Should you always use primer before wallpapering?

Hello everyone,

we are currently in the process of renovating our newly acquired house (built in 1997). Since we don’t like the wallpaper on the walls, we are currently removing it, which is very easy because it is non-woven wallpaper.
Except for 1-2 walls, non-woven wallpaper with a similar texture to normal woodchip wallpaper will be used again.

Question:
The walls have been wallpapered and painted twice so far (last time about 10 years ago) by a painter. Do I still have to use primer? Except for a few small areas (sloping ceilings and in front of the roller shutters), they are solid walls.

Short and sweet: Yes

my painter would say now.

I would give it a try. Non-woven wallpapers require reinforced adhesives anyway. The reinforcement is "plastic" and blocks the wall more than normal adhesive. If you apply some non-woven adhesive directly on the bare wall and the wall absorbs it evenly and, secondly, does not immediately soak up the adhesive, you can safely do without [Tiefengrund]. The active ingredient in [Tiefengrund] and the reinforcement in the adhesive produce similar effects in the applications I know. However, I am not a professional painter but bring my experience from illusion painting, which is not exactly the same. Enjoy renovating!

Gabriele

Primer is cheap and requires little effort. The primer reduces the absorbency of the underlying material. In doing so, differences in absorbency are evened out. Especially this uniformity benefits you when working with the new wallpaper. I would not skimp here.

Hello,
I would also give a clear YES.

So far, I have renovated 3 apartments and scraped off the old wallpaper every time. In one apartment, the builder had applied primer beforehand. Removing the wallpaper there was no problem and possible without major damage to the walls.

In the apartments where savings were made, it was hell to get the old wallpaper off. And afterwards, we had to partially fill the walls again.

I would not save here even if it might no longer concern you personally.

I am surprised that you support Tiefgrund? Or have you used an alternative in-house?