How to Seal Wallpaper Edges
If you live in a house with wallpaper, you will almost inevitably be faced with the problem of peeling edges—especially if you live in a place that is humid. Unless you attend to pealing wallpaper edges immediately, you will be faced with a bigger problem: torn wall-paper. There is no need for you to search the phone book and hire someone to do the job. You can reseal wallpaper edges all by yourself. With the help of a few tools and a bit of practice, the wallpaper will be back up in a jiffy. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Dampened Sponge
- Knife
- Wallpaper adhesive with a pointed nozzle
- Seam Roller
Instructions
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1
Dampen loose wallpaper edges by pressing on them gently with the sponge. This will soften the adhesive underneath. You will then be able to lift the edge using a knife.
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2
Apply the adhesive under the edges of the wallpaper. (Some wallpaper adhesive brands are Zinsser, Guardz and Red Devil. Choose one with a pointed nozzle for easier application.) You must use just enough adhesive to lightly coat the area. Let the adhesive dry a bit before proceeding to the next step. Follow instructions on your adhesive container for the recommended drying time.
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Gently roll down the wallpaper edges with the seam roller. You must make sure that you wipe up the excess adhesive that seeps out from under the edge, while pressing down.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not apply too much adhesive or press down too hard when rolling. Otherwise too much adhesive will seep out, leaving very little behind to hold the wallpaper in place, and you will find the wallpaper peeling away very soon.
If you press down on the wallpaper edges too hard, you will flatten embossed or textured designs which will make the wall seem patchy or faded in that area.
Always overlap wallpaper edges slightly before sealing, to prevent gaps from appearing if the wallpaper shrinks later.
After rolling down the wallpaper edge you can tape over it with blue painter's tape and leave it for a day or so to prevent it from peeling back before the adhesive dries. Since blue painter's tape is low tack, it should not damage your wallpaper.
It is important that you check the exact drying time of the adhesive printed on the bottle. If you leave it to dry out for too long it will solidify and be useless.
Don’t forget to carefully wipe off the excess adhesive that will seep out of the wallpaper edges when you are sealing them. Otherwise it will leave behind ugly, shiny patches, which will later blacken as dirt collects.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty Images
