Wallpaper Wall Preparation:

Professional Wall Treatments, Either Paper or Vinyl, Depend on Accurate Framing and Drywall Finishing

Wallpaper Hanging

Wallpaper wall preparation. OK, that sound’s a bit redundant. But the fact is, that to end up with a great looking papered wall, you've got to start with a great foundation.

New Construction or Remodel?

This pretty much covers it. Either you're starting from scratch, or it’s a remodel project. If this is new construction, feel free to skip down to the sizing sub-heading below. Otherwise, strip off the old wallpaper if that’s your current situation.

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This is usually easier to do using a wet sponge to loosen the old wallpaper adhesive. A spray bottle of warm water helps as well.

If it’s a textured wall, you’ll need to get rid of the old texture. Depending on your situation, this can be done by scraping and/or sanding. If sanding, use a drywall finishing sanding pole.

Skim with Drywall Compound

The purpose of this step is to make sure that the wall surface is smooth, so the finished wall will be smooth as well. If you’re well-versed in drywall taping and floating you won’t have a problem with this step.

Use your wide floating knife for the open spaces and your narrower taping knife for smaller spots. You'll probably need a small putty knife for even smaller areas, especially in a bathroom remodel or inside some window insets.

Sand the Wall with a Drywall Sanding Pole

In this step you’ll be smoothing the wall surface and making sure everything is flush. Inspect it carefully and re-skim as needed. The best thing to use is a drywall sanding screen, not regular sand paper.

Don't forget your dust mask. And make an effort to get all the drywall compound dust off the wall.

Wallpaper Sizing Prevents Future Woes

No, this has nothing to do with measurement. Sizing the wall simply means sealing the wall prior to hanging the wallpaper. This both helps in the drying process (so the glue doesn't simply soak into the wall) and it also adds a barrier so the paper can be removed later.

For sizing, either use a commercially available sizing product or thinned-out wallpaper adhesive. Once it’s dry, you’re ready to hang wallpaper and borders like a pro!