Preparing your room for wallpaper can be a simple and easy task.
However, it can get complicated depending on the current condition and surface type of the walls.
Painted drywall is fairly easy to prepare with a quick wash and a coating of primer/sealer.
Older walls, or walls that have wood paneling or other types of alternative surfaces, may take a little more work.
Follow the right steps, however, and just about any wall can be effectively prepared for your new wallpaper.
The best way to ensure your wallpaper will adhere nicely to your wall is to finish any preparation with a coating of acrylic primer or sizing.
Applying acrylic primer or sizing to your wall is like creating an entirely new surface to which your wallpaper can adhere most effectively.
It also protects the wall from the moisture of the wallpaper adhesive which can cause the wall to weaken or be exposed to mildew growth.
Painted Drywall
To prepare painted walls that are already in good condition, simply wash them with a multi-surface soap and then let dry.
Add an acrylic primer, and allow that to dry fully before hanging wallpaper.
If the painted walls have holes, dents, or cracks, be sure to fill them with vinyl spackle.
After the spackle has dried completely, smooth it with wet sandpaper before applying an acrylic primer.
If your walls are lightly textured, you’ll need to sand the entire surface lightly before washing and priming.
New Drywall
If your drywall has not yet been painted or primed, your best bet is to use a alkyd (oil) primer followed by an acrylic primer.
Alkyd primer is excellent at protecting drywall from mold and mildew, which is important for such an absorbent surface like drywall.
Follow that up with one coat of acrylic primer, and your drywall will be ready for wallpaper.
Wood Paneling
Wood paneled walls may take a little more work, but in the end you won’t believe the paneling is even underneath the paper if you do it right.
You’ll need to wash the walls with a de-glossing solution.
Then the grooves between each panel need to be filled with spackle and sanded even.
Wash the walls and let dry, and your walls are ready for primer and wall paper.
Plaster Walls
Older homes typically built before the mid 20th century often have plaster walls.
Alkyd (oil) primers or good to use if there are repairs to the wall you’ve had to make.
Follow one coat of alkyd primer with a coat of acrylic primer before wallpapering.
Existing Wallpaper
The best way to deal with old wallpaper is to remove it by stripping it away.
You can use a wallpaper remover solvent, or a wallpaper steamer for hard to remove paper.
Once your wallpaper is removed, fill in holes and smooth damaged areas out with a good sanding.
Apply the appropriate primer based off the type of wall that’s underneath.
Heavy Textured Walls
If your walls are especially textured, and sanding is not sufficient, you can use lining paper to create a smooth surface for your wallpaper.
Prepare the wall in much the same way before hanging your liner paper.
Hang the wall liner and then hang the wallpaper over the liner.
This is your only option for surfaces that you cannot smooth out by other means.
One Stop Solution To Walls
The best place to get all of your needs in Wallcovering & Fabrics is Wallpaper & Carpets Distributors (WCD).
It is located at Lot 1509, Batu 8, Jalan Klang Lama, Taman Desaria, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
WCD is currently Malaysia’s No. 1 Wallpaper & Carpet Distributor for Korean, European, Luxury and Asian Wallpapers.
WCD offers over 10,000 designs across 450 collections of Wallcoverings.
The Wallcoverings vary from Paper Baked, Fabric Backed and Non Woven Backing which are suitable for offices, condominiums, apartments, hospitals, homes, banks, hotels and resorts.
WCD offers a vast range or Fabrics used for curtains and upholstery.
With over 50 collections, WCD also sells Sheers, Laces, Blackout Fabrics as well as Dim Out Fabrics that is suitable for homes, hospital and offices. Along with this, WCD sells Curtain Accessories like Tussels, Fringes, Metal Rods and others.
WCD, established in 1995, has since gained a reputation as one of Malaysia’s leading distributor of top brands of Wallcoverings.
It currently supplies to thousands of dealers all over Malaysia (inclusive of Sabah & Sarawak), Brunei, Vietnam, Mauritius and Singapore.
In addition, WCD also offers flooring materials such as Vinyl Sheets, Vinyl Planks, Vinyl Tiles, Carpet Tiles and many more.
With over 8 different Product Lines, over 15,000 designs, 500+ collections, WCD’s mission is to become the Number One Solution to Walls, Windows & Floors.
