Get matched with top wallpaper pros in Pippa Passes, KY

You can put wallpaper in a bathroom, whether over paneled walls or drywall, but it's important to choose the right type of wallpaper. Bathrooms tend to be humid environments, so you want to pick paper that's water-resistant, such as a vinyl wallpaper. Proper wall prep is also critical, so that the paper clings to the walls, even after several steamy showers.

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.

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.

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.