Can You Wallpaper Over Textured Walls?

Wallpaper can be a really fun addition to any home. But, what if your walls aren’t smooth – can you put wallpaper over textured walls?! Today, I’m diving into that very question!

Grant’s room in our current house, where we have knockdown texture.

Can You Put Wallpaper Over Textured Walls?

Let’s start off really simple here. The bottom line is: yes. You totally can put wallpaper over textured walls! There are definitely some important factors to consider (which we’ll dive into in this post), but for the most part, don’t worry. If you have textured walls you’re probably still perfectly fine to go ahead and install wallpaper.

Of course, just like with any DIY project, there are a few things that make things a tad more complicated than that. Let’s dig into the details.

Factors to Consider

The first, and most important, thing to consider when deciding if you can wallpaper over your textured walls is how textured the walls are.

Most homes have a relatively light texture on the walls, and that generally allows for wallpaper just fine. However, some homes have really sharp and thick type of texture that wouldn’t be a good fit at all.

If you have popcorn texture on your walls (or ceiling, if that’s where you’re working!), or anything else that’s equally thick and varied, you probably shouldn’t wallpaper over it. The wallpaper won’t have a great solid surface to adhere to, and it won’t last in the long run. However, knockdown textures, orange peel, or even slapbrush texture should work fine with most high-quality wallpapers.

Wallpaper in the dining room at our last house. This space orange peel texture.

The other important factor to take into consideration is how much of a perfectionist you are. It sounds silly, but it’s true. If you’re the type that won’t be happy with anything less than an absolutely smooth and blemish-free wall, you definitely shouldn’t wallpaper over textured walls. In fact, you probably shouldn’t be wallpapering yourself at all! If you’re a perfectionist and you aren’t a professional wallpaper installer, then I’d recommend hiring someone who is. They’ll likely recommend doing a skim coat to give you a perfectly smooth surface. That’s where they use a layer of join compound to smooth out the surface. It’s a big job (unless you’re working with really small sections), and not one I’d recommend tackling on your own. Professionals will be able to do the job with few (or no) imperfections – wallpaper installation is hard, so don’t be afraid to call in the pros if needed!

What Kind of Prep Work Do I Need to Do?

If you’re going to be wallpapering over a textured surface, there’s still some important prep work you have to do. You want your wallpaper job to be durable and look as good as possible!

Here’s a quick rundown of how to prep your textured walls for wallpaper:

• Sand any really rough spots. Even if you only have light texture on the walls, there may be areas that need a really light sanding (a 200 grit sandpaper should work great). You can even bust our your orbital sander if you need to sand a large surface area.
• Remove any dust or grime from the walls. You want them to be perfectly clean for good adhesion!
• And finally, you always want to prime your walls before installing wallpaper. It’s one of those annoying steps that makes a big difference in the durability of the finish project, so don’t skip it.

Another note as you’re prepping is to make sure to choose a wallpaper adhesive that works well for the space you’re working in. For example, a bathroom will have a lot of extra humidity and moisture in the room, so you’ll want something a little more heavy duty.

What Type of Wallpaper Works Best on Textured Walls?

This is probably the most important decision you’ll make here! If you’re working with perfectly smooth walls, you can choose pretty much and ol’ wallpaper without thinking too hard. However with textured walls, there can be lots of bumps and wrinkles and issues if you choose a cheap, thin wallpaper.

The key here is to choose something that is a little bit thicker. It will had a lot of imperfections and give the impression of a smooth finish. With the right wallpaper, you won’t even be able to tell the walls are textured underneath!

I’ve installed wallpaper on textured walls a ton of times. I always choose a thicker wallpaper, and I’ve never had any major issues. A good quality wallpaper can hide a lot of texture on your drywall!

Peel & Stick Wallpaper on Textured Walls

I always like to make a special note for peel and stick vinyl wallpaper because so many people are drawn to it for the ease of installation! I’ve had better luck with installing traditional wallpaper on textured walls in the past. I find it easier to work with and I feel like I get better adhesion with it. I find the seams harder to line up with peel and stick wallpaper, and I think it might be easier to install on a flat wall. However, that’s more of a personal preference than anything. Peel and stick wallpaper works great (even on textured walls) for tons of people!

The wallpaper in our entry, where we have knockdown texture.

Need Some More Recommendations?

If you need some tips and tricks for how to install wallpaper, I’ve got you covered there too!

• Full instructions for how to install wallpaper here.
• See more tips and tricks (and our bathroom wallpaper) on this post.
• The wallpaper in our entry.
• Tween girl room makeover – complete with board & batten and, you guessed it, wallpaper!
• Grant’s bedroom makeover.

All of the above projects and spaces feature textured walls, and all of them have held up absolutely beautifully over time.