Wall coverings

How to stick paper murals on the wall

Before gluing paper wallpapers, you need to familiarize yourself with the instructions and recommendations. With apparent ease, the procedure is specific, and requires accuracy. Non-compliance with the rules leads to the fact that the grip is not strong enough to hold the coating on the wall. Their appearance deteriorates, bubbles appear. You need to know not only how, but also how to glue.

Features of gluing paper wallpaper

It is necessary to study the marking, and prepare the strip in accordance with it. The arrows on both sides of the vertical line at the same level (direct marking) indicate that the pattern needs to be made. At different levels - they are glued in reverse order, when each subsequent strip is directed in the opposite direction. The arrow on one side indicates that the drawing does not need to be adjusted.

The list of other basic rules for pasting walls contains the following theses:

  • All remnants of the previous coating are removed from the panels with a spatula, after which the surface is wetted, which is necessary for better adhesion.
  • Glue is bred according to the instructions or purchased ready-made.
  • Smear begins first with a strip, and then with a wall panel. The edges of the strip should be machined.
  • They begin to apply from above. At the same time, the wallpaper adds up. Glue paper stripes from the corner, placing them vertically with a plumb line or level.
  • With a rubber roller or a dry cloth, the fabric is smoothed. To expel air and excess glue, this is done from the center to the edges.

During drying, the paper will shrink. To prevent cracks, the strips are glued with an overlap of 0.5 cm. As a result, when the paper dries, the wallpaper will sit.

The glue must first be applied to the paper, so that during the time they smear it on the wall, the paper wallpaper has time to soak. If you buy ready-made wallpaper glue, before you glue paper wallpaper, it is thoroughly mixed, achieving a uniform consistency. The main thing is to choose the right composition to ensure reliable bonding.

What wallpaper glue is suitable for paper wallpaper?

The right choice of glue ensures that after drying there will be no yellow spots, paper wallpapers will not fall off, but when it comes time to change them, they will easily move away from the wall. You need to choose based on the type of paper wallpaper, depending on whether it is a simplex or a duplex:

  • Simplex For thin paper single-layer wallpaper, compositions based on cellulose or cotton processing products are used. Universal are also suitable.
  • Duplex - a two-layer paper. Wallpaper is used for painting. They are heavy and thick, which requires the use of non-woven glue or CMC.

You can glue on the composition for vinyl wallpaper. By adding PVA to it, they achieve greater adhesion. Also use bustilate or pure PVA. All information about kneading technology is on the packaging. If it is a special adhesive for paper wallpaper, this should be indicated.

What tools will be needed?

To prepare in advance, you need to purchase and prepare:

  • container for mixing sticky mass,
  • wide rubber roller
  • narrow roller and dry rags,
  • glue mixing paddle
  • a knife and scissors
  • level or plumb
  • pencil or ballpoint pen
  • wide-bristled brush.

After everything is at hand, begin to prepare.

Proper preparation for sticking

After the glue is prepared, it is necessary that everything is ready. Otherwise, it will have to be thrown away, as it will seize, and will become unusable.

The preparatory process is as follows:

  • In order not to stain the flooring, it is covered with plastic wrap. It is important that it is clean.
  • Electricity shuts down.
  • The covers of sockets and light switches are dismantled.
  • The adhesive is being prepared.
  • If there is not enough light, the sockets of the sockets are sealed with tape, which is then removed.

How to dilute glue?

Before you glue paper wallpaper, you need to cut them into strips and prepare the glue. The technology is that from the unpacked pack the dry mixture is poured into a dry, clean, deep container. Water is also introduced there. In this case, you need to constantly mix until a thick, sticky mass is formed. The proportions are indicated on the package. Ready mixes are enough to mix.

IMPORTANT! Prepare so much glue so that it is enough for 4-5 strips. Otherwise, the residue will thicken. Adding water to make it liquid again is prohibited. Such a mixture will not keep the wallpaper on the wall.

Preparation for sticking paper murals

Walls for gluing paper murals should be prepared as much as possible (!), Should be as smooth and as even as possible (plastered), well-plastered, sanded and primed. When gluing photo wallpaper with your own hands in the room, there must be perfect cleanliness, since any crest or hair from the roller or brush will appear on such wallpaper. In general, you have to try if you want to get a quality result.

