Drywall/Wallcovering Questions
 

The drywall in my bedroom is toast from the previous owner. The wallpaper they used, when removed, ripped apart the drywall and I haven't been able to paint it since we moved here. I have always put up wallpaper, but now I want to paint one color on all four walls. Anyone have ideas that are cheaper than redoing the drywall on that wall? Was thinking panelling or something, would that work?

how bad is the drywall? can you patch it?

Are you sure it's into the drywall, or is it just the texturing? There are numerous products available to re-texture. You'll need a compressor and respirator for that much footage but it goes quickly.

Patch for a uniform surface. (Some textures hide patching errors, but that's cheating.) Clean & etch. TSP substitute works very well for this. Texture a practice board or two and then texture all 4 walls for consistency.

There are also textured wallpapers that are designed to be painted. This may help cover any drywall where the exterior sheet of paper has been ripped off...

Hie thee to Home Despot or equivalent and pick up a no dust sander attachment for your shop vac along with a bucket of green mud and a wide knife. Skim coat the damaged areas, sand smooth, and you'll be ready to prime and paint.

That's the problem. There is virtually no paper/whatever left on the drywall. Thinking of just getting some 1/8" (dunno Imperial system, trying to say really thin) panelling or the like, sand it down and paint it. Anything cheaper/better?

You could also install a layer of 1/4" (no, not a typo) drywall over the existing using screws and adhesive, but you'll have to deal with window/door casing and base mouldings, then. I still think a skim coat is the easiest and cheapest way out of your situation.