Peel and Stick Wallpaper – How to Quickly Decorate Your Home
[vc_row equal_height=”yes”][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][vc_facebook type=”button_count”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][vc_tweetmeme share_via=”YinzBuy”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1606731333432{margin-top: -5px !important;}”][vc_pinterest][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Wallpapering can seem like a humongous chore when looking to decorate your home. As nice as it looks, sometimes you just don’t have the time to spend applying wallpaper paste to every inch of your quarters and gluing strips of paper to it. Fortunately, peel and stick wallpaper is a much easier and quicker method to decorate the walls of your residence.
This article aims to inform you how to use peel and stick wallpaper to enhance your home in no time at all.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
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What is Peel and Stick Wallpaper?
We’ve all been there: wallpapering a room thinking it’ll be an easy job but making more mess and wasting more time than you’d ever imagined.
Peel and stick wallpaper is a pre-cut, self-adhesive paper that’s ready to hang. It requires no additional adhesives, special tools, or skills to be successful. It can be repositioned and removed easily, which allows for mistakes. It’s also ideal for rentals, since it leaves no residue.
With traditional wallpaper, you found yourself needing buckets of sloppy wallpaper paste, brushes, prepping tables, damp cloths to mop up any mess, and sheets to cover the entirety of the floor below. You may have even needed to hire a handyman to help with the job. But with peel and stick wallpaper, things are a breeze!
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Does Peel and Stick Wallpaper Really Work?
Yes, peel and stick wallpaper does really work. It’s a simple way to apply wallpaper to your home with little fuss or mess. It’s easily customizable to fit many sizes of room, making it work for any home. With easy application and removal, it’s ideal for owned and rented homes alike.
The self adhesive nature of peel and stick wallpaper means that you don’t have to apply a thick coat of wallpaper paste to both the wall and the paper itself. You can simply skip this step altogether and get straight to the best part – the wallpapering. This makes it a huge time saver over traditional paper, which is a great fit for our busy lives.
While traditional wallpaper dates back to ancient times, self-adhesive wallpaper is a lot newer to the scene. You’ll find that it’s available in many more modern designs, including pop culture trends. No more feeling like you’re trapped in the 1960’s (unless you’re into that of course)!
Since you can remove it easily, this also means you can change and update your wallpaper any time. Don’t worry about your kids outgrowing it, or the mood of the week from your teens. Just take it down and put something new and exciting up![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Does Peel and Stick Wallpaper Damage Your Walls?
No, peel and stick wallpaper does not damage your walls. That being said, it’s always important to follow the manufacturer’s directions for installation and removal. Improper use of an adhesive wallpaper can cause damage in the form of residue. However, this can be avoided with proper care.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
How Much Peel and Stick Wallpaper Do I Need?
You’ve decided that self adhesive wallpaper is the way to go for your home. Before you can get to hanging it up, you’ll first need to determine how much you need. There are a few easy steps to follow when determining how much peel and stick wallpaper you need:
- Determine how many rooms you plan to hang wallpaper
- How many walls within that room will you wallpaper?
- Measure each wall from floor to ceiling vertically, subtracting any molding
- Measure the same wall(s) edge to edge horizontally
- Multiply these two measurements to get the square footage
- Purchase the appropriate amount of peel and stick wallpaper to cover that size
Many rolls of stick on wallpaper will tell you the square footage they cover. If not, here are some helpful guidelines based on common wallpaper sizes that are available:
| Roll Width | Bedroom 1 Wall | Master Bed 1 Wall | Bedroom 4 Walls | Master Bed 4 Walls |
| 17.71” | 5 Rolls | 6 Rolls | 17 Rolls | 22 Rolls |
| 18.00” | 4 Rolls | 6 Rolls | 16 Rolls | 22 Rolls |
| 20.50” | 4 Rolls | 5 Rolls | 15 Rolls | 19 Rolls |
| *Based on the average home ceiling height of 9 feet | ||||
| **Average Master bedroom wall is 16 feet, average regular bedroom wall is 12 feet, and does not account for doors or windows | ||||
| ***Average length of peel and stick wallpaper roll is 18 feet | ||||
If your room has different dimensions, make sure to adjust accordingly. Some stick on wallpaper is available in greater lengths than the standard 18 feet, which could save you some money. Any leftover pieces from trimming can be used to cover accessories in your home. See our section on applications for more great ideas![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
How Much Does Peel and Stick Wallpaper Cost?
