Removing wallpaper - peeling paint

[Katie Nilan]

Hi,

I'm in the process of removing wallpaper from my house (I didn't put the paper up myself). It's coming off easily enough with a fabric softener/water mix, but the paint where the seams of the wallpaper are are bubbling up and/or peeling. I'm pretty sure it's paint because I took a peeling part, wet it, and it became stretchy like paint. It's not on the drywall seams, but where the wallpaper was.

I had this happen in another room, too (the whole place was wallpaper), but it doesn't happen in every situation (most walls have been fine).

Any suggestions on what this might be and how to fix? Thanks!!

Katie

[HayZee518]

Probably is some cheap latex paint. An oil based paint wouldn't allow the water through. Dried latex later allowed to absorb moisture will stretch as you describe.

[Katie Nilan]

Ahh...that would make sense. They did everything half-baked, from painting right over high gloss oil paint (which is now causing all my trim to peel), to balancing the ceiling fan with old concert tickets! Thanks for solving that mystery...

Katie