can I paint directly onto vinyl wallpaper

[bargepole]

This is a washable type paper in the kitchen and I want to do a quick makeover to brighten the place up. Can I paint directly onto it, using emulsion paint, or do I need to use some sort of primer, or do I have to strip off the wallpaper?

[bobbobley]

we've just done this in our kitchen and worked out fine (painting straight on to it with emulsion). obviously you may need an undercoat if you are painting a light colour onto a dark one, but no primer should be needed. enjoy!

[BenDToy]

Sorry to spoil the party but you would be wasting your time trying to paint a vinyl with emulsion. It would be a bit like painting a sheet of polythene, because that's what you would be doing! Vinyl wallcovering is plastic coated paper. It will need to be stripped off first. Bobbobley must have painted on to wallpaper which is quite different - it is actually paper. In general washable "wallpaper" is not paper at all, but vinyl wallcovering.

[bobbobley]

you're quite right Ben - had a look when I went home last night and it is proper paper rather than a polythene type thing we have - sorry bargepole.

[BenDToy]

I used to work for a wallpaper company so have a bit of knowledge here. I'm fairly sure he didn't have time to start the job! Even if he did it wouldn't do any damage - emulsion would just wash off.

[bargepole]

Thanks for your replies wobberlybob & wendytroy. I tried some paint on the said wallpaper and it seems to have taken ok, doesn't appear to want to wash off (tried after it had dried), so perhaps my washable viynl is just spongeable paper. Any ideas bendy? When I re-papered part of the kitchen a few years back the top coat just peeled off the paper leaving the backing stuck to the wall. Is this a clue to the type of paper? The plot thickens!