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Most primers should dry for 24 hours before painting over them, but some primers that are marketed as quick-drying may be paintable sooner. Check the manufacturer’s instructions on your primer to find out how long you should let it dry before painting.

Generally, any type of house paint, such as latex, acrylic, or mineral paint, will work for whitewashing. Paints with a matte or semi-gloss finish work best. If you have leftover white paint from another project, whitewashing can be a great way to use up paint that might have otherwise gone to waste. 

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.

It’s important to wait until the drywall is completely dry before painting the wall. This can take up to 24 hours. If you paint while the drywall is still wet, the paint could bubble, peel, or have trouble sticking to the wall. To speed up the drying process, you can turn on a fan, run a dehumidifier, or open windows.