You can paint over wallpaper, especially if you are willing to put in the time to cover up the texture with primer and drywall mud. However, it won't work if you are working with old or improperly applied wallpaper.
Find out what you are up against by evaluating the wallpaper you are trying to cover. Ask yourself the following questions:
How old is the wallpaper?
How much is it peeling?
Are there holes?
Does it seem to have been attached correctly in the first place?
Paint simply will not stick to old wallpaper. As for peeling, you can cover up minor peeling edges with drywall mud, but there is no point to covering the whole wall or trying to mask a hole. And, if the wallpaper seems loose all over, you are facing a lost cause. Once the new paint goes on it, it will peel away.
Before you make the investment in primer and paint, purchase just enough to paint a small section of the wall. Paint it with a layer of oil-based primer (any other kind will encourage the paint to peel) and a layer of paint, and wait to see how the wallpaper reacts.
If the wallpaper wasn't applied correctly in the first place, then it will start pulling away from the wall because the paint will weigh down the paper. Stop at that point because you will need to remove the wallpaper in order to continue. You may be tempted to keep going in case the results look good, and you may despise that wallpaper, but you will be disappointed. Even though the wallpaper will pull away, it is much harder stripping painted wallpaper than regular wallpaper. Just leave it alone, make plans to strip the rest of the wallpaper and start fresh.
Otherwise, if your test has good results and the wallpaper stands up to the paint, run out for more primer and paint, and cover up that wall!
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