Wallpaper Paint: How to Choose the Type, Tools, and Step-by-Step Painting Instructions

What types of wallpaper can be painted?

Paintable wallpaper is available in white. It is also longer and wider than regular rolls. Manufacturers offer several types of coatings that can be painted:

• Non-woven. Wallpaper on a non-woven base is ideal for painting. The coating looks stylish and masks wall defects. Non-woven canvases can be repainted multiple times, but the relief will become less noticeable. They can be painted from the back side and then glued.
• Glass wallpaper. In essence, these are vandal-proof wallpapers made of durable material and resistant to mechanical damage. On the wall, glass fiber wallpaper looks like a seamless canvas, hiding surface irregularities. The coating is durable and can be painted many times. Before painting, the canvases are treated with a primer.
• Paper. These are canvases treated with a special composition, smooth or embossed. They can withstand 2-3 repaintings without losing their original appearance. The dye is applied in a thin layer, there is no need to soak the canvas. If bald spots and stains are detected, you need to paint a second layer.
• Lincrusta. Wallpaper is produced in a neutral color, then comes painting or artistic painting. It is recommended to paint a day after pasting, or wait 2-3 days. The second layer is applied after 4-5 hours if necessary. Features of lincrusta – original patterns, they can be distinguished from the general background.
• Washable. The wallpaper is treated with a special water-repellent compound to protect the coating from the effects of steam and moisture. After painting, the wallpaper loses its protective properties, so varnish is applied over the paint. Vinyl wallpaper can be painted from the category of washable coatings. Washable wallpaper is most often used in the kitchen interior.
• Liquid. In fact, this is an analogue of plaster. Liquid wallpaper is sold as a ready-made mixture or dry substance (diluted in water before work). Acrylic varnish is often applied to liquid wallpaper – it provides durability and resistance to cleaning. The coating itself looks original, pleasant to the touch. After painting, all effects disappear. You can change the color when applying the mixture to the wall by adding color to the mixture.

What wallpaper cannot be painted?

It is important to consider that not all wallpaper can be painted.

• Single-layer paper wallpaper – quickly gets wet and slides off the wall;
• vinyl on a paper base;
• textile;
• washable acrylic-based wallpaper – the paint dries poorly, leaves streaks and stains;
• flat vinyl;
• photo wallpaper.

Tools for DIY painting

You will need painting equipment for painting.

• The first and most important tool is a paint roller. The final result depends on it. Tips on choosing can be found in the relevant section.
• You will need a tray with a squeezing mesh for the roller.
• You can dilute the paint in a tray or any other container.
• You will need a small brush to paint the corners, areas along the ceiling and floor skirting boards.
• You will need a film to cover the floor, windows, and window sill.
• Skirting boards and small elements are sealed with masking tape.
• A rag or sponge will come in handy to remove splashes.
• You will need a telescopic handle for the roller, a stepladder or a stool for work.

DIY painting technology

Painting wall coverings is no different from other painting jobs. The main thing is to choose the right paint, prepare the room and other equipment

Preparation before painting

Before work, you need to prepare the room and walls for painting. What you need to consider:

• Wallpaper should be painted after the glue has completely dried.
• Glass wallpaper is pre-treated with a primer.
• Remove traces of glue from non-woven wallpaper, otherwise defects will surface after painting.
• Paints tend to dry quickly. It is recommended to pour a little into a tray and keep the jar closed.
• The consistency should resemble liquid sour cream. Before use, mix it thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
• If you are not satisfied with the tone, you can add color. The composition is prepared for the entire room at once, otherwise you will get different shades.
• Glass wallpaper must be painted in at least 2 layers. An interval of 10-12 hours is required between works.
• The optimum temperature for painting is 17-25°.
• You cannot paint wallpaper with open windows – due to a draft, the sheets may fall off.

Painting process

When the inventory and walls are ready, you can start painting.

