If you'd like to give one of your rooms a Victorian look, install an embossed wallcovering. These wallcoverings can be used anywhere--even as borders.
Embossed coverings have textured patterns and feel like stiff wallpaper. You can hang them in much the same way you would hang traditional wallpaper with only a few minor differences.
Materials needed:
Paint roller with both long- and short-napped cover
Primer/sealer
Paint
Caulk gun and silicone caulk
Wallpaper adhesive
Broad knife
Measuring tape
Sharp utility knife
Level
Wallpaper brush
Pencil
Steps:
- Prepare the walls by patching any holes and sanding them smooth.
- Prime the walls with an acrylic primer (figure A).
- Determine which wall is the focal wall--the one you see when you first come into the room.
- Mark the center of the focal wall, and use it as a reference point for dry-fitting the wallpaper strips. The pieces in the corners should overlap by at least 6 inches. Adjust the position of the strips accordingly.
- Mark a plumb line on the wall where you plan to start hanging the wallcovering (figure B).
- Measure the height of the wall you'll be covering (figure C) and add 6 inches to allow for trimming. Roll out the wallcovering on your work surface and cut several pieces to length (figure D).
- Lay the first strip facedown on the work surface and apply wallpaper paste evenly to the back of the strip (figure E).
- Gently fold the ends of the wallcovering over so that the glued backs touch ( figure F), but be careful not to crease the wallcovering. For larger pieces, fold the wallcovering so that the top and bottom meet in the center of the strip. This process is referred to as "booking." It activates the adhesive and makes the wallcovering easier to handle.
- Leave the wallcovering booked for 10 minutes.
- Unbook the wallcovering and begin applying it to the wall. Start at the top of the wall and press the wallcovering against the top edge so that about 3 inches extend past the top (figure G). Slide the wallcovering on the wall until the edge lines up with the plumb line. Use the heels of your hands to adjust the wallcovering; if you use your fingertips, you could dent it.
- Use a soft bristle wallpaper brush to smooth out the paper (figure H).
- Trim the top and bottom of the wallcovering using a straight edge and a sharp utility knife (figure I).
- Use the same procedure to apply each succeeding strip. Match the patterns, and keep the paper straight up and down.
- Remove excess paste with a damp sponge.
- Before applying the wallcovering in corners, use the straight edge and utility knife to cut off excess paper at the corner (figure J). If the piece that is removed is more than 2 inches wide, you can use it to start the next wall. Draw another plumb line next to the corner 1/4 inch less than the width of the strip, and hang the strip. Press the edge into the corner and use the straight edge and utility knife to trim the strip.
- After 20 minutes, use caulk to fill in any gaps in the corners (figure K). Wipe off excess caulk with a damp cloth or sponge.
- Hang the wallcovering directly over outlets and switches. After 20 minutes, cut an "X" over the outlets and switches and trim away just enough material to expose them.
- Don't use a hard seam roller on the wallcovering; you could crush the textures. A soft foam seam roller can be used with light pressure.
- Seal the wallcovering with satin or semi-gloss paint. Use a long-napped roller to get paint into all of the textured areas (figure L). The paint will hide the seam lines, giving the wall a seamless appearance.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
