Installing wallpaper can add personality to a room and make it look larger and warmer. It is a project that can totally transform a room in a single day or even in one afternoon if, as in our case, you happen to install the wallpaper on a single/focal wall.
There are many types of wallpaper on the market. Lately, I've been happy to use peel & stick wallpaper. I installed it on the back of the built-in in my family room and in my son's bedroom and I think it's an easy and affordable way to bring change to a room and most importantly it can be easily removed.
I also installed pre-pasted beadboard wallpaper in the kitchen which gave lots of texture to the little plate rack area where it was installed.
I've been here in Colombia, South America, for several weeks already, and as usual I can't stay away from DIYs or room makeovers. One of my sisters wanted me to upgrade her daughter's bedroom, the room you see in the picture below. Ha, I immediately jumped on that opportunity because, well yeah, this is my type of fun! :)
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My sister told me that she first tried to warm up the room by creating a geometric accent wall. The blue was a great pop of color, but she noticed how the color of the headboard crashed against the blue.
Enter here: Non-woven wallpaper. The only affordable option I found here in Bogota was at the big box store (Home Center) I searched for peel & stick wallpaper but found nothing. :/
Let me tell you, I was a bit scared to install this type of wallpaper because I've never done it before.
Mixing this powder adhesive with water and then spreading it on the back of the paper before installing it on the wall was something new to me and to my two nephews that were helping me with this project.
Guess what? It was EASY!
No worries, you can do it too and I'm here to guide you step by step!
THE MATERIALS AND TOOLS YOU'LL NEED:
- Wallpaper - Non-woven
- Wallpaper adhesive
- X-Acto knife
- Wallpaper scraper
- Laser Level
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Brush
- Roller
For this wall, about 8' x 10' I used two rolls of wallpaper and one bag of powder adhesive.
Did you know that non-woven wallpaper is a fairly new directional or random fiber? Contrary to its woven counterpart which was backed with fabric; non-woven wallpaper is backed with paper. The surface of the paper has been sprayed or coated with an acrylic coating and the pretty patterns are then printed on.
The mix of synthetic and natural fibers, the same fibers used to make coffee filters and tea bags, make them an excellent choice because it's perfect for digital printing, you can find more design or pattern options. Non-woven wallpaper is tear-resistant and washable. It is made of breathable materials that prevent mold issues. It's easy to install and remove, you can even remove the wallpaper from one wall and install it on another!
Do you need more reasons to install non-woven wallpaper?!! :D
DIRECTIONS:
1. CLEAN THE WALL(S)
The first task after measuring and getting your materials and supplies is to remove everything from the wall, patch any holes or gaps, and dust the wall.
Remember that nothing will stick to a dusty surface. Get rid of grime or dust on the walls.
2. DRAW A LEVEL LINE
We used a laser level to draw a vertical leveled line on our wall. Even though we were only going to cover one wall, we didn't trust starting in the corner without making sure that the corner line was level.
We started the installation in our left corner. However, if you're also covering only one wall, I recommend making that level line in the center of the wall and center that first length of paper on that line.
3. MEASURE & CUT THE STRIPS OF WALLPAPER
I measured the height of the wall and added five extra inches to that measurement. I went ahead and cut five strips of paper. The design on the wallpaper we used had a repeat pattern that completely matched from top to bottom, so it was easy to cut all the strips and we didn't have much leftover.
If your wallpaper has a much more intricate design I think it is better to install one single strip at a time, waiting to cut the next strip as you go.
4. MIX THE ADHESIVE
Follow the manufacturer's instructions for mixing the adhesive. The one we used is a starch-based powder adhesive that was mixed with 2.5 lt. of water.
The mixture turned into a thick consistency really quick. I was a bit worried about the sticky beads that didn't dissolve, but after applying the adhesive I found out they weren't a problem at all.
5. APPLY THE ADHESIVE TO THE WALLPAPER
6. FOLD IN THE ENDS OF THE WALLPAPER FOR BOOKING
Once all the surface of the paper is coated with adhesive I grabbed the ends and folded them towards the center. With both ends meeting in the center, the paper was folded once more, turning each strip of paper into a "book". This booking of the wallpaper prevents the adhesive from drying out.
7. INSTALL THE WALLPAPER
Installing the wallpaper was my nephew Julian's job. He took it like no one's business!
The corner where he started the installation was leveled, so he took it from there. He made sure to flatten the paper and get rid of any air bubbles inside it.
8. USE A SCRAPER
A scraper is one of the main tools you'll need when installing wallpaper. We didn't use the right tool for the job, the scraper we used was a metal one, which is too sharp and can tear up the paper. For wallpaper installation, it is better to use a plastic one.
However, the installation went on very smoothly. He left about two extra inches of paper at the top and lower part of the wall, to be trimmed later on. Remember that walls and/or ceilings aren't completely straight.
Follow the pattern when installing the next lengths of paper and use the scraper to smooth it out.
I did the booking of the paper real fast and it looked like it dried out a bit before the boys were finished with the previous strips. They used a small roller to apply adhesive to the wall.
Here we were also installing a center light.
10. USE AN X-ACTO KNIFE TO GET RID OF EXCESS WALLPAPER
We waited until the entire wall was done to trim off the excess wallpaper. Using the same straight edge of the scraper worked perfectly to keep a sharp line. Remember to trim the paper on the opposite side, where the scrapper is not facing the wall.
Well my friends, here is a little peek at how this room is turning out. I LOVE this wallpaper. We got rid of that blue geometric wall that was making the room look smaller. The wallpaper instead, gives the room a more open and glamorous look. Don't you agree?!
Stay tuned for the reveal of this bedroom that belongs to my beautiful young niece Paula. ❤️
UPDATE: Check the reveal of this bedroom makeover right HERE.
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It looks amazing, great tip on the paper.
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