Wallpaper comes off cleanly when the method matches the paper: strippable papers peel in full strips, while others are scored, soaked and scraped. After removal, paste residue is washed off, torn drywall paper is sealed and repaired, and the wall is primed before painting.
Start at a seam and peel a corner. Strippable papers are made to come off dry; York describes its SureStrip papers as removing in full strips when it is time to redecorate. Peelable papers leave a backing layer behind that has to be soaked off. Traditional papers stay bonded and need to be scored and soaked. Painted-over wallpaper is the hardest case because the paint blocks water from reaching the paste.
Torn drywall face paper is common, especially where paper was hung on unprimed drywall. Exposed brown paper must not be painted directly with water-based paint or wet joint compound, because it can bubble. It is sealed first with a primer that blocks water; Benjamin Moore's Fresh Start Undercoater and Primer/Sealer is an alkyd primer listed for drywall. Repairs are then skimmed and sanded.
It depends on what comes next. The Gypsum Association's GA-214 says Level 4 finish suits flat paints and wallcoverings, while paints with any sheen are not recommended over Level 4 and Level 5, a full skim coat, is recommended where lighting is severe. Walls damaged by removal often need skimming before eggshell or satin paint looks right.
Only after residue is gone and the wall is primed. Leftover paste can crack or wrinkle paint. Benjamin Moore lists its Fresh Start High-Hiding All Purpose Primer for drywall and wall coverings. If new wallpaper is going up instead, York's instructions call for two coats of paint or a universal wallcovering primer and advise against oil-based or general purpose primers under paste.
Strippable papers are designed to release dry. York's removal directions for SureStrip are to loosen a top corner of each strip and pull the whole sheet slowly but firmly down from ceiling to floor, and if a strip resists, to moisten it with a wet sponge, wait 30 seconds and continue. When strippable paper comes off this cleanly, the wall underneath usually needs only cleaning and light touch-up before painting.
Three things: paper hung on unprimed drywall, where the paste bonds directly to the drywall's face paper; multiple layers; and wallpaper that was painted over, which keeps water from reaching the paste. Each one increases the chance of torn face paper and the repairs that follow. In homes built before 1978, painted-over paper may also carry old lead-based paint, which brings EPA lead-safe practices into play when more than 6 square feet per room is disturbed.
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It depends on the paper type, how many layers there are, whether it was painted over and whether the drywall was primed before it was hung. Strippable paper can come off a room quickly, while painted-over or multi-layer paper on unprimed drywall can take much longer and usually needs repairs. A test patch at a seam shows how the paper releases before the job is scheduled.
It is possible but risky. Paint can loosen the paper's paste, show seams and make future removal much harder. If paper must stay, it should be firmly bonded with seams secured and then primed with a primer listed for wall coverings, such as Benjamin Moore's Fresh Start 046. Removal is the more reliable path. See our guide on painting over wallpaper.
All paste residue is washed off with warm water and a sponge until the wall no longer feels slick, then allowed to dry. Residue left behind can make paint crack, wrinkle or fail to bond. Once dry, the wall is checked for torn paper and gouges, repaired and primed before painting.
Bubbling usually means the drywall's brown paper was exposed and absorbed water from paint or joint compound. The exposed paper must be sealed with a water-resistant primer first; Benjamin Moore lists its alkyd Fresh Start Undercoater for drywall. After sealing, bubbles are cut out, skimmed with compound, sanded and primed again before painting.
Sources: York Wallcoverings SureStrip hanging instructions; Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Undercoater and Primer/Sealer (032) technical data sheet; Benjamin Moore Fresh Start High-Hiding All Purpose Primer (046) technical data sheet; Gypsum Association GA-214, Recommended Levels of Gypsum Board Finish; EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, 40 CFR Part 745 Subpart E. Figures checked October 2026.
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