How to Wallpaper Over Textured Walls (Without Sanding Down First)

If you live in Texas, there’s a very good chance every wall in your house is covered in knockdown texture, and figuring out how to wallpaper over textured walls becomes a real question fast. For some reason, Texas builders love this stuff. Ceilings, closets, every single wall. Texture everywhere.

When I first started wallpapering my house, I kept reading that wallpaper could only be installed on a smooth surface. Apparently I was supposed to sand or skim coat every room before I could even think about hanging new wallpaper on rough surfaces like mine.

Respectfully, no.

I’ve installed peel-and-stick, prepasted, and unpasted wallpaper all over my textured walls, and I’m happy to report it can absolutely be done. You just need to know the type of texture you’re dealing with, choose the right wallpaper, and accept that you may see a little of it underneath. Personally, I’d rather see a few subtle bumps beneath gorgeous wallpaper than spend hours and hours staring at beige knockdown texture.

Short answer: yes, you can wallpaper over textured walls. Let’s figure out whether yours are good candidates, and exactly how to prep them for the best results.

The Most Common Wall Textures You’ll Run Into

Before we go any further, it helps to know the common wall textures builders actually use, because they are not all created equal when it comes to wallpaper installation.

Popcorn texture, sometimes called cottage cheese texture, is the bumpy, ceiling-favorite finish with lots of high peaks. Orange peel texture is finer and more uniform, like the surface of, well, an orange. Knockdown texture starts as orange peel or popcorn and gets flattened down with a trowel, which leaves those irregular, flattened patches. Some walls even have a layer of joint compound troweled on for a heavier, more textured surface on purpose.

What Kind of Texture Do You Actually Have?

When someone tells me you can’t wallpaper over textured walls, my first question is always which type of texture we’re talking about. There’s a big difference between a lightly flattened knockdown texture and uneven surfaces covered in tiny, closely packed bumps.

If you have knockdown texture like mine, you can thank your lucky stars. It has irregular patches with flattened peaks, feels less bumpy than orange peel, and gives wallpaper more surface area to actually adhere to. Will it look as smooth as wallpaper over a skim-coated wall? No. Will it still look approximately one million times better than plain builder-grade texture? Absolutely.

If you have orange peel walls, I have bad news. That texture is raised across the entire wall, and it can interfere with the adhesive and show through the paper. This is when I’d sand or skim coat before installing wallpaper.

And if you’re dealing with heavier textures, deep swirls, sharp peaks, popcorn walls, or decorative plaster, know that wallpaper can hide a lot of things. It cannot perform an actual miracle. Heavy textures need to be smoothed first.

How Smooth Does It Actually Need to Look?

Let’s address the elephant in the room. If you install wallpaper directly over knockdown texture, you may still see some of that texture through the paper. How much depends on the thickness, color, finish, and pattern of the wallpaper you choose.

I don’t mind a little texture showing through. I’m not inspecting my walls with a magnifying glass, and neither should anyone visiting my house. Once the room is furnished and styled, your eye sees the wallpaper, not the tiny bump hiding behind one of the flowers.

If visible texture is going to bother you every single time you walk into the room, skim coating the wall first is a good idea. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a completely flat surface. I simply know myself, and I’d rather skip that very messy step when I can.

Your Wallpaper Choice Matters More Than You’d Think

Now for the fun part: picking the right type of wallpaper. But if you’re working with a textured surface, this isn’t the time to choose the thinnest, shiniest paper known to humankind.

Thicker wallpaper helps soften the texture of the wall underneath it, while thin paper settles into every bump and telegraphs it right through. If you can practically see through the sample when you hold it up to a window, it’s going to show every bit of texture on your wall. Always request a sample before you buy full rolls, whether it’s a traditional wallpaper, a lining paper, or a liner paper meant to go underneath your actual pattern.

Pattern helps too, and this is one of the rare occasions where “a lot going on” is actually a good thing. Intricate designs give your eye something far more interesting to focus on than whatever’s happening underneath it. A dark color also disguises subtle shadows better than a light, glossy, or solid paper will, and busier wallpaper designs almost always give you a more professional finish over a bumpy wall.

This is exactly the trick I used in my dining room, my playroom, my breakfast nook, and my powder room. All four rooms have knockdown texture underneath, and all four look completely custom.

Peel-and-Stick on Textured Walls, Does It Actually Work?

Peel-and-stick wallpaper, sometimes called removable wallpaper or temporary wallpaper, sticks to textured walls more often than people expect, but it does take some testing to know for sure.

I’ve successfully installed peel-and-stick wallpaper on my own textured walls, but it can be a little temperamental even on a flat wall. Some brands, like Chasing Paper, Tempaper, and Milton and King, have a much stronger adhesive than others, and some will take one look at your knockdown texture and immediately give up.

Check whether the manufacturer allows installation on lightly textured walls, then order a sample and apply a reasonably sized test piece. Please don’t test a two-inch square and call it a day. Use a large enough piece to actually tell you whether the wallpaper sticks the way it should. Leave it in place for a while and check the corners and edges for lifting before you commit to the whole room.

