Things You'll Need:
- Cleaning products
- Buckets and sponges
- Paint brush or roller
- Non-shrinking wall spackling compound
- Wall sealant or wall sizing
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Step 1
Clean thoroughly all the walls that you plan to paper, removing the dust and spider webs hiding in the corners. Any dirt and grime not cleaned may keep the wallpaper from adhering to the wall properly. If the walls are really dirty, consider using an appropriate household cleanser or mild detergent diluted in a cleaning bucket and apply with a sponge to the walls and scrub. Rinse the sponge thoroughly during cleaning. Rubbing alcohol mixed in water can also be used as the alcohol evaporates quickly, but use in a well-ventilated area. New wall-board should be prepared or cleaned in this manner as it almost always has lots of dust and dirt stuck to it.
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Step 2
Smooth out the wall surfaces. Remove any nails or hooks. Fill in any holes with non-shrinking wall Spackle. Even walls that are painted should be prepared the same way. Sandpaper may have to be used to smooth out some rough areas. Be sure to rewash the sanded areas to remove the sanding dust. Uneven walls or where the plaster was originally applied a little too thick in areas should be cleaned and sanded in this manner to even the walls out to match the other walls.
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Step 3
Apply a coat of wall sealer or wall sizing to all the cleaned, smoothed out walls. These products can be purchased at your local hardware, wallpaper or home improvement store. These are usually mixed with water and applied like paint with a brush or roller. Allow appropriate time to dry. Do not skip this step or it could effect how the wallpaper will stick or adhere to the walls.
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Step 4
Remove old paper. This can be challenging. Hopefully, it is pulling loose at the seams and can be gently pulled off and the walls then scrubbed and cleaned. If it is not loose, steam the wallpaper off by using a wall steamer. These can be rented at your local hardware, wallpaper or home improvement stores. If the wall paper is completely sealed on the walls, it may be all right to paper right over it. If there is more than one layer of wallpaper already on the wall, this is not recommended. Consider a professional for help in this area.
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Step 5
Check carefully the walls that have mildew growth or damage as this must be dealt with before the preparation for wallpaper can take place. Otherwise, you will be placing wet paper over already mildewed walls, causing even more wall damage, not to mention health concerns. Mildewed walls may require using a bleach solution, half bleach, half water, followed with a solution of TSP (or some sort of nonphosphate substitute) and water. Be sure to rinse this well and use protective gloves and eye goggles. Let the walls dry completely before applying a sealer or sizing.
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Step 6
Examine newly plastered walls, as these may need special consideration. The plaster has to be allowed to dry thoroughly and this may take anywhere from one to four months, depending on the type of plaster and thickness. Washing the dried new plaster walls with vinegar will help to neutralize it. A professional wallpaper expert may need to be consulted when dealing with this type of wall.
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Step 7
Consider unusually constructed walls such as cinder blocks, wood paneling, concrete, types of plaster and ornate types of painted walls with special attention. Consider each wall type and then use the method of cleaning and smoothing the walls that will work best to prepare it for wall papering.