Unlike non-woven wallpaper, especially those that have a certain surface texture and hide many of the nuances of preparing the base, paper murals are more complicated.

Well, it seems clear that you need to CAREFULLY prepare the wall for paper murals! Proceed to sticking.

Prepare the wall for sticking paper murals carefully!

Tools

Of the tools necessary (but, again, not a fact, there are different situations) will be needed:

  • a construction or office knife with interchangeable blades (will be needed to trim the wallpaper),
  • a pair of clean, non-stainable rags (ideally white waffle towels, to remove glue residue from both the wall and the floor and hands),
  • rubberized roller, for gluing wallpapers (plastic spatulas are not recommended, since they can damage paper photo wallpaper (!), although it may come in handy),
  • an adhesive roller, preferably foam rubber, since it will not leave a pile on the wallpaper (you can use a brush-poppy brush),
  • a wide metal spatula (it will be needed to trim the wallpaper under the fillet - ceiling plinth and in the corners),
  • a laser level, or a plumb line, or a bubble level (if the bubble level is small, it needs a long, even rail, ideally a rule, but, for example, a laminate sheet is suitable, the main thing is to keep the rail level) - it is used to mark the wall,
  • a simple pencil (for marking),
  • a bucket or basin for kneading glue, it is also desirable to have a bath for the roller,
  • a chair or stepladder if you work at height.

Mark the wall

Here a little need to talk about the types of paper wallpaper. They are of two types:

  • rolls to the height of the ceiling (like ordinary wallpaper),
  • and cut into canvases (rectangles).

The layout for these 2 types of wallpaper is different. In the first case, you need to deviate from the edge of the wall (corner) a distance equal to the width of the canvas and draw a vertical line along the height of the wall. Then set the canvas along this line to stick it to the level.

Often the walls, corners or ceiling are not even, especially if you are redecorating without leveling the surfaces. In this case, the wallpaper will have to go beyond the boundaries of the joints of the corners (ceiling and walls, walls and walls), since the wallpaper is glued to the level (which, again, is sometimes neglected, and not always necessary). Sometimes wall murals are glued to a level with a ceiling or wall, which can lead to unpleasant consequences: a wall or ceiling can be littered and when gluing subsequent strips, they may simply not be enough in height from below or above.

Layout for paper mural stripes to the ceiling. Clickable

In the second case, when the wallpaper is a rectangular canvas, the markup should be more detailed. At a minimum, you need to check the height and width of the wall and draw the wall into even rectangles corresponding to the size of the murals. You must first "fit" the entire picture into the wall. It is also necessary to take into account the unevenness of the corners and the ceiling in order to make the necessary overlap with subsequent trimming.

Layout for paper murals (rectangular paintings). Clickable

Glue paper photo wallpaper on the wall

Having prepared the wall, marking it, we proceed to the sticker of paper photo wallpaper on the wall.

We roll out the canvas (if it is long, not rectangular) and spread it with glue. Better to work together, but one person to cope. Press something rolled on the floor on both sides with something so that it does not roll back. Floors must be clean! Be sure to wipe them!

Using a roller or brush with mowls, apply glue in a small layer (about 1.5 mm) evenly over the entire canvas! Be careful when applying, as the roller may roll up / wrap around the wall and tear it. After application, we add the wallpaper from the edges to the center, glue inward and another 1-2 times in half. Particular accuracy is not important here, but you need to make sure that the entire inner surface is closed as much as possible. Places of folds do not need to be smoothed out much.

How to fold a wallpaper smeared with glue

In the case when you glue paper murals with a rectangular canvas, you can not glue them with glue, but glue the wall with glue, although this is not desirable, but sometimes it helps to avoid tearing the canvas, because a wet paper canvas is hard enough to glue without tearing it.

We wait 2-3 minutes, open the wallpaper (carefully!) And glue it according to our markup. Level with a rubber roller. We pay attention to the places in the corners and under the ceiling (fillet), here you can use a plastic spatula (special) for wallpapering, they can walk in the corners, glue the wallpaper well there, but be careful, wet paper wallpapers break very easily!

