If you’ve been thinking about renovating your home then it goes without saying that you’ll want the finish to be professional looking and perfect. But this cannot be achieved without taking all of the necessary steps; one of the most important is getting the wall ready for the wallpaper. But for many first timers, they find themselves asking how do I prep a wall for wallpaper?
You will need to make sure that your walls are smooth and clean before you begin applying wallpaper. What exactly you need to do will depend on the type of wall you are working with and its current condition.
In this guide, we will be looking at how to tackle various types of walls and the steps you’ll need to take to ensure a clean, smooth and more importantly, workable surface.
Smoothing The Wall
The first part of your preparation will involve making sure that the wall is smooth. To do this, you’ll need to start by taking out any nails, hooks or other fittings that may be in the wall, including light switch plates. It’s important to keep in mind that anything you remove from the wall will leave behind a crater or bump which will show through the wallpaper if not taken care of.
This means that it is important to carefully inspect the wall and fill in any holes with a suitable filler. When dry, smooth the filler over as this will give the most even surface for your wallpaper to adhere to. Moreover, if holes and crevices are left, this may allow moisture to enter which could result in mould.
If you’re using a lighter coloured wallpaper, it’s even more important to ensure a smooth surface as these papers are more likely to show any imperfections. If things are particularly bad, you may need to complete a process known as mudding which involves skimming joint compound onto the wall before sanding and priming.
Cleaning The Wall
Once the wall is smoothed and even, it’s time to get cleaning. This is especially important if you have sanded the wall as there will be dust particles left behind. The best option for cleaning walls is to use a strong product such as TSP or sugar soap. This will not only remove debris but also works wonders on areas of grease or stubborn dirt.
If you don’t intend on applying the wallpaper directly after cleaning then you will need to repeat the process before you do.
Painting And Priming The Wall
Some painted walls can be problematic when trying to hang wallpaper; this is true of latex paints which may tear when you remove the wallpaper down the line. If you wish to paint your wall before installing the wallpaper, we would recommend using a satin or semi-gloss.
It’s also a good idea to prime the wall so that the wallpaper adhesive has something to bond to. If you’re wallpapering directly onto drywall, you will find that much of the adhesive is soaked into the wall, leaving less for the wallpaper which may then not adhere as well. Moreover, these primers are designed to stop a build up of moisture which might cause problems with mould.
Primers come in a range of colours and we would always suggest choosing one that is as close to the colour of your chosen wallpaper as possible. Failing to do this means that the colour may show through the joins (especially if the paper shrinks and you have gaps, which isn’t uncommon.) The great thing about wall primers is that they dry very quickly so after applying, you’ll normally only need to wait around 24 hours before you can hang the wallpaper.
Working With Different Types Of Wall
Depending on the type of wall you are working with, you may need to take a slightly different approach to the preparation.
Painted Drywall
If you’re working with drywall that is already painted, the good news is that prep should be minimal. You’ll need to clean the wall and remove any grease or debris before applying an acrylic primer. This will need 24 hours to set and then you’re good to go with your chosen paper.
Of course, you will still need to fill any holes or sand down any heavily textured areas for a smoother finish.
Brand New Drywall
Drywall that is newly installed will soak up a lot of the adhesive especially with paste the wall papers. This means that there is a risk of the paper not being sufficiently covered and therefore not sticking correctly. To avoid this, be sure to use two layers of primer; one oil based and one acrylic.
Wood Panelled Walls
Working with wood panel walls can be a little trickier and does require a little more work in terms of preparation. However, when done correctly, you won’t notice the wood panels under the paper so it’s worth the effort.
You’ll need to start by giving the wall a good clean before filling the grooves between the panels and sanding this until everything is even. Wash the walls again to remove any dust and debris from the sanding and then apply your primer.
Wallpapered Walls
If your wall already has a layer of wallpaper, we wouldn’t suggest papering over the top of this. It’s a much better idea to remove the existing wallpaper first. A great way of doing this is with a steamer or a remover solvent. You’ll then be able to check the condition of the wall and fill in any holes before giving everything a good clean. The type of primer you use will depend on the wall that you find beneath the wallpaper.
Heavily Textured Walls
In some cases, sanding down the walls won’t be enough to get rid of any existing texture. In this case you may also need to apply a lining paper which will provide you with a much smoother surface to work on. Everything else remains the same in terms of filling gaps and cleaning the wall. Once you apply the lining paper, wait 24 hours before installing the wallpaper.
Related Article: Why Is My Wallpaper Coming Away From The Wall
Conclusion
Hanging wallpaper requires much more than simply sticking the paper to the wall. If you want the best results, you’ll need to make sure you prep the wall before you get to work. This will ensure a smooth and even surface that is free from moisture and gives the wallpaper something to bond to.
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