Tips for Wallpapering a Bedroom

Bedrooms are ideal candidates for wallpaper because they don't need to coordinate with other rooms in the house. They can have their own color scheme and patterns, opening up more options for wallpaper choices. Wrapping the room in pattern and color can also make it feel cozier, like a little jewel box.

One of the primary arguments against wallpaper is the knowledge that you might want to take it down someday. For anyone who has stripped wallpaper before, this kills the deal. The good news is that wallpapers, glue and primers have come a long way in that department and are much easier to remove without destroying the drywall underneath. The key is to use a wallpaper primer prior to installation. It adds a little time onto the front end of the project, but your future self will thank you!

In addition to peel-n-stick papers, there is also the choice between unpasted and pre-pasted. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. An advantage to pre-pasted is that the paste is already included, removing the additional step of applying the glue. A disadvantage is that you don’t have control over the amount of glue applied and it can end up being much messier than unpasted paper, where you have more control. A key to successful application of wallpaper paste to unpasted paper is the consistency. It should be just a little thicker than typical latex house paint. If it’s thicker than that, add some water to thin it out.

A large work surface is required to apply paste to wallpaper, so set up a folding table or clear off a large workspace to use for that purpose. Cover the surface with a plastic drop cloth in order to protect it from glue. Also, have a couple of weights handy to prevent the paper from rolling up while applying the paste.