From one wallpaper to another we glue one by one. Align the edges of the next sheet with the sheet already glued. We join the canvases with our fingers, gently with micro-movements back and forth. Do not forget to combine the picture, because this is the most important thing in the photo wallpaper!

If the first time it was not possible to glue and dock the strip, dents and bumps formed, do not worry, peel it off carefully and repeat the operation.

Cut the wallpaper in the corners and under the ceiling (fillet)

After the wallpaper is glued, you need to trim them in the corners and under the fillet or ceiling (if required). It is important that the wallpaper is still a little wet, so it turns out to trim more evenly. It needs some skill, the first time is unlikely to succeed in doing exactly.

We apply a metal wide spatula to the place where the wallpaper needs to be cut and cut the length of the spatula with a clerical knife with a new sharp blade. We hold the knife at an angle of 45 degrees to the wall and less. We rearrange the spatula and cut further. We do the same in the corners.

Cut the wallpaper under the fillet

Joints of paper photo wallpaper

That's all! We finished sticking paper murals with our own hands, but to attack, the joints are visible! This can be partially corrected by tinting with a felt-tip pen to match the color of the wallpaper, or with a color scheme for paints.

When trying to save on sticking on your photo wallpaper, remember the minuses of paper photo wallpaper and if it's worth it, feel free to!

Leave your tips and comments below. Subscribe to the newsletter. Good luck to you, and good to your family!

Which glue to choose

Depending on the type of wallpaper, the type of glue for them will also be different. When sticking paper wallpapers, the thickness of such a coating will be a decisive factor. There is a universal solution - CMC glue based on cellulose. Its advantage is that it is suitable for both thin and vinyl wallpapers. The difference is only in the concentration of the solution.

The advantages of this glue are as follows:

  • Does not stain the surface of the wallpaper.
  • There is no unpleasant odor after use.
  • Easy to prepare and apply.
  • Perfectly combines with other compounds.

For paper wallpapers, the following proportions of the mixture are used: glue / water - 4/96%. Glue for a paper base is usually inexpensive, divided into three types: for light, medium and heavy wallpapers.

Note! For embossed, non-woven and vinyl products, vinyl glue is suitable. Such glue is made on the basis of polyvinyl acetate.

Thanks to this base, this glue is used to work with heavy wallpaper, as it has good fixing properties. The composition of the glue is similar to the glue for paper wallpaper with the difference that it contains methyl cellulose, which makes the composition more viscous. Due to it, the fixing properties of the adhesive increase significantly. This is especially true for wet rooms with washable wallpaper. If it is necessary to glue moisture-proof wallpapers, then PVA construction glue should be used for this.

Note! PVA glue is suitable for any type of wallpaper, whether it is light or heavy rolls.

Preparatory stage

In order to stick wallpaper, you will need a number of tools and items:

  • Wallpaper knife or scissors.
  • Plumb or level
  • Wide and thin brush for applying glue and putty wallpaper joints.
  • Plastic spatula for wallpaper.
  • Small roller, dry cloth.
  • Wet sponge.
  • Staircase or stepladder.
  • Newspapers, rags, glue itself.

The room in which the work will be carried out should not be ventilated, the power supply network must be de-energized, and there should be a dry and clean floor. Apply glue to the wallpaper should be on the floor, after laying the paper under it.

Walls with the remains of old wallpaper

You can’t leave the old wallpaper, because the base must be clean and smooth. This will ensure a snug fit of new wallpaper to the wall surface. Where the wall changes its profile, it is very easy to peel off the old coating. The hardest thing to do is on wide and even sections of the wall. The joints of the wallpaper glued to the overlap can be cut. If the wall surface has irregularities and protrusions, it must be sanded. If it was not possible to cut off the joints, then you can putty them. The width of the putty strip should be about 15 cm. Those surfaces on which it was required to be putty should be additionally primed. Use diluted glue as a primer.

Painted surface

Here the procedure is similar to the previous options. We get a paint thinner, apply to the remains of old paint. After the paint has become softer, carefully remove them with a spatula. Primer and sanding with a dry mixture of the base are carried out only after the complete removal of all residues.

Note! In that case, if you do not remove the remnants of the old paint, the wallpaper should be more dense, dark shades, because through the light all the remnants will be visible.

