How to Put Up Wallpaper With Tissue Paper

Tissue paper will give walls an inexpensive texture.

One inexpensive faux finish for your walls is the tissue paper finish. A way to change the character of the room, this finish has a leathery, wrinkled effect that can be highlighted with a glaze over the paint. The best part of this finish is that there is almost no wrong way to do it. Next time you are thinking of changing a room, check out the tissue paper finish.

Things You'll Need

• Tissue paper (enough to cover the room, plus 5 to 10 percent more)
• Wallpaper paste or white craft glue
• Primer for wallpaper
• Small paint roller
• Paintbrush
• Dropcloth

Instructions

1. Cover the area you will be working in with a dropcloth. Paint on the wallpaper primer. This will allow you to remove the tissue finish easily when you tire of the look.

2. Open almost all the tissue paper and tear off all of the flat edges and corners. This will help the tissue to blend easier and you will not see squares and corners, unless you want to see them. Leave about two to three packages with one side still straight, this will be used along the moldings and frames, so the paper will meet the edges cleanly.

   Separate each piece of tissue paper and crumble into a ball. After all the paper is wrinkled, open it back up, and stack near where you will work.

3. Mix the wallpaper paste according to the directions, or mix one cup water with 1/3 cup white glue. You can also adhere the paper with paint, and skip this step if you choose. Try a few ways in an out-of-the-way spot to see which works best for you.

4. Roll the watery glue (or paint) on the wall in a spot slightly larger than your paper. Press the paper on the wall and use the dry brush to flatten the paper. You want to use the brush so you do not tear the paper. Make sure to keep the wrinkles and not flatten the paper completely. If the paper is secure, you can move on to the next section, slightly overlapping each piece to hide the edges. You can also try rolling on more of the watery glue to secure the paper to the wall.

5. Continue until you have covered all the walls with the paper. If there are sections that do not have enough texture, cover them with another piece of paper.

   Allow the walls to dry completely and then paint them again, or use a glaze and a cloth to highlight the wrinkles in the paper.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use paint to stick the paper to the walls, but the glue will allow for more movement in the paper. You may try the glue first until you get the hang of the process, and then you could use the paint.

• If the tissue tears or has too many bubbles, you can always remove it before it sets and drys.

• Different climates will have different effects on the materials used. Some places will work better with the watery glue, and some with the paint to adhere the paper. Do a test run on a piece of scrap wood to determine which method you feel more comfortable using.

References

• HomeTips: Tissue Paper Paint Texture Effects
• MormonChic: Faux Finishing
• TheAssistant.Wordpress: Tissue Paper is Stuck on My Guest Bathroom Walls