How to Use Wallpaper Border on Textured Walls

Wallpaper borders are a stylish accent in any room, regardless of whether or not the walls are wallpapered. With some walls, you can apply the wallpaper border to the wall with minimum preparation. However, textured walls will show through the wallpaper if you leave the wall as is. Before hanging a wallpaper border, sand the section of the wall that the border will cover and smooth the area with joint compound. Once the wall is prepared, the process is the same as hanging a wallpaper border on any other wall.

Things You'll Need

• Chalk line
• Masking tape or painter's tape
• Soap
• Sponge
• 120-grit sanding screen
• Broom
• Joint compound
• Wide putty knife
• Scouring pad
• Paint primer
• Paint brush
• Wallpaper border
• Wallpaper paste
• Paint roller
• Wallpaper brush
• Utility knife

Instructions

Prepare the Wall

1. Hold the wallpaper border up to the wall and mark the top and bottom edges on the wall. Snap a chalk line along those marks. Place masking tape or painter's tape along the chalk line to separate the part of the wall to be treated from the rest of the wall.

2. Sand the separated section of wall with a 120-grit sanding screen, removing the high points on the wall. Dust the walls with a broom.

3. Spread a thin layer of joint compound on the section of wall with a wide putty knife. Brush the edge of the putty knife against the joint compound vertically, then horizontally. Let the joint compound dry overnight.

4. Run the edge of the putty knife over the dried joint compound lightly to scrape away any roughness.

5. Rub a damp scouring pad over the joint compound to wet-sand the area. Allow the joint compound to dry.

6. Apply a second thin coat of joint compound, let it dry and wet sand it.

7. Apply paint primer to the border area and allow the primer to dry completely.

Hang the Wallpaper Border

1. Roll the wallpaper border so that the pattern is on the inside.

2. Soak pre-pasted wallpaper border in water, following the manufacturer's directions. If your wallpaper border is not pre-pasted, unroll it onto a work surface with the blank side facing up, and spread wallpaper paste on the border with a paint roller.

3. Stick the wallpaper border to the prepared area of the wall, brushing the surface gently with a wallpaper brush. When you reach an inside corner, press the wallpaper border into the corner and make a vertical cut in the corner. This keeps the wallpaper from falling away from the wall at the corner.

References

• "Wallcovering Secrets"; Brian Santos; 2007