What About Prepasted and Unpasted Wallpaper?

Prepasted wallpaper has the adhesive already on the backing, activated with water. Unpasted or non-pasted wallpaper means you apply the wallpaper paste yourself during installation, both of which fall under what most people just call regular wallpaper.

If the words “unpasted wallpaper” make you want to close this tab, stay with me. It sounds far more intimidating than it actually is. You’re essentially adding the adhesive yourself, which also gives you more control during installation. I’ve used both on my textured walls, and proper preparation, especially wallpaper primer, makes the biggest difference in either case.

Test the Wallpaper First

I know. You ordered the new wallpaper, it arrived, and now you want to start immediately. I understand, because patience is not generally invited to my DIY projects either. But textured walls are unpredictable, and a sample test will tell you the truth before your whole wall is on the line.

Check whether the wallpaper adheres properly, whether the edges start lifting, and how much texture shows through. Look at it in both natural and artificial light, and check whether removing it damages the wall underneath. Put up the sample, then walk away. This is the hard part.

Clean the Wall, Even If It Looks Clean

Skipping sanding doesn’t mean skipping prep work entirely, and a clean surface is non-negotiable no matter which wallpaper type you’re using.

Remove outlet and switch covers, then dust the wall from top to bottom and clean off any dirt, grease, or residue. Let the wall dry completely, fill any nail holes, and repair damaged areas with a little drywall compound. Lightly sand only the repairs until they’re level, and remove any loose or peeling paint. A wall in good condition is what gives you the best results once the wallpaper goes up.

Wallpaper paste is many things, but it is not a substitute for repairing a wall that’s actively falling apart.

Don’t Skip the Wallpaper Primer

Wallpaper primer is the unglamorous hero of this entire project. No one walks into a finished room and mentions the primer, but it’s quietly doing some very important work behind the scenes.

A dedicated wallcovering primer gives the wallpaper a smoother base to adhere to, keeps paste from soaking directly into the drywall, helps the panels slide into position while you’re working, and makes the paper so much easier to remove later.

I know it’s tempting to skip this because the wall is already painted. Paint primer and wallpaper primer are not the same thing. If you’re installing prepasted or unpasted wallpaper, apply wallpaper primer and let it dry according to the instructions. For peel-and-stick, follow the specific manufacturer’s surface prep directions instead.

Install It Like Any Other Wallpaper

And that’s really the secret. Once you’ve figured out your texture is wallpaper-friendly, chosen the right wallpaper, cleaned the wall, and primed it, wallpaper installation is the same as it would be on any other wall.

Decide where your first panel will go, then draw a perfectly vertical plumb line using a level or laser level. Do not use the corner of the room as your straight line. Corners are liars. Use a level.

Cut the panel with a few extra inches at the top and bottom, prepare the adhesive according to your wallpaper type, and align the panel with your plumb line. Smooth gently from the center outward, match the pattern on the next panel, and trim the excess with a fresh blade. Wipe away extra paste as you go.

Be Gentle When Smoothing the Paper

You want enough pressure to remove air pockets and secure the wallpaper, but you don’t need to put your entire body weight into it. We’re smoothing the wallpaper, not going crazy here.

Work from the center toward the edges with a clean wallpaper smoother, avoid excessive pressure, and don’t overwork the seams. Follow the manufacturer’s directions before reaching for a seam roller.

What If the Edges Start Lifting?

Confirm the wall was actually clean and dry to begin with, and check whether it was primed correctly. Use the wallpaper manufacturer’s recommended seam adhesive, apply a small amount beneath the lifted edge, press gently, and wipe away the excess.

Please don’t reach for whatever glue happens to be sitting in your junk drawer. The wrong adhesive can stain the wallpaper, damage the wall, or make future removal an absolute nightmare. If peel-and-stick keeps lifting no matter what you try, the adhesive probably isn’t compatible with your texture, and it’s time to consider a different type of wallpaper.

When I’d Actually Skim Coat First

I’ll avoid sanding an entire room whenever humanly possible, but I also know when to admit defeat.

That means orange peel texture or other heavy textures, sharp or deeply raised peaks, a test panel that won’t adhere no matter what you try, or a very thin, light, glossy, or metallic wallpaper. It also means situations where the manufacturer requires a flat surface, the wall is damaged, or you simply want a completely smooth finish and know any visible texture will bother you.

If the wallpaper won’t stick or the texture is all you can see, skim coating is going to give you a much better end result, even if it’s more work upfront.

Frequently Asked Questions

Textured walls do not mean you’re sentenced to plain walls for the rest of your life. If you have lightly textured knockdown walls, you can absolutely get the wallpapered room you want without sanding or skim coating the entire space.

Choose a forgiving paper, test it first, clean and prime the walls, and accept that you may see a little texture underneath. Your home doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth to be beautiful. Mine certainly isn’t, and that has never stopped me from adding another roll of wallpaper.