We often wish to make your home look bright and shiny just like the sun. Every morning we get up expecting that the sunshine will reflect from the walls of our house and lighten it up but in reality, all we get is the stained, dull looking walls. Many people avoid paints and put up fancy wallpapers for a unique design and hustle free decor of the house, but over time, these wallpapers catch up dust and leave you with no other option but to paint it or replace it with another.
The disadvantages of putting up the wallpaper:
People are often unaware of the consequence they will have to face while putting up wallpapers. Wallpapers once put up cannot be removed as they have strong adhesive attached with them. Moreover, there is a high risk of the wallpaper being torn, especially if you have kids having a deep interest in painting the walls.
One more disadvantage is that the walls once stained can’t be erased or washed. Though it is an extremely cost effective option and highly durable as a product, the process of putting up wallpapers can take hours and probably even longer than the time it takes to paint the walls. Also, you have to decide the color and pattern well in advance, because once the wallpaper is put up you will be left with no other option but to accept it whether you like it, or you don’t. So choose wisely!
Though the wallpapers last for 15 long years, humans also love to experiment with their tastes and thus, the life of wallpaper on the particular wall is not long than 3-4 years. At such times, the peeling of wallpaper becomes extremely difficult and it leaves the wall peeled and ugly. Surely, not worth the efforts!
If at all you live in a place that has a moist surrounding and a windy atmosphere, wallpapers applied do not give desirable results. There have been many complaints regarding the texture that becomes crimped due to moisture in the air. Moreover, at certain places, especially near the ceilings having leakage issues, the wallpapers in that particular part comes off.
When it’s time for replacement?
You know your walls of the house needs a drastic makeover when either the texture that you once choose has given up all the colors and its brightness. Also, though the companies guarantee the durability of the wallpaper, the adhesive used often loose its effect, and you will notice that the wallpaper has come out from certain places.
Moreover, every different type of wallpaper has different durability that becomes, even more, difficult to handle. Due to moist, you will observe that certain areas have swollen up giving it an impression like balloons on the wall. If you try to burst that balloon, there is a possibility that it won’t burst but grow bigger and bigger!
How to give a makeover to the walls?
Redecorating the walls gives a new fresh look to the house making it bright. Normally, people prefer getting it done during a festive season, as it brings happiness and positive vibes in the house.
Now, Redecorating can be done in two ways:
1. Peeling off the old wallpaper and replacing it with a new one.
This option is for people who have loads of time and patience to peel off the wallpaper. Trust me, peeling off the wallpaper is not at all simple. It won’t come out easily and even leave marks of the adhesive used on the wall. Moreover, after this experience, I am sure one wouldn’t apply the wallpaper again and go through the same pains again! And still if you feel like replacing it with another wallpaper, you will have to make sure that the walls are scrubbed well to remove the adhesive and smothered to avoid the cracks and heal the damage caused to the wall that is certainly not a good option as the cost will increase tremendously.
2. Peeling off the wallpaper and painting the walls.
A smart choice though the peeling off the wallpaper part is just not apt for individuals who are very busy. And also, the cost and the time required for the painting and peeling will go up making it certainly a bad option. So the only alternative left is painting over the wallpaper.
3. Painting over the wallpaper.
Painting over the wallpaper is an easier option and most feasible and the preferred one. It is cost effective and fast to implement with fewer side effects and damage caused to the wall. Moreover, the condition of the wall will remain intact due to a strong wallpaper base and multi layer coats of paints on it.
Steps to be followed for painting over the wallpaper:
1. Wall preparation
To ensure a smooth and long lasting paint, you need to check how well is the wallpaper fixed to the wall. If there are any loose ends or half peeled papers, make sure to get rid of them by cutting with the help of sharp scissors or knife.
While doing this, make sure you trim the wallpaper from the edges and the corners as they are more prone to removal and loose contact with the wall. If you are hiring professionals, make sure they are experienced at the job and do the trimming of the wallpaper perfectly.
Walls can also be cleaned using a chemical compound Tri Sodium Phosphate diluted with water. Apply this solution on the wall, let it dry for mentioned time and wipe it using a sponge or cloth. Be extremely careful and follow the safety instructions mentioned on the bottle. It is important to get rid of the chemical as it effects the ability of the paints to adhere to the walls.
Make sure to cover all the dashboards, switch plates and window borders with white tapes to avoid damage. Remove all the nails from the wall.
2. Apply Primer
Once the wall is ready and cleaned, it is important to seal all the borders of the wallpaper. It is best to use adhesives at the seams and seal the loose ends. Application of primer is also advised as it will not only enhance the seams and holes in the wall but also help strength the wallpaper. Primer application needs a lot of precautions and good ventilation as the smell of primer is too strong to bear.
A primer that is used should oil based or shellac based. If you use a water-based primer, there is a possibility that the wallpaper will be lifted and form a bubble. Oil and shellac primers bond effectively well and help to cover the stains and the old patterns of the wallpaper. They also do not take a lot of time in drying up. So it helps save a lot of time.
3. Repair the wall
On drying up, the primer will show all the defects and deficiencies on the wall. You need to fix all these with Spackle or joint compound. You may apply multi layers of it and allow it to dry. It is also advised to use an adhesive Chiba tape to cover up all the seams.
Another alternative to Spackle is the drywall compound that serves the purpose. Sometimes, two to three coats of drywall may be required. It is always recommended to apply the tape from ceiling of the wall to the bottom. It helps in the task being carried out with fewer efforts and faster in speed helping in saving time and energy. Moreover, if the same direction is followed for primer application as well, the walls will be smooth.
4. Application of texture
Since textured walls are too much in trend, and you wish to give your boring looking wall an exceptionally new and fashionable look, you have to make sure to apply the texture while the primer is still on the wall. You can add extra paint and complementing contrast colors. Obviously, you will need more paint to cover the texture correctly. This step is optional and is only for those who have an interest in being trendy.
5. Smoothing of the wall
Smoothing of the wall is a significant step as the final result will depend on how well you flattened your wall. To have a perfect shining wall, you should ensure proper smoothing is done. Smoothing is usually carried out after drying up the primer and the sealer. A sand paper or a sand screen is rubbed over the wall to remove any unwanted or excess primer-sealer combination. Make sure to place a cloth at the bottom of the wall to avoid any dust particles adhering to the lower part of the wall. Rubbing with sandpaper will ensure that the wall surface is smooth and even.
6. Painting on the wall
After all the above preparatory steps, you will finally need paint brushes, rollers, paint sprayer and of course, the paint of your choice. To begin, make sure to paint the edges and the corners of the walls using a paint brush and the remaining with rollers. You will probably need two to three coats. You will need a pair of hand gloves and glasses to protect yourself from the paint. Also, make sure there is proper ventilation as the smell of the paint is too intense and harmful for human health.
And once you are finished step back and admire the difference. Where once there used to be wallpaper you were tired of, you will see a bright reflecting painted surfaces!!!
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