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It’s best to remove wallpaper rather than paint over it. You should only paint over wallpaper if removing it would damage the wall, the surface is relatively smooth, or there are minimal problem areas—such as slight peeling and lifted seams—that you can fix easily. Painting over wallpaper can save time, but it can create more problems if the wallpaper is in poor condition and you don’t properly prep the area for painting. Depending on the state of the wallpaper, color, and textures could show through, and moisture from the paint could loosen the adhesive, causing unsightly bubbling.

In most cases, you cannot wallpaper over existing wallpaper. It’s possible to wallpaper over non-coated wallpaper, but vinyl-coated wallpaper is much more prevalent in homes, so you generally shouldn’t put new wallpaper over existing wallpaper. Adding a layer of wallpaper over vinyl-coated paper will lead to poor adhesion, leaving behind bubbles and imperfections in your wall. Plus, wallpapering over vinyl-coated wallpaper can lead to mold growth, which can be hazardous to your health. It’s usually best to hire a local wallpaper removal service to handle the task to avoid these issues.

The fastest way to remove wallpaper is usually to spray the paper with a mixture of hot water and either vinegar or dish soap, let it soak in, and then scrape off the wallpaper using a putty knife. Unfortunately, this process can easily damage your walls if you spray too much or scrape too aggressively. Your best bet is to call in a professional wallpaper remover who knows how much to wet the walls and how much pressure to apply when scraping the paper off. They might also use steamers and other tools to speed up the process.

You can paint over existing wallpaper if you select wallpaper that is designed to be paintable. This type of paper is meant to add texture to walls. Alternatively, if you have old wallpaper you’d like to cover up, you can often paint over that instead of removing it. However, it needs to be smooth, damage-free, and non-textured. Otherwise, any bumps, tears, and texture will show through the paint.