Personally if it were mine and I was committed to NOT removing the wallpaper and working to improve the original plaster, I'd cover it with 1/4" drywall. It used to exist, I don't know if it
still does and your local building supply can provide it most likely.
If you're going to go to the trouble of installing a new surface anyway - having to secure it, tape and mud the joints and paint it I'd use the proper materials instead - drywall. What about leveling electrical boxes to the new surface? Do you have a plan for that?
A hundred years ago (actually 1970 to 1977) I worked at Sears in Paint and Wallpaper and of course sold a LOT of wallpaper. It will be much more forgiving of painted drywall than luan plywood.
Problem with removing the wallpaper is most likely opening a can of worms since parts of multiple layers of old paint were stuck to it.
Dealing with lead paint, scraping, floating out the walls is not something I want to deal will.
Which is why drywall is also not that high on the list bit I might have to it that way.
1/4” drywall is available around here.
like captiondiode stated below electrical box extenders are availible.
+1 on drywall. You can get electrical box extenders.
luan wouldn't be my choice .
Is the intent to put the luan over the old wallpaper? I agree with using 1/4" drywall but either way I'd strip the old wallpaper first. You can rent a steamer for removing it, it's kind of a messy job but I think it's the right way to go.
(My house was built in 1913 and most rooms were wallpapered from new. None of the previous owners ever removed any, they just put up another layer. My living room had 11 layers of wallpaper, it was like an archeological dig removing it all.)
Not sure why I would remove the old wallpaper.
I cannot glue the drywall on the wall directly because of the flacking paint behind it.
That sounds like fun.
My current house had newspaper used as wallpaper on cardboard.
Sometimes a good idea … isn’t.
Here you’re combining a task I’m not good At (tape & mud) with a task I despise (hanging wallpaper). I can’t think of a way to make this worse than by adding luan to it.
I hear you.
What does bad wallpaper mean? That is very vague.
Is the existing wallpaper tight and not peeling or bubbled?
If so, I would prime with zinsser coverstain water based primer and then patch with hot mud, like 20 min fast set, sand, then prime again.
You could do a test with water based primer and if it bubbles, it will need oil primer. Oil cover stain is my choice.
Wallpaper just needs a sound surface
If it is all peeling off that is another matter. The problem with thin drywall will be that there isn't much thickness for screws and it is flimsy so may need glue too. Then you have even more mud work and primer to do before wallpaper.
I would be tempted to test how easily it removes with a steamer first, even though I'm a pro at drywall and paint. Wallpaper would never be an option for me. My uncle used to hang it but I only gave him a hand and didn't bother to learn it and instead did everything else for his painting company. Even in the mid 90s when I started, wallpaper popularity was declining.
The whole house was renovated by I would say by someone who was a bit out his comfort zone.
Wall paper is peeling at a lot of the edges.
Which are often not lined up properly.
I grew up with wallpaper but have not done it in a very long time.
Good point with potential issues with 1/4” drywall.
Maybe I have to tear into it and remove it and scrape off paint and learn how to float out walls.
There are several rooms that will get wallpaper but this is the only one which already has wallpaper on it and is on an old plaster wall.
Wallpaper guys are very rare and very expensive around here.
Besides I am up to learn a new skill.
I actually kind of like putting up wallpaper but maybe I'm just weird. I do think it should be used sparingly, like for a single room or maybe on an accent wall. It also depends on the age of the house, it's more appropriate in a 19th century home than a 21st century home.
Yes, that is actually the plan and thinking.
I actually like the wallpaper in that room which is rather small.
This is a old American square house.
Even the different wallpaper will be a having a bit of a wow factor.
We are also have a bit of fun with them.