Peel and stick wallpaper will vary in cost depending on the size of your room and paper selected. The average price of a roll of self adhesive wallpaper ranges from $15 to $50 per roll. For an accent wall, you should expect to spend anywhere from $60 to $250 dollars.
For an entire room, this cost will scale based on the additional rolls needed for the project. At the lowest cost options, estimate around $225 for a small bedroom. A master bedroom with higher end wallpaper can run you as much as $1,100 for covering every wall.
While that may seem pricey, remember that traditional wallpaper also averages $25-$50 per roll. Since peel and stick wallpaper requires no additional adhesives or tools, you’ll save on supplies. Additionally, since you can DIY easily, eliminate the cost of installation as well. This makes stick on wallpaper very affordable comparatively![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Practical Applications for Peel and Stick Wallpaper
Peel and stick wallpaper has a lot of practical uses around your home. The most common is decorating an accent wall, or all the walls of a room with it. However, there are creative alternative uses for adhesive wallpaper as well:
- Covering a power outlet wall plate
- Adding decoration to your stair risers
- Sprucing up the front of old dresser drawers
- Creating a colorful background for a bookcase
- Lining drawers or shelves for a pop of color
- Use as a wall border in place of molding
- Installing a backsplash for your kitchen or bathroom
These projects can be a great way to use up leftover scraps from a roll after papering your walls. They can also be the entire project, as you practice your first foray into applying self adhesive wallpaper. Since it’s removable, you won’t be stuck with it if you change your mind down the road. Take that, paint!
Different projects also mean that you may want to choose a certain style of stick on wallpaper. We’ve taken an in-depth look at several varieties you can check out below:
- Harry Potter themed peel and stick wallpaper. It’s a great choice for an accent wall, but also looks great on stairs or a bookcase. Perfect for Potterheads!
- Peel and stick wallpaper border. This is a specialized adhesive wallpaper, which we’ve looked at in a diamond pattern. It’s ideal for adding trim, chair rail, and other accents.
- Stick on tile. This removable wallpaper is designed to emulate the look of tiles. It’s a great choice for a kitchen or bathroom backsplash, or bathroom wall.
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Is Peel and Stick Wallpaper Easy to Hang?
Peel and stick wallpaper is easy to hang. We’ll walk you through how to easily apply this temporary, adhesive wallpaper. In order to get started, gather these household tools and supplies:
- A damp sponge or cloth
- Mild, all-purpose cleaner
- Wall repair supplies (if needed)
- Measuring tape
- Utility knife or scissors
- Straightedge (ruler or level)
- A Pencil
- Peel and stick wallpaper
- Smoothing tool
Once you have your tools at the ready, follow these simple steps to hang your peel and stick wallpaper:
1. Prep Your Walls
The first and most important step is the prep work, as getting your wall clean and even will give you the best results once you’ve applied the wallpaper. You’ll want to remove outlet covers from the wall during the cleaning and application process. Since your outlets will be more exposed, it is recommended that you turn them off while the covers are off.
Here’s how to prep your walls for applying adhesive wallpaper:
- Clean the wall surface. Wipe the walls with a damp cloth or sponge. If you have any tough residue, try some all purpose cleaning wipes to assist.
- Patch any holes. Fill nail and other small holes with a spackle and smooth. Once dry, sand with a bit of fine sandpaper if needed to ensure a smooth surface. Make sure to wipe up any dust or residue from the sanding process as well.
After prep work, ensure you wait 24 hours to allow the surface to dry completely. It’s essential that the adhesive attaches to a smooth, clean, and dry surface. Otherwise, the bond will not be as strong, and the wallpaper may not stick.
2. Lay Out Pattern
Once you have completed step one and your wall is clean and dry, you’ll want to lay out how you’ll apply your wallpaper. Complete a few easy steps:
- Measure the width of the wallpaper. Sometimes this information is included on the roll, saving you a step.
- Mark the width on your wall. Use a measuring tape and pencil to mark the width. Then, use a straightedge to draw a vertical line from the top of the wall to the base. This will create a guide of where to apply your wallpaper and will ensure that the application is straight and even.
- Repeat for the height. If your wallpaper is not long enough to span the height in one length, repeat the marking process. Make horizontal lines at the end of the length to guide your application.
