wallpapering my Fairfield and I have some questions!

[Kaijuemily]

I ordered some really nice wallpapers for my Fairfield. But when i started doing research about how to install dollhouse wallpaper, I found a bunch of contradictory information!

So my questions are:

Do I apply my wallpaper musilage to the wall or the paper itself?

Can I size the walls with wallpaper glue?

Do I cut out the windows before or after the glue dries?

Thanks you guys!

[fov]

Everyone has their own method, but here's what I do:

* Measure and cut out wallpaper pieces

* Hold wallpaper pieces in place and draw around window / door holes with a pencil, then cut these out (slightly larger than the hole so you're sure you won't have wallpaper edges peeking through the windows - but not so large that your trim doesn't cover up the edges!)

* Apply mucilage to back of a wallpaper piece with a paintbrush or sponge brush, being careful not to get any on the good side

* Glue in that piece of wallpaper, then repeat

I'm not sure what you mean by "size the walls with wallpaper glue"?

[havanaholly]

You don't need to size your walls if you prime them first. I like flat primer, white for light color paints or papers and gray or brown for dark. I use real life premixed wallpaper paste from the hardware store and I slaather it on the back of the paper and smooth it carefully to keep the pattern straight and to remove all lumps and bubbles. I start with the wall facing me and then I drop match the sides. Once the paper is totally dry, usually a day or two later, I go in with a new, sharp blade in my utility knife and cut the door and window openings. Once they are cut out I go back and carefully trim the paper approximately 1/8" around the opening (the surround trim is usually 1/4" wide, so I will have wood glued to wood when I apply the trims and window parts).

[JackieS]

I am a print-your-own paper kind of gal, and I follow the general procedure described by Emily, except I use a glue stick, covering the entire back of the piece of wallpaper. I've found that it works very well since it's not very 'wet' like some glues. I even designed my own papers - I use a table in Word.for spacing. Stripes are really easy.Seal your custom paper with a clear sealant or hairspray.

[kat57]

Jackie,I too have used glue stick: on scrapbook paper,to wallpaper wooden roomboxes in the past. The glue has held up for years. I am glad to know someone else has had success with it. So much less mess! I plan to paper my Orchid's kitchen this weekend using glue stick. I do prime the wood first,just as a precaution to prevent anything leaching out of the wood onto the paper. I also have a wide flat plastic tool to smooth over the paper,just in case there are any lumps of glue. It comes out lovely!

[havanaholly]

I invested in a small wooden brayer for wallpaper borders to roll lumps and bubbles out of the wallpaper.

[KathieB]

I am a print-your-own paper kind of gal, ... .Seal your custom paper with a clear sealant or hairspray.

Be sure it isn't a water based hairspray. Don't ask me how I know this. :whistle:

I also have a wide flat plastic tool to smooth over the paper,just in case there are any lumps of glue. It comes out lovely!

An old credit card works well.

Just to thicken the stew, let me throw in yet another option. I use rubber cement to put up wallpaper after I've cut it to size using a paper template (remembering to mark front and back on the template -- don't ask me about this, either). Thin layer on wall, thin layer on paper. Let dry. Starting at top, gently smooth the paper into place. Can be peeled off and repositioned if necessary. Parts can be lifted to wire connections if necessary. Holds for years and years. Waterless, so paper won't buckle, tear, or run.

[Sable]

I always start from the left wall and wrap the paper around the corners so there is no gap. Precut all the all the pieces first to match up the patterns. Cut windows out with razor blade after dry.

[KathieB]

I do the back wall first and bring a little overlap onto the left and right walls. Then when the paper goes onto the side walls, 1) there is no gap in the corner and 2) the white edges of the side wall pieces is facing the back wall.

[Sable]

I like that idea KathieB

[Dalesq]

Hi Kelly. Here's how I do it.

I try to paper while pieces are flat if possible, but if not that's okay.

I both print my own and buy preprinted wallpapers. I spray all with a matte fixative (I use Krylon) and let dry 24 hours before installing.

I use white glue painted in a thin, even layer directly onto the wall. I used to apply it to the paper, but found I get less bubbling or other problems if I apply to the wall, then I apply the paper. A thin layer of glue painted on the wall also works to seal it.

Doing it this way you will have a few minutes to fiddle with positioning.

I then smooth the paper with either my (clean dry) hands or a soft clean cloth.

Don't over do glue.

Also, I paper right over windows and door openings. Since I apply trim last, this works for me. Once the paper has dried completely it will be taught across these openings. I use a new exacto blade and carefully cut out the paper from the openings, sliding the blade along the edge, from the inside of the house, and angling the blade just slightly to completely remove the paper from the opening without an edge sticking into the window area. If you are papering while your pieces are flat it is easy to trace and cutout the openings ahead of time like Emily describes above.

[kat57]

This (link below) is NOT the same,but very similar to the tool I use to smooth the paper after gluing. I don't have access to credit cards,new or old,and I had bought the tool (mine's 8" wide) for some looong forgotten RL project,so it works well for me. I would like to find a brayer some time at a yard sale or thrift store.

I've only done squared roomboxes without windows so far,myself. Just doing what has worked for me in the past,I paper the opposite of Kathie,but still using the same principle-I paper the sides first,allowing a narrow lap onto the back wall. Since I was using a thick,textured scrapbook paper I folded the very side edges of the back wall piece under,making very crisp corners when glued to the back. Of course,by the time I got the Christmas tree and other things installed it didn't show much!lol

http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Plastic-Window-Scraping-Scraper/dp/B00A77KHW2

I love this topic and the various ways we can choose to wallpaper-I am learning a lot to use when I paper the rehab Orchid,since I am doing it on an already built house.

Edited March 15, 2014 by kat57

[Ginny]

How many sheets of wallpaper are needed to paper a room in the Fairfield dollhouse? I'm trying to purchase some and am not sure of how much to buy.

[havanaholly]

I found some small tablets of two-sided scrapbook papers of a lightweight cardstock with three sheets of the same designs that were just large enough to cover each wall that I used for some of the rooms in mine.

[jessiC]

1  8x11 sheet covered the downstairs Living room dining room in my fairfiled