How to Install Beadboard Wallpaper

Since the beginning of this little kitchen remodel, I’ve been dreaming of having a beadboard backsplash.

DSC_1564

Ta-Da!

beadboard backsplash after

It’s done!…And here’s the part where I have to eat my words

It. Is. WALLPAPER!

I know, I know…I have perhaps said some not-so-nice things about wallpaper in the past.  But after weighing all the pros and cons of the real deal vs wallpaper, my husband voted heartily on the wallpaper. ( I think he just wanted to avoid cutting large pieces of wood for a room with no straight lines!Smile)  I also was given courage to try this after seeing it in a friend’s kitchen.  It really does look like the real stuff!

Now that I heartily recommend this “looks oh-so-real” wall covering, I’ll give you  my

NON-PERFECTIONIST’S GUIDE TO HANGING WALLPAPER (If you want a “perfectionist” version with plumb-lines, I’m sure you can you-tube it!)

  1. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP!!! Please, please, please (I beg of you) apply sizing to the wall before wallpapering.  This will help you or those who live in your house after you remove it much easier.  The time it takes for removal can then be measured in minutes rather than days!  This sizing came in a powder form that I mixed with water, but apparently it comes pre-mixed as well. (*I just mixed up a small amount, since I had a small wall…)DSC_1497
  2. Mark a straight edge the distance from the wall that your first piece will end.  If you don’t have a small enough square, just use a book!  tee hee! Use it as a guide for the edge of your first piece.DSC_1500
  3. Measure at least 3 times before you cut…That’s my method anyway! I also don’t know all the technical term measurements. Mine are like: “14 1/2 plus two little marks…” Cut it just a tad too long and then trim (or tuck behind the backsplash) if you need.  I used a T-square and x-acto knife to cut the wallpaper. An old piece of drywall worked great as my cutting board (see the very first picture in this post to see my set-up).  (*I marked a little arrow on the back of the paper to indicate the TOP of each piece. Although you don’t have to match a pattern, it is possible to hang it upside down…and it doesn’t look right… )
  4. Read and follow the directions for the type of wallpaper you bought. I highly recommend the Wall Doctor brand (found in Canadian Tire). I tried another kind that wasn’t nearly as thick and/or easy to apply. The Wall Doctor recommended to soak it for 30 seconds (I used my bathtub as my wallpaper tray) and book it (fold it gently – glue sides together) for 5 minutes. DSC_1505
  5. Gently push out any air bubbles to the sides on top and bottom.  Keep an eye on it as it dries and keep removing air bubbles if they appear.

That’s it.  I also put this beadboard feature in another area of my kitchen… wink, wink!!  We’re working hard to wrap things up so we can have the big reveal soon… I’m waiting at the moment for my husband to get the urge to cut a little crown…:)

I’m going to leave you today with a picture of a saying we just love, “It’s a Good Day (I’m gonna make it that way)”.  It’s from an old jazz song that just makes us smile.  Wherever you are in your corner of the world, I hope you’re havin’ a good day!

good day sign

(and doesn’t that beadboard behind it look real?…I still can’t believe it…)

Linking to:  Stories from A-Z

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

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12 Comments

  1. It does look real! I've dreamed of beadboard, too, but I've got some curvy windowsills and I have no idea how I would get it around. Yours looks amazing.

  2. Fantastic! You could never tell that is wallpaper. Thanks for sharing at my newbie party.

  3. It does look wonderful….and I love your non perfectionist way of doing things….lol, I kind of do that too!!

  4. Hi Paula, I bought it at Canadian Tire (here in Canada!). It is the "Wall Doctor" brand and I highly recommend it! I'm not sure what brand Home Depot or Lowe's carries there, but they are a good place to start, too.

  5. I love the look. The wallpaper does look so real and after putting the board in the back of a bookcase, you did great with the paper. It looks just as good and I am sure it was much easier. Great job. Hugs, Marty

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