Important note: Peel and stick wallpaper is not designed to overlap. Each piece should be flush against the previous one. When you get towards the top or bottom of your wall, you may need to cut the wallpaper using scissors or a utility knife to fit the remaining space. You may also find that your home is not perfectly level – this is normal. Make sure that your wallpaper piece is level, and then trim the edge with your utility knife to match the curve of your wall as needed.
You may be excited to apply the wallpaper, however, skipping this step can result in difficulty ensuring the wallpaper is straight which could produce a messy result.
3. Apply Your Peel and Stick Wallpaper
Once your markings are ready, peel off around 1-2 inches of the adhesive backing along the top of the wallpaper. Line it up with the top of your wall and the lines you have drawn.
Smooth down the exposed portion of the wallpaper, ensuring it’s even and straight before removing more adhesive backing. Then, use your hand to press the wallpaper panel from top to bottom while slowly removing the adhesive until you reach the bottom. Repeat with additional wallpaper panels, lining up the top with the bottom of the previous piece until you’ve reached the base board.
Grab your smoothing tool and (using a downward motion) flush out any air bubbles that are visible on the wallpaper. This will create an even finish and will ensure the bond between the peel and stick wallpaper and the wall is strong.
4. Trim Around Tricky Bits
If you encounter a door frame, window, power outlet, or shelf, you’ll need to trim the paper to fit. If you can easily remove the obstacle (such as a power outlet), remove it and measure the wallpaper so it overlaps the cover. You can even use the removed cover to trace an outline with your pencil to guide your cutting. Overlapping your drawing slightly ensures you don’t measure and cut the wallpaper too small and end up with a gap.
If you cannot easily remove the obstacle (like a door frame), simply use a straightedge tool and your utility knife to cut around the edges of the area to remove the excess.Use a smoothing tool to smooth and even out any lumps and bumps around door frames and windows to give a clean look. If that creates any new edges, simply re-cut the excess to crisp up the edges.
Hot tip! If you have flat-plate power outlets, you can even try wallpapering them to match your wall! Simply remove the plate, lay the paper over it, and trim out the openings with a utility knife. Then, smooth the entire plate with your hands or a smoothing tool, and replace over the outlet.
5. Turn the Corner
Room corners can be another tricky area to navigate. If you plan on only doing an accent wall, you can just trim your pieces to end at the edge of the wall. However, if you’re going around a corner to do more than one wall, you’ll have two choices:
- Use a continuous piece of paper, bending it around the corner. Simply line up vertical edges with the previous piece, and smooth the adhesive horizontally, heading towards the corner. At the corner, use your smoothing tool to firmly press the paper into the bend of the wall, then continue onto the next wall.
- Cut your paper at the end of one wall, and start with a new piece of paper on the next wall, placing the seam in the corner. While sometimes easier to handle, the downside to this option is that the pattern may not line up perfectly.
6. Smooth it All Out
Make sure you double-check your completed walls for air bubbles and uneven areas. While it’s important to smooth as you go, always perform a final inspection. This will ensure your walls have that perfect, professional feel.
If you find an air bubble that just won’t budge, carefully pop it with a pin, press it down to release any trapped air, and then smooth it out using the smoothing tool. Voila! You’ve completed your wallpapering job.
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How Long Does Peel and Stick Wallpaper Last?
Peel and stick wallpaper will last as long as you like. With proper installation, it can stay up on your walls for many years to come. However, with the easy removability, changing it out at any time is also possible. Adhesive wallpaper is versatile for permanent and temporary installations.
It is important to note that if you are using stick on wallpaper in a damp area, be sure to choose an appropriate product. An adhesive designed for bathroom use will resist heat and moisture, which helps to avoid peeling later.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Final Thoughts
Peel and stick wallpaper is definitely an extremely simple option for decorating any home. The ease of application gives it an advantage over regular wallpaper. It’s easy to apply, easy to remove, and doesn’t need as much prep, knowledge, or wealth of tools as traditional wallpaper requires. It makes wallpapering a lot easier for avid DIYers, ultimately making it a less expensive option as there’s no need for a professional.
As noted on our Affiliate Disclaimer page, links to products inside this blog could lead to sales commissions (at no additional cost to you) which allow this site to continue operations.
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