Wall prep guide
Can Wallpaper Hide Cracks and Imperfect Walls?
Wallpaper can disguise minor visual flaws, such as uneven paint color or small patches, especially with a thick or textured paper. It cannot hide cracks, dents or texture without prep; most papers show them, and moving cracks will split the paper. The reliable approach is to repair cracks, skim where needed and prime, then let the paper do the decorating.
In short
- Thick, textured and patterned papers hide more than thin, plain ones.
- Hairline cracks must be repaired first; moving cracks need the cause fixed.
- Liner paper bridges small flaws; heavy texture needs a skim coat.
- Metallic and glossy papers hide nothing.
What wallpaper can and cannot hide
| Flaw | Hidden by paper alone? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Uneven paint color, stains | Usually yes, after priming | Prime with a stain-blocking primer if needed |
| Small nail holes | No | Fill and sand |
| Hairline cracks | No | Repair with tape and compound |
| Moving or recurring cracks | No, paper will split | Find and fix the cause first |
| Orange peel or knockdown texture | No | Skim coat |
| Minor dents and patches | Partly, with liner and thick paper | Repair, liner if needed |
Papers that are more forgiving
- Thick non-woven and embossed papers
- Busy, mid-tone patterns
- Textured papers and grasscloth (on repaired walls)
Thin, light, plain and metallic papers are the least forgiving. See metallic wallpaper.
New homes and settling
New homes often develop nail pops and hairline cracks as they settle. See wallpaper in a new-construction home for timing advice.
Where we work: neighborhoods and ZIP codes
We repair cracked and patched walls before papering in Gwinnett County, Roswell, East Cobb, Woodstock and Canton homes.
Gwinnett County
- 30017 Grayson
- 30096 Duluth
- 30092 Peachtree Corners
- 30071 Norcross
- 30093 Norcross
- 30043 Lawrenceville
- 30045 Lawrenceville
- 30046 Lawrenceville
- 30019 Dacula
- 30052 Loganville
- 30078 Snellville
- 30039 Snellville
- 30518 Buford / Sugar Hill
- 30519 Buford
Roswell and East Cobb
- 30075 Roswell
- 30076 Roswell
- 30077 Roswell
- 30062 Marietta / East Cobb
- 30066 Marietta / East Cobb
- 30068 Marietta / East Cobb
Woodstock, Canton and Hall County
- 30188 Woodstock
- 30189 Woodstock
- 30115 Canton
- 30114 Canton
- 30107 Ball Ground
- 30542 Flowery Branch
- 30506 Gainesville
Also serving: Buckhead and North Atlanta; Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek; Cumming. Not sure we cover your street? Send your ZIP code with a quote request.
About WallPros. WallPros LLC is a wallpaper installation company based in Grayson, Georgia, serving Gwinnett County, North Atlanta, Alpharetta, Roswell, East Cobb, Cumming and the rest of Metro Atlanta for 10 years. We install, remove and prepare walls for homeowners, interior designers and builders.
FAQ
Common questions
Will wallpaper hide drywall seams?
Not reliably. Visible seams and joints show through most papers unless the wall is skimmed.
Can I wallpaper over a cracked plaster wall?
Only after the cracks are stabilized and repaired; otherwise the paper will crack too.
What wallpaper hides wall imperfections best?
Thick, textured or embossed papers with a mid-tone pattern, hung over a repaired, primed wall.