping the wall before painting is a good way to guarantee a smooth finish that looks professional. If you ever have a moisture or water issue after painting over wallpaper, the paper will bubble and damage your wall. Additionally, you should never paint over wallpaper already peeling or otherwise damaged, as this will leave obvious imperfections in your wall and could lead to additional problems.

We don’t recommend wallpapering over older paper. That’s because creating layers of glue can invite bubbling or excess moisture on the wall’s surface. You should also prime your wall before applying wallpaper and smooth the wall as much as you can, and another layer of wallpaper complicates this process.

Peel-and-stick wallpaper isn’t the best choice to cover wood paneling. Because paneling has a textured, uneven surface with grooves and peel-and-stick wallpaper has weaker adhesive than traditional wallpaper, you’d need to do a significant amount of prep work to get the wallpaper to lay flat and adhere properly. Peel-and-stick wallpaper works best on painted or primed drywall without a textured finish.