A few decades ago, installing wallpaper required you to do a whole lot of prep work. Moreover, removing wallpaper was not easy, and you still had to call in professionals to do a good job. Otherwise, you could damage the wall and ruin your home’s aesthetics. Homeowners looked forward to the day when they could install wallpaper without all the mess of the paste and hand tools, and it finally came in the form of peel and stick removable wallpaper! This wallpaper is the gift that keeps on giving! Not only is it cost-effective, but it is also easy to install! It comes equipped with adhesive. So, all you need to do is peel the wallpaper from the paper backing and lay it on the target surface. Just like that, your wallpaper will be ready!
Is Removable Wallpaper a Good Idea?
People who are yet to use removable wallpaper are often on the fence about how effective it is. There’s something about paste that makes them think that traditional wallpaper would be the better bet. But that’s not the case. Removable wallpaper is like traditional wallpaper. From how it looks to how it feels, you can pretty much be oblivious to the differences between the two. The only difference is that with removable wallpaper, you do not use glue!
So, when installing black peel & stick wallpaper or any other option, you get to avoid curing and drying time. There’s no need to stick around waiting for the adhesive to set. Once the paper is on, you only have a few minutes before it sticks and is ready for use. Want to hear another incredible perk? You get to avoid smudges and discoloration! With a paste, things can get messy fast. One minute, you are applying the paste to the wall, and the next, you have paste all over the wallpaper and are trying to get rid of streaks.
Also, installing removable wallpaper is simple- even complete beginners can do it! Anything that does not require professional assistance falls under easy DIY projects, and removable wallpaper installation is one of the few that meet this criterion. Removing the wallpaper is also easy, which is one of its biggest selling points. After all, most people lease their spaces or want to change wallpaper after a while. It would be disappointing if you had to redo the walls each time you removed the wallpaper. Removable wallpaper sticks on the surface, and you can peel it off when you want. You do not need to scrape your walls!
How Do You Install Removable Wallpaper?
Is the installation process as easy as deemed on online sites? Why, yes, it is! Let’s break it down into distinct steps:
01. Choose a Wall for Wallpaper
Easy, right! You can install removable wallpaper in just about any room, so this choice is yours. However, consider the wall’s finishing as some will not allow the wallpaper to hold as well as it should. For example, sticking wallpaper on textured surfaces is easier said than done.
02. Prep the Wall
While you do not have to handle paste and tons of prep work, you still need to ensure that the walls are ready for wallpaper installation. The walls should be smooth, primed, painted, and cured with as little surface variation as possible. Start by cleaning them and repairing any damage before curing them. Also, avoid using removable wallpaper if your walls have:
- Matte or flat paint finishes
- Washable or scrubbable paints
- Heavy textures
- Oil alkyd enamels
- Oil alkyd primers
- Teflon paints
If you are wallpapering a wall that has been recently painted, ensure that you give the wall at least ten days to degas before applying the wallpaper. Otherwise, you will have a ton of air bubbles getting in the way of a perfect finish.
03. Get the Dimensions
The last thing you want is to get less wallpaper than you need. To avoid this, you need to measure the walls then mark the areas where the wallpaper panel will end. Not having these marks significantly reduces your accuracy when installing the panels. You do not want to end up with uneven panels, as these can make the room look and feel off.
Here’s an easy way to get the dimensions right. Use a tape measure to understand how much space you will cover. Next, consider how long the panels are. Suppose they are four feet long. In this case, you would mark the wall using four-foot spaces to ensure you get a perfect fit.
04. Install the Removable Wallpaper
It’s easy to go all-in even when you’re a beginner, but this is not the way to install wallpaper. Instead, you should take things slow to allow you to make mistakes and learn from them. Start at the top of the wall and choose the top panel. Peel off the backing from the wallpaper gradually as you stick the wallpaper on the wall. Please do not remove the backing at once, as this can cause the wallpaper to roll and give you a headache trying to unpeel it from itself. If you make a mess with the positioning, peel off the wallpaper and start again. It always helps to have a knife and ruler with you when working on angles.
Air bubbles? Not a problem. Peel off the wallpaper from the top and smooth out the wallpaper using your hands or a straight object to remove the trapped air. You can alternatively prick the bubble with a small pin and smooth the wallpaper from the outside.
05. Remove the Wallpaper
Are you tired of seeing the same old design? Moving? Removable wallpaper has got your back! Most removable wallpapers are reusable, and you can remove and install them in other rooms as you wish. However, you should ensure that you do not damage the adhesive when removing the wallpaper to reuse it on other walls.
Conclusion
With these easy installation and removal processes, it’s not a surprise that many people have opted to use removable wallpaper. Plus, you get to save money on labor by forgoing the professional installation costs!
If you want to know more about wallpaper, then refer the following articles: