Will Wallpaper Damage Wood Paneling?

Covering your old wood with beautiful wallpaper provides a bold new look.

Yes, wood paneling will be damaged by the application of wallpaper. The amount of damage and whether the wood paneling will be useable in its original state depends on the quality of the wood, the quality of the wallpaper and how long the wallpaper will remain on the wall. Removing wallpaper will be a tough project and may result in water marks, stains or scratches on the wood paneling.

Considerations

Consider what kind of wood paneling you are covering up. If you are covering an antique wood, an expensive bamboo paneling or other authentic wood, covering it with wallpaper and rendering it not useful down the road is a poor financial investment. Unless you really do not like the wood paneling, do not cover high quality wood as a rule of thumb. Cover inexpensive wood or imitation wood paneling only; you will not ruin an expensive home material by applying this method.

Warning

Thoroughly clean the wood paneling before applying the wallpaper. Remember to dry it properly before beginning the project. Creating a clean surface is key to success in applying wallpaper to any wood paneling. Do not apply wallpaper to wood paneling that has holes, large cracks or other crevices as this will make your wallpapered wall uneven.

Benefits

There are many benefits to covering up wood paneling with wallpaper. If your wood paneling looks cheap or isn't stylish, wall paper offers an inexpensive way of making your room more stylish. You can also create an assortment of looks with wallpaper, and the time involved to complete a wallpaper project is typically minimal.

References

• "The Complete Guide to DIY Projects for Luxurious Living"; Jerri Farris; 2008