Use "tin ceiling" wallpaper over perennially peeling paint and cracks.

[Johann Jells]

As I ordered more of this stuff, though I'd share here.  If you have old rooms with many layers of paint and cracks you know it will peel no matter what you do, especially on the ceiling. I wallpapered my living room ceiling 16 years ago and it looks as good as the day I did it, while the room next to it I spackled and painted peeled.  I get compliments all the time. 

Comes out to $0.45/sq ft. Way easier to work with than standard paper. Paint it Semi-gloss.

https://www.grahambrown.com/us/product/12011/small...

[Johann Jells]

Originally posted by @Mike H.:

So on a 10x12 room, you'd be looking at $50?  Thats pretty good.

What do you do if it gets dirty? Can you paint it? Is it a pain to paint? 
What if it gets damaged?  Typically, I don't have many ceilings that get damaged but do have to repaint some every now and then.

I guess if they no longer make the pattern, its only $50 to take it down and put a new one up. But it does look sharp.

 As I said, it's best to paint it semi gloss, easy job. Nice and cleanable. If somehow it was damaged (on the ceiling?) I would think it would be easy to cut a clean line, strip out the damage and put up a new piece cut to match. I've matched cuts a couple of times installing. 

Thanks all for the comments. Actually the photo is from the vendor site, my install of this product looks even better IMO, as I used semigloss, this looks flatter, maybe unpainted.  Actually, I used this particular type of raised foam paper for the 1st time about 8 years ago for my kitchen. The product I used 16 years ago was slightly different, it was actually embossed heavy paper, you could see the pattern from the back. It was way more difficult to use and a bear to strip the time I needed to, though it has held up like iron. 

Here's my living room