anyone know if this would work over older wallpaper? We have been trying for 16 years to get this old nasty flowered wallpaper off the wall... tried fabric softener trick, heat trick, water soaks, sanding (top layer is kinda plasticized finish)... nothing works, and its pale yellow flowered in my SON's room ... he's not amused by my not being successful in removal!

If this starch trick would work over wallpaper if its cleaned first, I could give him his Pokemon wall he wants :shock:
...and might it work on flannel, too? Or would that be too thick? I see some use dec wt. fabrics? flannel isn't too much thicker

we use fabric fastened to battens screwed to the wall , so much easier than actually affixing directly to wall AND easier to take down.

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If your fabric has a busy pattern where irregularities on the wall surface wouldn't show through I think you'll be okay, but my biggest concern is the 'plasticized finish'. If it is a vinyl wallpaper you should be able to pull it off the wall (if the wallboard had been prepared with a sealer or painted first), which should leave the wallpaper backing still on the wall. That is what you need to wet and scrape off, or just fabric over it.

In regard to heavier wt fabrics, I'd roll full strength starch on the wall first, then apply fabric that has been dipped in starch and hand wrung out, onto the wall. Do a test area first.

Go to a home improvement store and ask someone in the wallpaper department what to do to get the wallpaper off.

Hve you tried using killz on the wallto cover it up and start all over.

I'm with Biscuitqueen. There is a scraper ball kind of thing you use to remove old wallpaper. It scores that plastic film so the spray remover can be absorbed and permeates to soften the glue on the back. It has to be soaked pretty good once the plastic film is scored, but you just keep watching it - it should darken some if the liquid is permeating it. Now that I'm older though, I hate messing with all that. I would sand the wall some, apply some kills (white paint with built in primer) then a satin paint. After that, it will take any treatment you want to apply.

You can also take the moldings off and staple the fabric and put the moldings back on.

I have used the scraper ball to remove old wallpaper (as directed) and was extremely unhappy with the amount of work, poor results and ultimately all the pricks in the wallboard once the paper is removed! Not a big deal if you wallpaper over it, but in my case I was painting the wall and had to spackle all that mess first. Not happy. I've done a LOT of wallpapering ~ I don't recommend the ball.