Step-by-step guide

1. Take out or cover the furniture with film.
2. Paint the doors, windowsills, baseboards with masking tape.

   

3. Dip the rollers in warm soapy water. water, wring out and rinse with clean water or roll on masking tape – there will be no lint on the surface to be painted.

   

4. It is recommended to start painting from the top – with a small roller or brush, process 5-10 cm from the ceiling along the perimeter of the room.
5. Near the floor, carefully paint the wallpaper with a small roller or brush.
6. Paint the relief elements with a brush.

   

7. With a large Use a roller to paint the wall from top to bottom, avoiding bubbles and drips. Do not hold the roller in one place.

   

8. If necessary, apply a second coat (after the first has dried).

   

9. After the paint has dried, the walls can be covered with acrylic clear varnish, which will protect them from dirt.

   

10. Use a rag to remove splashes, wash and dry brushes and rollers.

    

Dip the rollers in warm soapy water, wring them out and rinse with clean water or roll them on masking tape – there will be no lint on the surface being painted.

It is recommended to start painting from the top – with a small roller or brush, apply 5-10 cm from the ceiling along the perimeter of the room.

Near the floor, carefully paint the wallpaper with a small roller or brush.

Paint the relief elements with a brush.

Using a large roller, paint the wall from top to bottom, avoiding bubbles and drips. Do not hold the roller in one place.

If necessary, apply a second coat (after the first has dried).

After the paint has dried, the walls can be covered with acrylic clear varnish, which will protect them from dirt.

Use a rag to remove splashes, rinse and dry brushes and rollers.

Video instructions

Many people have doubts before starting work, especially if the person is not a painter. A video with explanations will help you understand the technology of painting wall coverings.

Finishing

The most important stage of painting, but there are simple methods for beautifully decorating walls with your own hands.

Highlighting texture

To emphasize individual elements on the wallpaper or to give volume to the pattern, the technique of textured highlighting is practiced. Without waiting for the wallpaper to dry completely, gently blot the area of the pattern with a damp cloth or sponge, removing the dye. After the surface has completely dried, give the pattern the desired shade.

There are wallpapers on a non-woven base for painting from the back side. To highlight the textured element, the selected pattern is painted in the desired color or left in a natural (usually white) tone.

Combining 2 or more colors

A combination of colors is practiced to highlight individual areas. There are several options: a combination of related shades, a gradient (using one color with a smooth transition from a light shade to a dark one, or vice versa) and a combination of two contrasting colors.

Here, knowledge of the rules of coloristics will not hurt. Otherwise, it is not recommended to use more than two colors to avoid bad taste.

The combination is possible in any direction:

• horizontally,
• vertically,
• diagonally.

Applying a pattern to wallpaper with your own hands

A popular way to decorate wallpaper after painting is to apply a pattern. Modern tools will help even inexperienced craftsmen cope with the task. There are many design options, let’s consider some of them.

• Using a textured roller. The tool is a regular paint roller with a raised pattern. Before work, you can practice on extra pieces. For confidence and alignment of the pattern, you can mark the wall.
• Using a stencil. You can make it yourself from plastic or cardboard. The stencil is attached to the wall with masking tape. After preliminary marking (to ensure perfect alignment of the pattern), paint is applied to it with a sponge. After 5-10 minutes, the stencil is removed, the next section is painted in the same way.
• Freehand or artistic. If you have artistic skills, you can create a drawing on the wall yourself. Those who do not know how to draw can use a special device – a projector. A sheet of paper with a drawing is brought to it, and the contours displayed on the wall are outlined with a pencil. The finished image is painted in the desired color.
• Using stamps. Another popular way to draw on wallpaper is to use a stamp. It is smeared with paint and pressed against the wallpaper for a few seconds. You can be creative and create an abstract composition using improvised means. The disadvantage of stamping is a blurry or smeared pattern, drips.

