Walls ready for painting or wallpapering? which finish suits you
Prefer a price straight away? Call 070 783 0224 or send photos via WhatsApp.
Rated on Google · Price in advance · Guarantee on the work
An article from the PandFix knowledge base about plastering: practical explanation, without sales talk. At the bottom you can request a tailored quote.
Short answer
Ready for wallpapering means: flat enough for wallpaper, lining paper or renovation fleece; small imperfections are allowed, the wallpaper will cover them. Ready for painting is a step smoother: you can apply latex paint directly without imperfections showing. If you want to paint, choose ready for painting. If wallpaper is going on, ready for wallpapering is sufficient.
- Painting with latex: ready for painting.
- Wallpaper, glass fibre or renovation fleece: ready for wallpapering.
- New builds are usually delivered ready for wallpapering.
Call me back
Leave your name and number and we'll call you. Prefer immediate contact? Call 070 783 0224 or message us.
What do ready for painting and ready for wallpapering mean?
- Ready for wallpapering: the wall is flat and solid, without large irregularities or holes. Small pits and light streaks are acceptable; they will disappear under wallpaper or fleece.
- Ready for painting: the wall is finished extra smooth. Raking light from a window or lamp shows every imperfection in paint; therefore a wall ready for painting is finished more finely.
The difference is therefore not in the material but in how far the wall is finished. That is why ready for painting costs more time than ready for wallpapering.
When do you choose what?
- You want to paint: ready for painting. See renovation plastering and ready for painting.
- You want to wallpaper or use lining paper: ready for wallpapering is sufficient. See preparing ready for wallpapering.
- New build, delivered ready for wallpapering, but you want to paint: have the walls re-plastered to ready for painting. This is easiest before the floor is laid.
- Old walls with wallpaper remnants or textured paint: first clean and apply a renovation layer; then choose the finish.
After plastering: painting or wallpapering
Let the wall dry completely first: evenly light in colour, without dark patches. When painting, start with a diluted first coat of latex; when wallpapering, apply a primer first. How long drying takes is explained in how long must plastering dry.
Plastering walls near you
Plastering walls by municipality:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ready for painting more expensive than ready for wallpapering?
Yes, because the wall will be finished further. How much depends on the substrate; you will receive a tailored price in advance.
Can I still paint over ready-for-wallpapering finish?
That is possible, but unevenness will remain visible, especially in raking light. Lining paper or glass-fibre wallpaper over it is a middle way.
What is renovation fleece?
A lining that you stick to the wall and then paint. It covers small unevenness and is an alternative when ready-for-painting plastering is not necessary.
Can I see for myself whether my wall is ready for painting?
Hold a lamp at an angle to the wall. If you see streaks, pits or edges, it's not ready for painting.
How do I request a quote?
Call, send a WhatsApp message with photos and measurements, or fill in the form on this page. You'll hear the price before we start.