The HomeDaddys staff is excited to have Ryan Corey of HomeOwnerIdeas.com provide us with today’s guest post!
Wallpaper can completely change the look and feel of a particular room within your home. If you are looking for something a bit more interesting than your everyday paint colors, or you are just looking to get a nice contrast to an opposing wall of one solid paint color, wallpaper could be the right option. Available in a wide selection of textures, designs, styles and colors, there are many different and unique ways that you may choose to re-do your space. Rather than hiring a professional to come in and apply the wallpaper for you, completing the project yourself will allow you to save money and achieve your desired results within a short period of time. If you have never applied wallpaper before, these tips will assist you in completing the process, guiding you step by step along the way.
Items Needed:
- Wallpaper
- Wallpaper Hanging Kit
- Paint Roller
- Putty Knives and Utility Knives
- Drywall Compound
- Primer
- Buckets
- Paint Brush
- Tray
- Sand Paper
- Level
- Sponge
Steps for Applying Wallpaper:
1. To begin applying wallpaper, you will first need to get the walls ready. Fill a bucket with warm water and use a sponge to wipe down the surface of the walls, removing any dirt and grime as you go. If there are any imperfections located along the surface of the walls, take sand paper and sand them down for a smooth surface to apply the wallpaper on.
2. After sanding, if there are any uneven spots or holes within the walls, take your drywall compound and apply it to the areas using a large putty knife. Allow for the compound to dry completely before continuing. After it has dried, sand down the surface for a smooth look and feel. Finish it off by dusting the surface with a sponge. You should now have smooth wall surfaces free of debris or dust.
3. Apply a clear primer to the walls before applying the wallpaper. This will give the wallpaper a better surface to stick to rather than applying directly over paint. Primer can easily be applied by using a paint roller. Use painters tape or a putty knife to stay away from priming the trimming. The primer will then need a few hours to dry completely. To speed up the process, simply open some windows throughout the room.
4. Because the last thing that you will want is for your wallpaper to be applied unevenly to the wall, you will want to start by drawing a guideline with a pencil. A level can be used to assist you in drawing a straight line to mark the areas that the wallpaper will be applied.
5. Select your wallpaper according to the color and style that you would like to appear throughout the room. Cut the wallpaper after measuring it and be sure to leave around an extra four inches at the top of the paper to leave room for error. If the wallpaper is currently rolled, roll it in the opposite direction so that it will lay flat.
6. Lay the wallpaper out on a flat surface or on the floor with the blank side facing up. Apply an adhesive to the paper and spread it around in a figure-eight shape so that it completely covers the back of the paper.
7. You will now need to pick up the wallpaper without sticking it to yourself or any objects around you. This can be done by folding in the corners and lifting it up from the dry sections. Apply the wallpaper to the wall according to the guidelines that you drew earlier. A few extra inches of wallpaper can be left at the top and bottom to remove later.
8. Use a smoothing brush to smooth down the wallpaper against the wall, removing any bumps as you go along. Once the wallpaper is applied, simply use a utility knife to trim away the excess wallpaper that is found at the top or bottom.
9. Repeat this process for all sections of the wall and use a Seam roller to press the overlapping seams of the wallpaper sections to each other.
About the Author
Ryan J Corey is a blogger from Homeowner Ideas, a remodeling, DIY and Design / Décor website made specifically for homeowners looking to save time and money on their interior and exterior remodeling projects.