Proper Wallpaper Cutting

When wallpapering, the rolls must be strictly from one batch so that it doesn’t turn out that after wallpapering your walls have become different shades. Therefore, it is necessary to take an additional pair of three rolls, especially if the pattern on the surface of the wallpaper is large. In this case, joining the pattern will be easier. In case of differences in shades of some rolls, those that differ from the main mass should be glued to closed and unobtrusive places (wall sections behind cabinets, batteries, curtains, etc.).

Note! Foreign and domestic wallpapers differ in that in the former, the edge is most often located on one edge, in Russian - on both edges. The edge must be cut. If the wallpaper is dense and fit in the joint - cut from two sides, if thin, just cut on one side.

Cutting the roll must be strictly in accordance with the height of the wall.Before cutting the roll, you should measure this value and know it. When joining the resulting strips, you should strictly monitor the coincidence of the pattern on them among themselves. It is also necessary to leave the so-called allowance, the value of which is different for plain and decorated wallpaper patterns: if they are monochrome, then leave 10 cm, if there is a pattern - all 30 cm. Before gluing the first strip, draw a perfectly straight vertical line along the wall. This is done in order to set the vertical direction to all subsequent stripes. It is easiest to accomplish using a plumb line or a laser level.

Note! After applying glue to the roll, you should wait 1-2 minutes for thin wallpaper, and 3 to 7 minutes for wallpaper made of a denser material. At the same time, thicker wallpapers should be smeared twice.

So, let's draw a line under the above.

In order to cut the roll of wallpaper, we perform the actions in this order:

  • We look at the packaging method of joining wallpaper strips: butt or lap.
  • We mark the height of the wall on the canvas with a pencil, having previously measured it.
  • You can cut several bands at a time (5-10), leaving a margin of several centimeters.
  • Number the stripes on the back with a pencil, indicating the direction of wallpapering.
  • Cutting the canvas should be done with a wallpaper knife on a metal ruler.

The process of pasting is rather laborious, one will cope with it quite hard. For this, pairing is best suited. One person should serve the prepared strip, the other should be laid on the prepared base of the wall.

How to apply glue

The glue is best applied on a large flat surface, for example, on a table or on the floor. Glue application is a responsible procedure. In the case of poor gluing of paintings, a good result of all the work is impossible.

Note! Before starting work, lay thick paper or cardboard under the workstation.

Gluing the canvas with glue is necessary, as a rule, laying them on top of each other with an overlap of about 1.5 cm. This will protect the front side of the wallpaper from stains of glue. When gluing small pieces, for convenience, put a film or cardboard under them so as not to constantly hold hands. Cover a piece of wallpaper with glue evenly, distributing it with a brush from the middle to the edges of the panel. In places where glue will not be applied, bubbles will appear. After completing the application of the composition, fold the strip in half with the glued side inward and set aside for a period of 5-10 minutes. During this time, the glue is completely absorbed into the material. Glue on the front should be removed with a sponge, after wetting it. Avoid strong pressing and friction on the site of contamination, everything should be extremely accurate.

How to stick paper wallpaper

In order to glue paper and other wallpapers on the walls correctly, the following procedure should be followed:

  • Using a plumb line or level, draw a strictly vertical line along the wall. This will set the correct position throughout the row.

3. Glue the lower part to the wall, using a roller, leveling the canvas from the middle of the strip to its edges.

4. In places where the canvas joins with various objects, sockets and other things, glue should be applied repeatedly, tightly pressing these areas against the wall. Cut the protruding parts with a wallpaper knife.

5. Observe the verticality of the glued strips.

6. Repeat these steps until the end of the sticking.

7. You should know that if there are several window openings in the room, gluing should begin from the opening located on the south side. From it, one must begin to glue those wallpapers, the docking of which involves an overlap connection.

Pasting the outer corner

Before sticking the canvas on the wall, measure the distance between the edge of the corner and the edge of the strip. After measurement, add 1-2 cm to the resulting value and cut off a strip of this size, making a bend around the corner.

By making cuts at the edges of the strip above and below, you can seamlessly paste a corner over this strip. Then a new piece is cut from the roll and glued with an overlap along the wall from the corner. This method will help to hide the possible irregularities of both the corner itself and the cut strip.

