Wall Preparation
Start with Clean Walls!
  • Walls should be clean before starting. Greasy walls such as those in a kitchen can be washed with a mixture of water and ammonia (equal parts). Soap & water should work for non-greasy walls.
  • Walls should be smooth: spackle nail-holes & dents and sand smooth. Do not use oil-based spackling products as they can bleed through the wallpaper.
  • If the wall is finished with non-flat paint (gloss, semi-gloss, satin, eggshell, or additive designer paints) the adhesive may not stick. Lightly sand the wall, or use a primer sealer for vinyl wallpapers (available at most home decor stores) to pretreat the wall.
  • If the wall has stains or dark colored paint - use a tinted primer-sealer to cover the wall before hanging your papers.
Your local home building, paint & hardware stores will offer most of the tools you will need.
New Drywall Preparation
New drywall must first be sealed before you install your wallcovering. This will protect the drywall and ensure even adhesion. You will want to spot treat the nails and drywall tape to ensure even base coloring to prevent the different colors from showing through the wallpaper. 		Oil or Gloss Painted Walls
Oil, Gloss, or Semi-Gloss walls must be sanded until dull to provide a good surface for the wallpaper to adhere. A coarse sandpaper should be used, followed by a primer-sealer. Some designer paints also have additives that prevent paste from adhering. A primer-sealer coat is your 'can of insurance' for a successful project.
Existing Wallpaper Remove any existing wallpaper before you install your new products. Wallpaper paste will not adhere to another wallpaper surface. Also, if there are any loose areas or damage to the old wallpaper it will impact the new installation. Remember when installing a border over wallpaper to always use a vinyl over vinyl paste as the prepasted that comes with the border will not stick to a wallpaper surface.

Special Surfaces Surfaces such as ceramic, paneling, wood, plywood, brick & block walls require special handling before wallpaper products can be considered. Sometimes wallpaper liners can be used however it is best to consult a professional installer when considering this type of project.

Textured Walls Textured walls are generally not suitable for wallpaper. A subtle orange peel surface may be acceptable providing there are no sharp protrusions. If you can run your hand over the wall without encountering any sharp areas you may be able to apply paper. If the texture is greater than a smooth orange peel it is not advised to use wallpaper as it may tear, and the paper may not adhere. You will also be able to see the texture through the paper. There are some products such as the paintables, or expanded vinyl wallpapers that are much thicker than normal products and these may be more suitable for a textured wall. Do not use prepaste for textured walls. There are paste products made specifically for prepasted wallpapers that can be applied with a roller.
Wall-Prep Products
  • Wallpaper Primer/Sealers are best insurance for a properly prepared wall. These products come in several mixtures for all types of challenges including mildew, and pigmented to help cover underlying stains or colors. A primer-sealer will help protect the underlying wall, provide a surface for good adhesion and make it easier to remove the paper at a later date.
  • Stain Killing Primer/Sealers: should be used for walls with problematic stains such as lipstick, grease, crayon, etc. This product can prevent these stains from bleeding through to the wallpaper. This product would be used to spot-treat the areas. Once done, an acrylic wallpaper primer-sealer as mentioned above would be applied over the entire wall surface.
  • Sizing is generally a diluted solution of paste made from the same paste as found on the back of a prepasted wallpaper product. It is not used to prepare the wall but to provide added adhesion. It should not be confused with a primer-sealer.

Installation Resources