making templates for wallpaper?

[brenda73147]

i have never put wallpaper anywhere but directly on the wall of my houses, but the last house i found at the goodwill, has some really rough walls, i have heard others talk about putting the wallpaper on poster board, and then glueing to the walls, what kink of posterboard? just regular or the thick, spongy type, could i have some tips on how to do it please, <_<

[havanaholly]

Since the house is already assembled, take some of the newspaper sections from the stack laying around to start fires/ make papermache/ etc and tear/ cut them into more manageable sizes. You lay a piece on the wall you want to paper & crease it all the way around so when you take it out & cut out along the creases you'll have a pattern for cutting the template & wallpaper.

I would recommend using acidfree posterboard to keep the wallpaper (also presumably acidfree) from fading & turning brown (you'll also want to prime the walls if they aren't already*). Once you have cut out your templates, fit them in the house to make sure they are the finished size you need. You can also mark doorways & window openings on the back sides at this time. You'll want to remove any interior door & window trim, if possible, or else carefully keep refitting the template until it fits flush against the trim.

Paper the templates as you would the walls. If it's a pattern that must be matched I would suggest laying the templates for a room side-by-side & begin papering with the middle/ back wall, matching the pattern when you get to the abutting edges of the other two walls.

If the house is electrified, or if you want to wire it (now or later) you might want to attach your papered templates with double-sided tape to allow for removal later.

*Since wood naturally contains acids & others are used to preserve it, you'll want to prime it to protect the template & paper from turning brown & brittle over time.

This is probably 'way more than you wanted to know

[MistyStarz]

*Since wood naturally contains acids & others are used to preserve it, you'll want to prime it to protect the template & paper from turning brown & brittle over time.

This is probably 'way more than you wanted to know 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow, your tips even helped me!!

You said to prime the templates. What do you prime them with?

Remember I am totally new so specifics are defenately appricated <_<

Thanks!

[hydroped]

This is probably 'way more than you wanted to know 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No Way!! This is great Holly Thanks!

I've used foam core inside my room box but I think this method may work best for my Sweetheart.. yea.. the one I was supposed to remove the wall paper from and still havent - especially where the stair case is - this might just be the ticket to being able to fit new paper in!

Thanks! <_<

-David

[MiniMadWoman]

Misty you don't prime the templates, you prime the walls! For that any primer from the hardware store will do. I just used what was lying around my real house already.

I use plain white paper for my templates . . . that way I don't get ink all over the place from the newspaper and I can recycle it for other areas simply with the snip of the scissors! <_<

I glue my paper directly onto the primed walls, but in the case where the wall is to rough, I've glued the wallpaper onto regular cardstock available wherever they sell scrapbooking supplies. It's a bit lighter than posterboard, but heavy enough to cover the rough wall and give a nice finish.

Good luck!

[MistyStarz]

Misty you don't prime the templates, you prime the walls!  <_<

Good luck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Duh!!

Must have read post wrong

That makes more sense now!!

Thanks!

[brenda73147]

<_< Hay, thanks everyone, those are great tips, and i think i like the idea of regular paper instead of posterboard. i will holler if i need help

[Nancy in Renton]

How great is this! Thank you.

[havanaholly]

the idea of regular paper instead of posterboard.

Regular paper doesn't work instead of posterboard. Let me try this again...

Because there are acids naturally occuring in the wood that cause paint to discolor and wallpaper to turn brown & brittle over time, you want to prime the wooden walls; any interior latex paint will work for this.

You can use regular paper or newsprint to make the pattern for the template; lay it against the wall you wish to paper and carefully flatten it all the way into the corners formed by the abutments of wall-to-wall, wall-to-ceiling nd wall-to-floor and crease along these folds.

Once you cut away the excess paper, check that the fit is exact by placing the pattern against the wall again. Mark carefully any door or window openings.

Now use the pattern to cut the template from acidfree card/ posterboard, you can cut the door/ window openings at this time. You may wish to lay the template back againwst the wall again to check the fit, and that the openings are cut correctly.

To minimize distortion of your template you may want to prime it, too, at least on one side. You can paint or paper the "right" side (the one that you'll see when it's in the room) and attach it with double-sided tape or use your baseboards, trims and cornices to hold it in place. This will cover wiring and is removable for "troubleshooting" or redecorating.

[GrandpaJeff]

Hope you are still there Havanaholly.

I'm building a Pierce for my granddaughter and being a novice had just assumed you glued the wallpaper directly to the walls. So I came online to ask what type of glue to use. But your ideas to prime first and using card paper as a base and especially double sided tape are excellent.

1. When you say "double-sided tape" do you mean just at the edges of the papers or does this type of tape exist in broad sizes? If used only at the edges, does it not leave a visible dent in the paper?

2. Do you suggest using the d-s tape to both attach the card paper to the wall and also to attach the wallpaper to the card, or just for the former?

3. If you glue the wallpaper to the card, what kind of glue do you use for that?

Thank you very much.

[havanaholly]

Hope you are still there Havanaholly.

I'm building a Pierce for my granddaughter and being a novice had just assumed you glued the wallpaper directly to the walls. So I came online to ask what type of glue to use. But your ideas to prime first and using card paper as a base and especially double sided tape are excellent.

1. When you say "double-sided tape" do you mean just at the edges of the papers or does this type of tape exist in broad sizes? If used only at the edges, does it not leave a visible dent in the paper?

2. Do you suggest using the d-s tape to both attach the card paper to the wall and also to attach the wallpaper to the card, or just for the former?

3. If you glue the wallpaper to the card, what kind of glue do you use for that?

Thank you very much.

I'm here, but I don't recall advising about doublesided tape, as I don't wallpaper using templates (but I have made floor templates, which I attached to the floors with wood glue, since I don't electrify my houses). I do advise priming or otherwise sealing the walls, to protect the acidfree wallpaper from the acids naturally occuring in the wood, to prevent discoloration later; therefore, if you do use templates, I recommend using archival acidfree cardstock.

I use RL premixed wallpaper paste from the hardware store to hang wallpaper in a dollhouse.

You're welcome.

[GrandpaJeff]

Thank you.