Using a stencil. You can make it yourself from plastic or cardboard. The stencil is attached to the wall with masking tape. After preliminary marking (to ensure perfect alignment of the pattern), paint is applied to it with a sponge. After 5-10 minutes, the stencil is removed and the next section is painted in the same way.

Freehand or artistic. If you have artistic skills, you can create a pattern on the wall yourself. For those who cannot draw, a special device – a projector – will help. A sheet of paper with a pattern is brought to it, and the contours displayed on the wall are outlined with a pencil. The finished image is painted in the desired color.

Using stamps. Another popular way to draw on wallpaper is to use a stamp. It is smeared with paint and pressed against the wallpaper for a few seconds. You can show creativity and create an abstract composition using improvised means. The disadvantage of stamping is a blurred or smeared pattern, drips.

Tips for painting without streaks

Painting wallpaper has its tricks. To achieve the perfect result without drips, it is worth considering the recommendations of experienced painters:

• You need to paint a dry and clean wall.
• Use rollers with natural bristles.
• If you are using old paint, first test it on unnecessary sheets – you don’t know how it will behave.
• Apply the paint in a thin layer and distribute it well over the surface.
• Paint hard-to-reach places with a brush.
• Soak the roller well with dye.
• If possible, use a spray gun or a spray gun.

What paint is best for painting?

When purchasing a dye, you need to start from the coating material and the purpose of the room (apartment, office, etc.).

Basic rules for choosing paint

What you need to consider when choosing paints:

• For rooms on the sunny side, latex paint is recommended – it does not fade with regular exposure to sunlight.
• For the kitchen and bathroom, the right solution is latex or acrylic paint. They are resistant to moisture and steam.
• Matte paint masks surface defects and dims bright lighting.
• Satin paint is durable and is recommended for bathrooms and kitchens.
• Glossy paint compensates for the lack of lighting in darkened rooms.
• Water-based paint is quickly washed off. Not suitable if you plan to wash the walls frequently in the future.
• A water-dispersion composition is suitable for painting the bathroom and kitchen – it is not afraid of water and cleaning.

What roller is best for painting?

Anyone planning to paint wallpaper by hand should use a paint roller. There are several types of tools, the difference is in the length of the pile and the width of the device.

• A short-pile velor roller is good for painting smooth wallpaper. It will also help to lightly roll the pattern, for example, when highlighting an element with texture.
• It is better to paint a deep relief with a long-haired fur roller. The pile is able to penetrate the entire depth of the texture, painting the most inaccessible places.
• Smooth canvases can be painted with a foam roller. But it leaves bubbles on the wallpaper, reducing the quality of the work.

Features of painting the ceiling

Painting the ceiling with wallpaper is popular when decorating rooms. The algorithm of actions when painting the ceiling is the same, but there are nuances that are important to consider:

• Cover the floor, window sills with film, take out the furniture if possible.
• Paint the ceiling plinth in the same color as the ceiling. To protect the wallpaper, stick masking tape along the edge of the baseboard.
• It is better to work during daylight hours to evaluate the result under daylight and electric lighting.
• If primer treatment is required, it must have the same base as the paint. You can start painting the ceiling after the primer has completely dried.
• After applying the first layer, turn on the light and inspect the ceiling. If there are gaps, paint over them.
• The ceiling is painted in 2 layers. The first is distributed parallel to the window, the second – perpendicular.
• New wallpaper on the ceiling cannot be painted for 1-3 days until the glue dries.

Paint consumption calculator

Dye consumption is calculated based on the area to be painted. Usually, the manufacturer indicates the volume of the expected work on the can. To avoid mistakes and unnecessary expenses on painting, you can use the provided paint consumption calculator.

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   Window width and height (cm):*

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Window width and height (cm):*

Painting wallpaper is an opportunity to transform the interior in any style. Proper preparation and choice of material guarantee a spectacular result. Wallpaper for painting can be repainted repeatedly, which saves the budget when implementing creative ideas.