Recipe for Heavy Duty Wallpaper Paste
Whether you’re a professional decorator or a weekend warrior, you’ve probably come across the need for wallpaper paste. Although wallpaper isn’t nearly as prevalent as it was before faux painting finishes captured the imagination of homeowners, wallpaper borders are enjoying a resurgence as a quick and easy decorating pick-me-up. Most store-bought wallpaper pastes contain chemicals and polymers and are also pricey, but you can make your own wallpaper paste. Try one or all three of these recipes on a practice board to find the one you like best. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Wheat flour
- Water
- Old plastic container
- Alum water
- Clove oil
- Cornstarch
- Sugar
- Alum powder
Instructions
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Traditional Thinner Paste
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1
Mix 1 1/2 cups of flour and 6 teaspoons of alum water (usually found in the herb or specialty sections of supermarkets) in a double boiler for this heavy-duty but somewhat thin-medium paste.
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2
Add tap water until the mixture resembles the consistency of sour cream. Heat the mixture and stir it constantly until it thickens.
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3
Turn off the heat, let the mixture cool and then stir in 12 drops of clove oil, which is found at most pharmacies. Then add 1 tablespoon of sugar and stir before pouring it into an old plastic container for your wallpaper project.
Mid-Grade Paste
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4
Combine one-half pound of wheat flour with 1 liter of warm water in a saucepan, blending well until the flour is dissolved for this heavy-duty and medium-thick paste. Keep stirring until the mixture is thin and free of lumps.
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5
Heat the mixture over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly as the mixture thickens.
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6
Add 1 more liter of water a little at a time -- letting the mixture heat up, then adding more water and stirring constantly as the paste thickens. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar. When it reaches the consistency of dense mashed potatoes, it’s ready to be poured into a plastic container for your use.
Decorator's Favorite Paste
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7
Combine 1 cup flour, one-half cup cornstarch and 2 teaspoons powdered alum in a double boiler for this heavy-duty and very thick paste.
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8
Add 2 2/3 cups of water and heat and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken.
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9
Contribute to a greener environment by making your own eco-friendly wallpaper paste. Remove from the heat; this paste will thicken more as it cools. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sugar. Thin with a little water, if necessary.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Sprinkle in a little bit of cinnamon for a fragrant wallpaper paste.
Store the paste in a covered and sealed container, where it should remain moist and ready to use for several months. If the paste seems dense, add a little bit of water and stir or heat it for less than 1 minute in the microwave.
References
Resources
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