Pasting inside corner

The technology here is similar to the previous one.

We perform the following actions in order of priority:

  • We measure the distance from the edge of the corner to the last strip on the wall.
  • Cut pieces with a margin of 2 cm.
  • We coat the canvas with adhesive.
  • Apply glue to the surface of the inner corner.
  • Glue a piece of “wallpaper” on the working surface of the first wall.
  • Glue a thin strip on the second part of the wall.
  • We trim the edges of the wallpaper.

It is important to ensure that when the sticker is on the first strip, its side is “butt” with the previously pasted strip of wallpaper. We apply wallpaper material to the base and gradually expel the air that has accumulated under the coating. This should be done with a sponge or plastic roller, starting from the center and moving to the edges from top to bottom. Where the edge of the corner passes, the surface of the canvas should also be ironed well to avoid the accumulation of an air gap. Next, we glue the second strip with an overlap of 2 cm. We cut off unnecessary parts of the wallpaper canvas. After that, with a spatula and knife, make cuts on that piece of canvas that was glued to the second part of the wall. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the lower canvas. Lastly, the wallpaper that is near the baseboard is cut.

Bubbles

The reason for the appearance of such a defect will be a failure to comply with the technology for wallpapering a specific type. It will be important to say that there should not be any signs of drafts in the room. About two days should pass after all work has been completed. This time is necessary for complete drying and hardening of the adhesive composition.

This is what bubbles appear on the wall:

  • Poisoning by spores of mold and fungi, for which that empty environment under the wallpaper material is perfect.
  • The appearance of eggs and insect larvae in voids.
  • Aesthetically unattractive room, lack of comfort when indoors.

As you can see, it is dangerous to make up such a defect and we must fight it to the end. For this, you can use a regular sewing needle. This needle should pierce the bubble, then go over the surface of the former bubble with a spatula, leveling it. Using the same needle, namely a syringe, you can introduce a small amount of glue under the bubble. Glue, filling the space, will ensure reliable adhesion of the material to the wall surface. Remove glue from the wall with a damp sponge. If the bubble has formed an impressive size, you can make a puncture using a clerical knife. After that, also fill the cavity of the bubble with glue and level it. In order not to once again remove the glue from the wallpaper, glue the wallpaper around the bubble perimeter with tape. In addition to the above recommendations, you can remove bubbles from paper-based wallpapers with a rag, plastic roller or spatula, squeezing the air in smooth movements. After that, again fill the cavity with glue from the syringe.

Here's how to stick paper wallpapers correctly without bubbles:

  • Glue should be selected according to the specific type of wallpaper used.
  • The base for the wallpaper should be carefully primed, all irregularities and roughnesses are putty.
  • During operation, the room should have a low humidity of up to 50% and a normal room temperature of 20-22 * Celsius above zero.
  • During the pasting process, prevent sudden movements and movements. To do the job is best paired with someone.

So the article came to an end. With the seeming simplicity of the work, a variety of problems can arise that an untrained employee cannot cope with. Here we briefly showed the main points that arise when wallpapering, we examined the main types of wallpaper, as well as ways to solve problems. The attentive reader will find the answers to all his questions here.

Surface previously glued with textile or straw

We recommend using a commercially available product specifically designed for removing textile coatings. There are times when the top layer of such wallpaper is easily removed without the use of additional compounds. After freeing from the old coating, the surface is subject to putty and primer.

Contrast surface

If the prepared base differs sharply in color from the wallpaper, it is recommended that the wall be primed with the recommended primer, choosing a suitable shade. You can paint on the walls only those places where the joints of new wallpapers will take place.

Advice! When buying paper wallpapers, be sure to check the article number of each roll. This is the number indicated on the label. On all rolls it should be the same. Such a simple procedure guarantees you the identity of the picture and the shade throughout the room.

Uneven strip

There are times when the canvas sticks crookedly. Can I close my eyes to this? Keep in mind that it is better to correct the observed error immediately than to “admire” the curvature of the picture for a long time.

To correct the situation, in no case do not move the canvas on the wall. So it is sure to tear. It is better to carefully remove the entire strip from the wall and re-stick it as it should, or cut a fresh strip.